France

D

Local Government

France’s 100 metropolitan departments are organized into 26 regions (including the territorial collectivity of Corsica, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Réunion). In 1981 the government of President Mitterrand introduced a plan that abolished the system of prefects appointed by the central government and increased the powers of elected departmental councils.

The departments are divided into communes, which are governed by municipal councils of between 10 and 36 members, who are elected for six-year terms. Each council elects, from its membership, a mayor, who represents the national government. Metropolitan France has more than 36,000 communes. The communes, differing greatly in area and population, are often identical with municipalities. Other units of local government are the arrondissement and the canton.

E

Health and Welfare

Average life expectancy in France in 2007 was 76 years for men and 84 years for women. The infant mortality rate in the same period was around 4 deaths per 1,000 live births. French health insurance partially covers medical, pharmaceutical, and hospitalization costs in most cases, and the complete costs of such services for low-income groups, the unemployed, and children under ten years of age. Health and all other social insurance is under the jurisdiction of the Social Security Administration. Social insurance includes family allowances, workers’ compensation, maternity benefits, and disability and old-age insurance. Approximately 98 per cent of the total population of France is covered by the compulsory plan. In 1993, 9.4 per cent of France’s national budget was spent on health care.

F

Defence

National service was previously compulsory for a period of 10 months for males between the ages of 18 and 35; however, conscription was phased out in June 2002. Military expenditure for 2003 totalled about US$46 billion. The army numbered about 133,500, the navy around 43,995, and the air force about 63,600. Although France is a full member of NATO, French military forces were withdrawn from the NATO command in October 1966, and remain outside the current NATO command structure. French attempts to secure a new position in NATO at the July 1997 summit, which admitted Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic, failed. France has developed its own nuclear force, including nuclear submarines and ballistic missiles. In the early 1990s, French forces were stationed in Germany and several African countries, notably Chad. In 1990, France took part in the Gulf War, sending troops and warships to the Persian Gulf after Iraq took over Kuwait.

G

International Organizations

France is a member of the United Nations (UN), the European Union, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Western European Union, and the Council of Europe. France has promoted policies such as European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) and is a signatory of the Schengen Agreement on European border controls. France organized the Franc Zone for its former colonial territories.

VI

History

Archaeological evidence indicates that human beings have lived in what is now France for at least 100,000 years.