Names: conventional long form: French Republic conventional short form: France local long form: Republique francaise local short form: France

Capital City: Paris

Population: total: 62,752,136 note: 60,876,136 in metropolitan France (July 2006 est.)

GDP Per Capita: $30,100 (2006 est.)

Currency: euro (EUR) note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Languages: French 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and languages (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish) overseas departments: French, Creole patois

Total Area: total: 643,427 sq km; 547,030 sq km (metropolitan France) land: 640,053 sq km; 545,630 sq km (metropolitan France) water: 3,374 sq km; 1,400 sq km (metropolitan France) note: the first numbers include the overseas regions of French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Reunion slightly less than the size of Texas

Region: Europe

Industries: machinery, chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy, aircraft, electronics; textiles, food processing; tourism

Agriculture: wheat, cereals, sugar beets, potatoes, wine grapes; beef, dairy products; fish

Resources: coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, uranium, antimony, arsenic, potash, feldspar, fluorospar, gypsum, timber, fish French Guiana: gold deposits, petroleum, kaolin, niobium, tantalum, clay

Labor Force: 27.88 million (2006 est.)
agriculture: 4.1% industry: 24.4% services: 71.5% (1999)

Exports: $490 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
machinery and transportation equipment, aircraft, plastics, chemicals, pharmaceutical products, iron and steel, beverages

Imports: $529.1 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
machinery and equipment, vehicles, crude oil, aircraft, plastics, chemicals

Overview: France is in the midst of transition from a well-to-do modern economy that has featured extensive government ownership and intervention to one that relies more on market mechanisms. The government has partially or fully privatized many large companies, banks, and insurers. It retains controlling stakes in several leading firms, including Air France, France Telecom, Renault, and Thales, and is dominant in some sectors, particularly power, public transport, and defense industries. The telecommunications sector is gradually being opened to competition. France's leaders remain committed to a capitalism in which they maintain social equity by means of laws, tax policies, and social spending that reduce income disparity and the impact of free markets on public health and welfare. The government in 2006 focused on introducing measures that attempt to boost employment through increased labor market flexibility; however, the population has remained opposed to labor reforms, hampering the government's ability to revitalize the economy. The tax burden remains one of the highest in Europe (nearly 50% of GDP in 2005). The lingering economic slowdown and inflexible budget items probably pushed the budget deficit above the eurozone's 3%-of-GDP limit in 2006; unemployment hovers near 9%.

_{CIA World Book}

In 2007 Missouri exported $134,031,921 in goods to France. This ranks France 15^th among the 223 international buyers of Missouri goods. Missouri exports to France decreased from the previous year by $850,225 a change of -.63%. State exports to France have increased over the last 5 years by $49,964,809 a change of 59.43%. Missouri exports account for 1.00%. of all 2007 US exports to France.