ion (1987 est.)

Telephone system: highly developed
domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay; extensive
introduction of fiber-optic cable; domestic satellite system
international: satellite earth stations--2 Intelsat (with total of 5
antennas--2 for Indian Ocean and 3 for Atlantic Ocean), NA Eutelsat,
1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region); HF radiotelephone communications
with more than 20 countries

Radio broadcast stations: AM 41, FM 800 (mostly repeaters),
shortwave 0

Radios: 49 million (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 310 (in addition, there are about
1,400 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 29.3 million (1993 est.)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 32,027 km ( 31,940 km are operated by French National
Railways (SNCF); 13,803 km of SNCF routes are electrified and 12,132
km are double- or multiple-tracked)
standard gauge: 31,928 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 99 km 1.000-m gauge
note: does not include 33 tourist railroads, totaling 469 km, many
being of very narrow gauge (1996)

Highways:
total: 892,900 km
paved: 892,900 km (including 9,900 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (1997 est.)

Waterways: 14,932 km; 6,969 km heavily traveled

Pipelines: crude oil 3,059 km; petroleum products 4,487 km;
natural gas 24,746 km

Ports and harbors: Bordeaux, Boulogne, Cherbourg, Dijon,
Dunkerque, La Pallice, Le Havre, Lyon, Marseille, Mullhouse, Nantes,
Paris, Rouen, Saint Nazaire, Saint Malo, Strasbourg

Merchant marine:
total: 64 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,826,364 GRT/2,962,338
DWT
ships by type: bulk 5, cargo 5, chemical tanker 6, combination bulk
1, container 6, liquefied gas tanker 4, multifunction large-load
carrier 2, oil tanker 20, passenger 3, roll-on/roll-off cargo 5,
short-sea passenger 6, specialized tanker 1
note: France also maintains a captive register for French-owned
ships in Iles Kerguelen (French Southern and Antarctic Lands) (1998
est.)

Airports: 474 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 267
over 3,047 m: 13
2,438 to 3,047 m: 31
1,524 to 2,437 m: 94
914 to 1,523 m: 73
under 914 m: 56 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 207
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 75
under 914 m: 129 (1998 est.)

Heliports: 3 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army (includes Marines), Navy (includes Naval
Air), Air Force (includes Air De