France
French Republic
France, officially the French Republic, is a semi-presidential republic with its capital in Paris. This page brings together source-cited key facts, international memberships, economic and social indicators and practical information.
Key facts
Core reference data for France. Numbers in brackets link to the sources at the end of this page.
- Official name
- French Republic [1]
- Capital
- Paris [2]
- Official language
- French [2]
- Population
- 68,720,337 [2]2025
- Area
- 551,695 km² [2]
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Time zone
- Europe/Paris [4]
- Calling code
- +33
- Internet domain
- .fr
- UN member since
- 24 October 1945 [3]
- Recognition
- Universally Recognized
- Official portal
- gouvernement.fr
Government and leadership
International memberships
Membership status in major international organizations and groups.
- UNUnited Nations, since 1945Member
- EUEuropean UnionMember
- NATONorth Atlantic Treaty OrganizationMember
- SchengenSchengen AreaMember
- IMFInternational Monetary FundMember
- World BankWorld Bank GroupMember
- WTOWorld Trade OrganizationMember
- G20Group of TwentyMember
- G7Group of SevenMember
- UNSC P5Permanent seat, UN Security CouncilMember
Economy
Headline indicators. Values marked est. are projections for the current or a future year.
- GDP
- $3,366 B [5]2025
- GDP per capita
- $48,986 [5]2025
- GDP growth
- 0.8% [5]2025
- Inflation
- 0.9% [5]2025
- Unemployment
- 7.5% [5]2025
- Exports
- $704 B [10]Reference year not recorded
- Imports
- $1,138 B [10]Reference year not recorded
Main exports
- Machinery
- Aircraft
- Vehicles
- Chemicals
- Pharmaceuticals
Main imports
- Machinery
- Crude oil
- Vehicles
- Electronics
- Chemicals
Top export partners
Top import partners
Geography
- Area
- 551,695square kilometres
- Coastline
- 4,853kilometres
- Highest point
- 4,808 mMont Blanc
- Coordinates
- 48.8566, 2.351Geographic centre (approx.)
Bordering countries
Society and development
- Life expectancy
- 83.0 years [10]Reference year not recorded
- Literacy rate
- 99.0% [10]2018
- Human Development Index
- 0.910 [6]Rank 28, 2022
- Corruption Perceptions Index
- 67/100 [7]Reference year not recorded
- Press freedom rank
- 25 [8]Reference year not recorded
- Internet use
- 88.7% [10]of population
- International tourist arrivals
- 117.1 M [11]2020
- Majority religion
- None / Secular
Practical information
- Emergency number
- 15
- Driving side
- Right
- Electricity
- 230
- Plug types
- Type C
- Type E
- Tap water
- Generally safe to drinkLocal conditions can vary; follow local advice.
- Calling code
- +33
Travel and visa
- Passport rank
- 3 [9]Henley Passport Index
- Visa-free or on-arrival access
- 189 [9]destinations for this country's passport holders
Visiting France? Check official sources before you travel
Entry requirements depend on your nationality, the purpose of your trip and the length of your stay, and they can change at short notice. NexaNations does not provide immigration or legal advice.
Quick answers
What is the capital of France?
The capital of France is Paris.
What currency does France use?
France uses the Euro (EUR).
What is the official language of France?
The official language of France is French.
What is the emergency number in France?
The emergency number in France is 15.
Which side of the road do people drive on in France?
In France, traffic drives on the right.
Sources
- Official government portal of France. gouvernement.fr
- Wikidata, item Q142. wikidata.org
- United Nations, member states. un.org
- GeoNames, entry 3017382. geonames.org
- International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook. imf.org
- United Nations Development Programme, Human Development Report. hdr.undp.org
- Transparency International, Corruption Perceptions Index. transparency.org
- Reporters Without Borders, World Press Freedom Index. rsf.org
- Henley and Partners, Henley Passport Index. henleyglobal.com
- World Bank, World Development Indicators. data.worldbank.org
- UN Tourism, tourism statistics. untourism.int
Data last updated on 24 September 2026. Read how we select and verify sources in our methodology.
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