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Facts
& figures |
This page contains
Facts and Figures about France and the French. Some are significant,
other less so....
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Immigration
- According
to a recent study (IHT Dec.24 2002, OECD 1999), the breakdown
of foreign population between the four major EU countries
is as follows (* indicates more than 10% of the annual inflows)
: (but these figures do not include the children of foreigners,
if born in France : according to French law, they have French
citizenship)
millions |
Turkey |
Yugosl. |
Italy |
Portug. |
Morocco |
Ireland |
Algeria |
Greece |
India |
EastEur |
USA |
Poland |
Albania |
Philip. |
France |
0,2 |
|
0,2 |
0,6 |
0,5 * |
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0,5 * |
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Germany |
2,1 |
0,7 * |
0,6 |
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0,4 |
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|
0,3 |
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UK |
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|
0,1 |
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|
0,4 |
|
|
0,2 |
0,1 |
0,1 * |
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Italy |
|
0,1 * |
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0,2 * |
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|
0,1 |
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|
0,1 * |
0,1 |
The total number of foreigners
in the 25 countries of Europe in 2002 (source : Eurostat 2003)
in million (* means : more than 5% of total population and **
: more than 10%):
Germany* |
7,3 |
Belgium* |
0,8 |
Sweden* |
0,5 |
Czech R |
0,2 |
Slovenia |
ns |
France* |
3,4 |
Greece* |
0,8 |
Estonia** |
0,3 |
Luxembrg* |
0,2 |
Poland |
ns |
UK |
2,5 |
Austria** |
0,7 |
Denmark |
0,3 |
Hungary |
0,1 |
Lithuania |
ns |
Italy |
1,5 |
Netherland |
0,7 |
Portugal |
0,2 |
Finland |
0,1 |
Slovakia |
ns |
Spain |
1,4 |
Latvia** |
0,6 |
Ireland |
0,2 |
Cyprus |
0,1 |
Malta |
ns |
Back to French
society
- Science : in terms of % of articles published,
United-Kingdom (8,1%) and Germany (6,9%) are ahead of France
(5,2%) in the world hit parade of scientific publications ; only
in mathematics, does France do better (8%) than the other
European countries (source : Observatoire des Sciences et
des Techniques, 2002), because of the importance of math
in French education. French mathematicians are very successful
with the Fields Medal (the equivalent for Mathematics of the
Nobel Prize) and in 2003 Jean Pierre Serre was awarded the first
Abel Prize (the new Nobel Prize for maths). In terms of Research
& Development, France is behind USA (around 3%) and Nordic
countries for % of GNP in R&D (Source : OECD 2002)
|
Swd |
Flnd |
Germ |
Frnce |
Dnm |
Neth |
Belg |
UK |
Aust |
Irlnd |
Ital |
Spain |
Portg |
Grec |
USA |
Japn |
Cand |
Kor |
Total % R&D |
3,65 |
3,40 |
2,51 |
2,18 |
2,10 |
2,02 |
1,96 |
1,88 |
1,84 |
1,20 |
1,04 |
0,94 |
0,75 |
0,67 |
? |
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|
of which: private |
2,47 |
2,39 |
1,68 |
1,18 |
1,22 |
1,00 |
1,30 |
0,91 |
0,73 |
0,77 |
0,45 |
0,47 |
0,16 |
0,16 |
? |
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% of GNP to higher education |
1,7 |
1,7 |
1,0 |
1,1 |
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1,0 |
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0,9 |
1,2 |
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0,9 |
2,7 |
1,1 |
2,6 |
2,6 |
- Strikes : with only 0,9% of the French workforce,
SNCF, the French train operator, represents 20% of the number
of strike days every year... ; many strikes include street
demonstrations and The Economist (Nov.2002) published
a funny statistic on officially registered demonstrations in
Paris in 2001 : out of a total of 10,050, 7,458 had a festive
cause, 1,461 were for better pay, job security, etc..., 800 purely
political and 331 for celebrity visits ! More
about strikes and labour unions...
- More to come....
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- Europe : writes J.Rifkin : "While the
american Spirit is tiring and languishing in the past, a new
European Dream is being born. That dream emphasizes community
relationships over individual autonomy, cultural diversity over
assimilation, quality of life over the accumulation of wealth,
sustainable development over unlimited material growth, deep
play over unrelenting toil, universal human rights and the rights
of nature over property rights, and global cooperation over the
unilateral exercise of power."
- Bibliography
: Every year, a book
called Francoscopie-Comment vivent les Français
(Larousse, Paris), by Gérard Mermet gives thousands of
updated figures on France and the French.
- Back to Europe,
with more Facts and Figures about France
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Americans
abroad
- How many Americans live in France ? This
is a frequently asked question and the answer varies between
100,000 and 200,00 depending on the source and the definition
(with or without government staff and army).
