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ECONOMY
France is the worlds fourth largest economic power In terms of GDP. The country's assets are varied and Include its transport and telecommunications sectors, a g r I - f o o d s t u f I s and ph ar mace nt leal industries, along with banking, insurance, tourism and ihe traditional luxury products (leather goods, ready-to-wear fashion, per-lumes, line wines and spirits, etc).
In 1999 France had a trade surplus of 124 billton francs (18 9 billion euros): it is the world's fourth largest exporter of goods (mainly durables) and ranks second In services and agriculture (cereals and agrifoodstulls in particular). It is the leading producer and exporter of farm products in Europe France carries out 63% of its trade with Its European Union partners (50% within the euro area).
France ranks fourth internationally' for direct inward investment. Foreign investors appreciate the skills of French workers, the advanced level of research, the mastery of high technology, the stable currency and control of production costs.
Gross domestic product (GDP) in
1999 : 8.833 billion francs (1,346.58 billion euros)
GDP growth (1999): 2.9% Inflation (1999): 1.3% Trade surplus (1999) : 124 billion francs (18.9 billion euros).
Agriculture
Farms : 680.000
Farmers/farm workers 910.000
Utilized agricultural area 29.945.000 hectares. 54% of the area of metropolitan France
Principal agricultural products in France
Sugar beet : 1st in the EU. 2nd in the world (34 million tonnes)
Wine : 2nd in (he world and EU after Italy (52 million hec tolitres)
Milk : 2nd in the EU. after Germany and 5th In the world 123 million litres)
Cereals : 1st in the EU, 5th in the world (68 million tonnes.
including 38 million tonnes of soft wheat and 15 million tonnes oi grain maize)
Oilseeds 1st in the EU (5 million tonnes)
Animal herds : Cattle . 20 million: Pigs : 15.9 million Sheep : 9.8 million; Goats : I million.
Meal production :
Beef; 1.880 million tonnecarcass-equivalent (tee): Pork: 2.3 million tee; Sheep/goat : 1.45 million tee; Poultry : 2.3 million tee.
Forests
Woods and forests cover some 15 million hectares. 27% of France's total area, placing France third in the EU countries in terms of forest area. Forest area in France has increased by 35% since 1945 and continues to grow by about 30.000 hectares each year. Most trees arc deciduous (two thirds), while the remaining third consists of conifers. The National Forestry Office (Office national des Forets — ONF) is responsible for managing national forests (1,750,000 hectares) and those belonging to local authorities (2.850,000 hectares). The remaining 10.500,000 hectares belong to some 3.800.000 private owners. Forests in France are a source of biological and scenic wealth, a place for excursions and relaxation; they also yield an annual harvest of 34 million cubic metres of timber.
Energy
Energy independence 48%
Primary energy consumption 249 4 million tonne oil equivalent (toe)
Breakdown of energy consumption: Oil-39.7%; Ele. irk -lty-35.5%; Gas-13.6%: Coal-6’4%; Renewable energies-4.7%.
Net electricity production 486 billion Twh, of which 76% is nuclear-generated
Energy bill : 61 billion francs (9.3 billion euros)
Industry
Leading industrial sectors in France :
• Construction and civil engineering Annual turnover : 61 1 billion francs (93.15 billion euros).
Five French groups (Bouygues. the leading European group, SGE-Vivendi. GTM-Entrepose. GTM group. EifTage and Colas) rank among the top European const ruction firms.
• Agri-foodstuffs : Annual turnover : 710 billion francs (108.24 billion euros).
Workforce : 398.000
Leading sectors: meat and dairy production, cereals, confectionery. soft and alcoholic beverages. Leading exporter and second largest producer in the EU. Trade surplus : 58 billion francs (8.84 billion euros) Number of linns: 4.200
Main groups- Danone. Eri-dania Beghin-Say. Nestle-France. Besnier. Pernod-Rf-card, Seita. Sodiaal. Socopa
and Bongrain
• Fashion and luxury goods This sector includes haute couture Jewellery, luxury leather goods, perfumes, cosmetics and fine glassware
Main groups : Yves-Saint-Laurent. Vuitton. Chanel,
Ba< < arat. Hermes Jean-Paul Gaultier. Dior and ( artier
Turnover : 206 billions francs (3 1 4 billion euros)
Workforce: 222.000.
’Pharmaceuticals: Annual turnover: 186.6 billton francs (28.4 billion euros)
Workforce : 94.500.
World's fourth largest pro-ducer and fifth largest exporter.
Main firms: Aventis-Pharma (merger of Rhone-Poulenc and the German firm Hoechst), Sanofi. Synth61abo. Biomerieux. Servier and Pierre Fabre.
• Automobile industry: Annual turnover : 542 I billion francs (86.642 billion euros),
France Is the world's third largest exporter of cars and, In 1998, had a surplus on its trade in this sector of 61 billion francs (9.3 billion euros). PSA (Peugeot-Citroen) and Renault are the two main groups in the sector
4,519.000 vehicles were produced in 1998.
Workforce : 286.000
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