Human development index (HDI), an index based on life expectancy, education and GDP (max. 1)
0.888
World rank in HDI
22
Key economic sectors
Services (78.9); industry (19,4); agriculture (1.7) (2014)
Leading Companies
Sanofi, a pharmaceuticals company (US$130·3bn.); Total, an integrated oil company (US$118·5bn.); and L’Oreal, a cosmetics and beauty company (US$103·3bn.)
Main religious denominations (numbers in thousands)
Roman Catholic (64%); religiously unaffiliated (28%); Protestant (3%); other religions (5%) (2010)
Political system
Semi-presidential: The President is directly elected every five years, and appoints a prime minister and cabinet accountable to a National Assembly, elections to which are held every five years.
Electoral system
Two-ballot, majoritarian system for presidential elections; second ballet system for elections to National Assembly
Current (March 2017) leaders
President: François Hollande (b. 1954), since May 2012 Prime Minister: Manuel Valls (b. 1962), since April 2014
Previous leaders:
Presidents: Nicolas Sarkozy (2007-2012); Jacques Chirac (1995-2007) Prime Ministers: Jean-Marc Ayrault (2012-2014); François Fillon (2007-2012)
Joined the EU/EC
1957 (founder member)
Commissioner from country in Barroso II College of Commissioners, and portfolio
Michel Barnier (Internal Market and Services)
Number of MEPs
74
Turnout in 2014 EP elections (%)
42·4% (40.6% in 2009)
Member of eurozone
Yes
Except where a specific reference is inserted, the sources for this profile are either Neill Nugent’s book itself, or Barry Turner (ed.), The Statesman’s Yearbook Online, Basingstoke and New York: Palgrave Macmillan. If your library subscribes, you can gain access at http://www.statesmansyearbook.com