A recently published (2003)
map gives the following figures of the largest (private sector
only) US communities among the 4,1 million American citizens
living abroad (Source : AARO
The Association of Americans Residents Overseas, AAWE Asssociation
of American Wives of Europeans, ACA American
Citizens Abroad, FAWCO
Federation of American Women's Clubs Overseas Inc., EBA European
Benefits Administrators) :
1 |
Mexico |
1 036 300 |
7 |
Philippines |
105 000 |
13 |
China |
65 167 |
19 |
Belgium |
35 328 |
2 |
Canada |
687 700 |
8 |
Australia |
102 800 |
14 |
Ireland |
46 984 |
20 |
Colombia |
30 680 |
3 |
UK |
224 000 |
9 |
France |
101 750 |
15 |
Brazil |
40 640 |
21 |
Argentina |
27 600 |
4 |
Germany |
210 880 |
10 |
Spain |
94 513 |
16 |
Poland |
39 300 |
22 |
Venezuela |
25 000 |
5 |
Israel |
184 195 |
11 |
Greece |
72 500 |
17 |
Taiwan |
38 000 |
23 |
Netherlands |
23 707 |
6 |
Italy |
168 967 |
12 |
Japan |
70 350 |
18 |
Saudi Arabia |
35 989 |
24 |
Costa Rica |
19 800 |
- (conversely)
The French abroad.... (Source
: Maison des Français à l'Etranger 2004) With more
than 2 million expatriates, France has proportionally more than
twice more expats than the USA.
USA |
281 978 |
Germany |
158 281 |
Spain |
124 978 |
Algeria |
70 964 |
UK |
201 562 |
Belgium |
154 069 |
Israel |
87 916 |
Biggest growth rates : China (16%),
Russia (8%), Ireland (8%),... |
Switzerland |
191 074 |
Canada |
138 364 |
Italy |
74 797 |
- What is
the best destination for leading a good life ? The country
the most frequently named as their land of opportunity, as an
answer to the question "Suppose a young person who wanted
to leave this country asked you to recommend where to go to lead
a good life, what country would you recommend ?" (Source
: Pew Research Center, in I.H.T. June 24, 2005)
people from... |
recommend |
people from... |
recommend |
people from... |
recommend |
people from... |
recommend |
Britain |
Australia 31% |
Germany |
Australia/Canada 11% |
Lebanon |
France 19% |
Russia |
Germany 22% |
Canada |
Australia 18% |
India |
USA 38% |
Netherlands |
Australia/Canada 16% |
Spain |
Britain 14% |
China |
Canada 13% |
Indonesia |
Japan 24% |
Pakistan |
China 18% |
Turkey |
Germany 18% |
France |
Canada 14% |
Jordan |
U.A.E. 17% |
Poland |
Britain 21% |
United States |
Canada 16% |
Back to American
Community in Paris
American foreign policy
"How desirable is it that
the US exert strong leadership in world affairs ?"
Poll for the German Marshall Fund (International Herald Tribune
Sept.4, 2003).
"undesirable" |
% in 2002 |
%in 2003 |
France |
48 |
70 |
Europe |
31 |
49 |
Germany |
27 |
50 |
Italy |
33 |
50 |
Portugal |
n/a |
44 |
Netherlands |
23 |
41 |
Britain |
25 |
38 |
Poland |
22 |
34 |
"Do you think that the USA plays a positive role
in the world for..."
(Poll July 2004, Figaro Magazine)
|
France |
USA |
... the progress of democracy
and the rights of Man |
42% |
76% |
... reducing international
tensions |
27% |
57% |
... finding a solution
to the Israelo - Palestinian conflict |
24% |
61% |
...finding a solution in
Iraq |
22% |
59% |
"Do
you think the war with Iraq has made the world safer or more
dangerous ? (Poll, July 2005, Pew Research Center, I.H.T.
June 24, 2005)
|
safer |
more dangerous |
France |
23% |
70% |
Spain |
13% |
68% |
Jordan |
26% |
66% |
Netherl. |
31% |
62% |
Lebanon |
16% |
59% |
Turkey |
14% |
59% |
Germany |
28% |
58% |
China |
9% |
56% |
Canada |
37% |
53% |
Pakistan |
9% |
53% |
Indonesia |
13% |
53% |
Russia |
17% |
49% |
Poland |
27% |
48% |
Britain |
39% |
47% |
USA |
49% |
40% |
India |
45% |
26% |
Public Aid for Development (Source : OECD 2001 & OECD1999) :
in spite of slight fluctuations (exchange rates, data year),
there is no doubt that all other developed countries spend significantly
more in public aid than the USA....
|
Aid, billion $
2001
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GNP 1999
(bn $)
|
Aid as % of GNP |
Population 2001 (million) |
Aid in $/inhabitant |
USA |
10,88 |
9073 |
0,12 |
285 |
38 |
Japan |
9,68 |
3199 |
0,30 |
127 |
76 |
Germany |
4,88 |
1933 |
0,25 |
82 |
60 |
United Kingdom |
4,66 |
1333 |
0,35 |
60 |
78 |
FRANCE |
4,29 |
1363 |
0,31 |
59 |
73 |
Netherlands |
3,16 |
391 |
0,81 |
16 |
197 |
Spain |
1,75 |
710 |
0,25 |
40 |
44 |
Denmark |
1,60 |
138 |
1,16 |
5,4 |
296 |
Sweden |
1,58 |
197 |
0,90 |
9 |
176 |
Canada |
1,57 |
789 |
0,20 |
31 |
51 |
To related pages : more
facts & figures, figures on Europe, etc... |
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Harriet Welty
Rochefort writes articles and books about France and the French.
Order her books :
- "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
More on Harriet's books (excerpts, upcoming
events, testimonials, etc..)
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