economic integration of
Europe, including the introduction of a common exchange currency,
the euro, in January 1999. At present, France is at the forefront of
efforts to develop the EU's military capabilities to supplement
progress toward an EU foreign policy.

Geography France

Location:
Western Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay and English Channel,
between Belgium and Spain, southeast of the UK; bordering the
Mediterranean Sea, between Italy and Spain

Geographic coordinates:
46 00 N, 2 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 547,030 sq km
land: 545,630 sq km
water: 1,400 sq km
note: includes only metropolitan France; excludes the overseas
administrative divisions

Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of Colorado

Land boundaries:
total: 2,889 km
border countries: Andorra 56.6 km, Belgium 620 km, Germany 451 km,
Italy 488 km, Luxembourg 73 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Spain 623 km,
Switzerland 573 km

Coastline:
3,427 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (does not apply to the Mediterranean)
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
generally cool winters and mild summers, but mild winters and hot
summers along the Mediterranean; occasional strong, cold, dry,
north-to-northwesterly wind known as mistral

Terrain:
mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west;
remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Rhone River delta -2 m
highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m

Natural resources:
coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, uranium, antimony, arsenic, potash,
feldspar, fluorospar, gypsum, timber, fish

Land use:
arable land: 33.53%
permanent crops: 2.07%
other: 64.4% (2001)

Irrigated land:
20,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires
in south near the Mediterranean

Environment - current issues:
some forest damage from acid rain; air pollution from industrial
and vehicle emissions; water pollution from urban wastes,
agricultural runoff

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compo