France Today What do we need to know to make comparisons?
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Transcript of France Today What do we need to know to make comparisons?
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France Today
What do we need to know
to make comparisons?
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One of the most modern countries in the world
It is a leader
among European nations
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France has 20 regions
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Each region contains several “departements”
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But France is roughly
17 1/2 times smaller
than the United States
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And with just over 60 1/2 million inhabitants, France is
nearly five times less populated than the USA
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It is therefore densely populated
Although the population growth rate
was only 0.37% in 2005
versus 0.92% in the US
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It is a democracy
The Republic’s President
Nicolas Sarkozy
is the Chief of State
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But the head of government
Is the Prime Minister
Presently François Fillon
Not the President, as in the USA
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The French flag
Designed by artist Jacques Louis David
In 1794
Born from the French revolution “cocarde” blue and red are the colors of Paris. Red was also the
color of Charlemagne White the colors of the royal French family, but it was
also associated to Joan of Arc
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France is proud of its history
It became unified in 486
Under Clovis
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Charlemagne created the first schools in 800
The first French university,
the Sorbonne was created
in 1252
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1789 saw The French Revolution
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France suffered greatly with the two world wars
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France is proud of its humanistic approach
• Everybody has national health
• University Education is free
• The population below poverty line
is 6.5% versus 12% in the US
• Literacy is 99% versus 97% in the
US
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The Economic Aid (ODA) Given by both countries reflects this approach
FRANCE5.4 billion in 2002
USA6.9 billion in 1997
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France is environment conscious
Gas cost is about 3 times that of the USAPublic transport is subsidized by the
government, so it is comparatively cheaptransport is fast and efficiently on time
Contrary to the US France signed the Kyoto Agreement to reduce carbon dioxide emissions
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What is France’s economy like?
GDP per capita $33100 (2010) GDP real growth 1.6 % Labor force 28.21 million Lowest 10% earns 2.8 % of GDP Highest 10% earns 25.1 of GDP (1995) Inflation rate 1.9% in 2005
US GDP per capita $47200 (world’s highest) US real growth rate 3.5% US Labor force153.9 million US Lowest 10% earns 1.8% of GDP Highest 10% earns 30.5 % (1997) a lot more now. Us Inflation rate 3.2% in 2005
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France energy - import / export
France exports $443.3 billion (2005)imports $473.3 billionExports Electricity 72.2 billion kWhHas practically no oilExports Natural Gas 1.725 billion cu m
US exports $927.5 billionimports $1.727 trillion Exports electricity 23.97 billionoil 7.61 million bbl/dayImports more natural gas than it exports
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France’s industries & agriculture
Machinery Chemicals Automobiles Metallurgy Aircraft Electronics Textiles Food processing Tourism
Wheat Cereals Sugar beets Potatoes Wines and grapes Beef Dairy products Fish
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How does France achieve these results
• with higher taxes than the US
• and a smaller military budget 2.6%
of GDP
• workers have more bargaining
power in France (strikes)
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Taxes
Apart from gas taxes France has Value added taxes (TVA)
Highways are very good, but most are far from free
Income tax is higher than in the US. It can reach nearly 50%, but contrary to today’s US, the more you earn the more you pay
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France’s social laws
A worker’s full time week is 35 hoursAll workers are entitled to national health and get
5 weeks paid vacations per yearUnemployment, at 10% in 2005, seems much
higher than in the US at 5.1% • but hardly any workers are unwillingly part
timers • and remember France has half the percentage of
population of the US under poverty line.
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France gives a lot of help
To childrenTo educationTo the unemployedTo immigrantsTo low income familiesTo public transportTo ex-colonies and to the third world
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Health service
is nationwide It is cheaper than here almost everybody has a complementary
insurance, on top of “la sécurité sociale” so treatment and drugs are free to insured patients
Doctors still go visit the very sick at homePeople choose their regular physicianThe waiting list for organs is no worse than hereAnd they must do something right judging by the
following results
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Death rate
Although death rate is slightly higher than in the US with 9.08 per thousand versus 8.25
life expectancy is higher in France: • a male can expect to live to 75.6 years
versus 74.89 years in the US • and a female can expect to reach 83.42
years versus 80.67 years in the US
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Infant mortality & fertility rate
Infant mortality
• France: 4.76 per thousand
• US 6.5 per thousandFertility rate
• France 1.85 per thousand
• US 2.08 per thousand
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At age 18
In the US you are allowed to vote, to go to the army but you cannot drink in a bar
The French can do all, and strangely enough as drinking is allowed, it loses most of the attraction it has for youngsters in the US.
In France Old people drink more than young ones.
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Tourism in France
With 75.1 million visitors per year France is the most visited country in the world, before Spain with 53.6 million and the US with 46.1 million
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In conclusion
One of the biggest difference, I think, is one of priorities, in what we call quality of life. France doesn’t equate it to personal possessions, but to personal time spent on vacation, hobbies, entertainment or at the table with friends and family. To end on a funny remark, although French workers are the most productive in the world, the word WORKOHOLIC does not exist in the French language. The French seem to take the time to live, they enjoy a good meal