This page is one of the annex pages of www.understandfrance.org, the foremost site on Franco-American intercultural differences. It contains documents, facts and figures illustrating the content of some of its pages.

France and the US compared

Facts & figures

 This page contains Facts and Figures about France and the French. Some are significant, other less so....
(credit)
 France and America compared  

Compared Health policy results : France vs. US
  • What we have in common is more important than what divides us.... (Poll July 2004, Figaro Magazine)
     

     France

     USA
     What we have in common is more important than our disagreements

     68%

     55%
     Our disagreements are more important than what we have in common

     29%

     34%
     I don't know

     3%

     11%
  • People killed by firearms in 2011 (Source : Unodc The Guardian, cited by Le Figaro Dec.17,2012)

Brazil : 18,1 killed per 100,000 inhabitants
Mexico : 9,97
USA : 2,97
Canada : 0,51
Germany : 0,19
France : 0,06

  
  • Life expectancy at birth (including number of additional years since 1960)
    • Japan : 83 (15,2)
    • Italy : 81,8 (12)
    • Sweden : 81,4 (8,3)
    • France : 81 years (10,7 years)
    • UK : 80,4 (9,6)
    • Germany : 80,3 (11,2)
    • USA : 78,2 years (8,3 years)

    •  

  • Expenses for Health (as % of GNP)
    • USA : 17,4%
    • France : 11,8%
    • Germany : 11,6%
    • Sweden : 10%
    • UK : 9,8%
    • Italy : 9,5%
    • Japan : 8,5%

 

  • Infant mortality (per 1,000 births)
    • Japan : 2,4
    • Sweden : 2,5
    • Germany : 3,5
    • Italy : 3,7
    • France : 3,9
    • UK : 4,6
    • USA : 6,5

 

  • % of patients who give up a treatment because of its cost (as a % of of patients with income inferior to average income)
    • UK : 4%
    • Sweden : 14%
    • France : 17%
    • Germany : 27%
    • USA : 39%

(Source : OECD, Panorama de la Santé, 2011)
     

  • A comparative poll (IPSOS,/JDD May 2004) : "Are you favorable to the following measures ?" (with a grey background and an "*" for the biggests differences between French and Americans) :
Are you favorable to.....?

 French

 American
Is this word positive for you ?

 French

 American
 Abortion*

 84

 54
 Stock-option*

 24

 75
 Euthanasia*

 71

 38
 Profit*

 56

 86
 Death penalty*

 37

 64
 Capitalism*

 40

 64
 No religious signs in schools*

 54

 32
 Socialism*

 56

 38
 Adoption in homosexual couples

 34

 47
 Stock exchange*

 54

 75
 Prohibiting GMO

 47

 31
 Protectionnism

 43

 58
 No more nucluar power plants

 47

 37
 Globalization

 43

 57
 Easier access for political refugees

 42

 34
 Civil servant

 65

 76
 Legalize illegal immigrants*

 35

 69
 Open market

 64

 55
 Legalize marijuana

 26

 31
 Privatization

 51

 60
 Prohibit pornographic movies on TV

 47

 55
 Labor union

 69

 60
 Marriage for gays

 44

 40
 Competition

 81

 87
 Research on genetical cloning

 26

 31
 Public sector

 73

 68
       State

 72

 69

Back to "intercultural"

  • See another comparative poll about market economy : a majority of the Frenche answer it has no future !
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Harriet Welty Rochefort writes articles and books about France and the French. Order her books:

  • "Joie de Vivre", Secrets of Wining, Dining and Romancing like the French, St.Martin's Press, New York, 2012
  • "French Toast, An American in Paris Celebrates The Maddening Mysteries of the French", St.Martin's Press, New York, 1999
  • "French Fried, The Culinary Capers of An American in Paris", St.Martin's Press, New York, 2001

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