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People
Cultural Demography
The estimated total population of France is approximately 63 million, making it one of the most populous states in Western Europe. Since prehistoric times, France has been a crossroads of trade, travel, and invasion. Its location as a commercial, geographic and political crossroads has influenced France's past as well as its present-day, most especially in terms of its population.
Ethnicity
Three basic European ethnic stocks -- Celtic, Latin, and Teutonic (Frankish) -- have blended over the centuries to make up the majority of France's population today. Traditionally, however, France has had a high level of immigration, and so the country's ethnic composition has become more diverse over the years, extending beyond its European ethnic roots. In this way, in addition to predominant Celtic, Latin and Teutonic ethnic groups, France is also home to Slavic, Basque, East and Southeast Asian, North African and Middle Eastern ethnic minorities.
Language
French is the official and predominant language of France. The French language derives from the vernacular Latin spoken by the Romans in Gaul, although it includes many Celtic and Germanic words. French has been an international language for centuries and is a common second language throughout the world. It is one of five official languages at the United Nations. In Africa, Asia, the Pacific, and the West Indies, French has been a unifying factor, particularly in those countries where it serves as the only common language among a variety of indigenous languages and dialects. French aside, several regional dialects and languages are spoken, including Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque and Flemish.
Religion
In terms of religious affiliation, approximately 88 percent of the French are Roman Catholic, about 5 percent are Muslim, 2 percent are Protestant, while 1 percent of the population is Jewish; the remaining 4 percent belong to other religions or are not affiliated at all. A large segment of the Muslim population is made up of North African workers who immigrated to France in the 1960s and early 1970s. Algeria is reportedly the country of origin for most of this group.
Birth Rates, Life Expectancy, and Mortality
France's birth rate was among the highest in Europe from 1945 until the late 1960s. Since then, its birth rate has fallen but remains higher than that of most other west European countries. Estimates of birth rates in recent years reported 11.94 births per 1,000 population. The infant mortality rate is 4.41 deaths per 1,000 births. According to recent estimates, life expectancy at birth in France is approximately 79 years for the total population; for males, life expectancy is just over 75 years of age; for females, life expectancy is just over 83 years of age.
Literacy and Educatiom
The literacy rate in France, as with many Western European countries, is very high with 99 percent literacy for both men and women. Education in France is free, beginning at age 2, and mandatory between ages 6 and 16. The public education system is highly centralized. Private education is primarily adminstered by the Roman Catholic church and associated institutions. Higher education in France began with the founding of the University of Paris in 1150. It now consists of 69 universities and special schools, such as the Grandes Ecoles, technical colleges, and vocational training institutions. About 5.6 percent of GDP is spent on educational expenditures.
Standard of Living
France is a wealthy country and citizens enjoy a very high standard of living, with a high gross domestic product per capita. About of 3.5 percent of GDP is spent on health expenditures in this country. Access to education, sanitation, water, and health is regarded to be very good.
Human Development
One notable measure used to determine a country's quality of life is the Human Development Index (HDI), which has been compiled annually since 1990 by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The HDI is a composite of several indicators, which measure a country's achievements in three main arenas of human development: longevity, knowledge and education, as well as economic standard of living. In recent rankings of 169 countries, the HDI has placed Fance in the very high human development category, at 14th place.
Editor's Note: Although the concept of human development is complicated and cannot be properly captured by values and indices, the HDI, which is calculated and updated annually, offers a wide-ranging assessment of human development in certain countries, not based solely upon traditional economic and financial indicators.
Written by Dr. Denise Youngblood Coleman, Editor in Chief, www.countrywatch.com; see Bibliography for research sources.
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