Demography

Posted by BORTAMAN on Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Labels:
Main articles: Demography of France, Languages of France, and French people
Population density in the French Republic at the 1999 census.
Metropolitan French cities with over 100,000 inhabitants

With an estimated population of 65.1 million people,[5] France is the 19th most populous country in the world. France's largest cities are Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Lille, Toulouse, Nice, and Nantes.

In 2003, France's natural population growth (excluding immigration) was responsible for almost all natural population growth in the European Union. In 2004, population growth was 0.68% and then in 2005 birth and fertility rates continued to increase. The natural increase of births over deaths rose to 299,800 in 2006. Thetotal fertility rate rose to 2.02 in 2008,[5] from 1.88 in 2002.[52]

France's legacy: a map of theFrancophone world native language administrative language secondary or non-official language francophone minorities

In 2004, a total of 140,033 people immigrated to France. Of them, 90,250 were from Africa and 13,710 fromEurope.[53] In 2005, immigration level fell slightly to 135,890.[54] France is an ethnically diverse nation with about six million North Africans and an estimated 2.5 million blacks.[55][56] It is currently estimated that 40% of the French population descends from different waves of migrations.[57] According to the French National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies, it has an estimated 4.9 million foreign-born immigrants, of which 2 million have acquired French citizenship.[58] France is the leading asylumdestination in Western Europe with an estimated 50,000 applications in 2005 (a 15% decrease from 2004).[59] The European Union allows free movement between the member states. While Ireland did not impose restrictions, France put in place controls to curb Eastern European migration.

A perennial political issue concerns rural depopulation. Over the period 1960-1999 fifteen rural départementsexperienced a decline in population. In the most extreme case, the population of Creuse fell by 24%.

According to Article 2 of the Constitution, French is the sole official language of France since 1992. This makes France the only Western European nation (excludingmicrostates) to have only one officially recognised language. However, 77 regional languages are also spoken, in metropolitan France as well as in the overseas departments and territories. Until recently, the French government and state school system discouraged the use of any of these languages, but they are now taught to varying degrees at some schools.[60] Other languages, such as Portuguese, Italian, Maghrebi Arabic and several Berber languages are spoken by immigrants.

Religion

Main article: Religion in France
France religiosity
religionpercent
Christianity
 
54%
Not religious
 
25%
Islam
 
4%
Buddhism
 
1.2%
Judaism
 
1.2%
Other religions
or no opinion
 
10%

France is a secular country as freedom of religion is a constitutional right. According to a January 2007 poll by the Catholic World News:[61][62] 51% identified as being Catholics, 31% identified as being agnostics or atheists (another poll[63] sets the proportion of atheists equal to 27%), 10% identified as being from other religions or being without opinion, 4% identified asMuslim, 3% identified as Protestant, 1% identified as Buddhist, 1% identified as Jewish.

According to the most recent Eurobarometer Poll 2005,[64] 34% of French citizens responded that “they believe there is a god”, whereas 27% answered that “they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force” and 33% that “they do not believe there is any sort of spirit, god, or life force”. One other study shows 32% of people in France declaring themselves to be atheists, and another 32% declaring themselves “sceptical about the existence of God but not an atheist”.[65]

The current Jewish community in France numbers around 600,000 according to the World Jewish Congress and is the largest in Europe. Estimates of the number of Muslims in France vary widely. According to the 1999 French census returns, there were only 3.7 million people of “possible Muslim faith” in France (6.3% of the total population). In 2003, the French Ministry of the Interior estimated the total number of Muslims to be 5–6 millions.[66][67]

The concept of laïcité exists in France and because of this, since 1905, the French government is legally prohibited from recognizing anyreligion (except for legacy statutes like those of military chaplains and Alsace-Moselle). Instead, it merely recognizes religious organizations, according to formal legal criteria that do not address religious doctrine. Conversely, religious organizations should refrain from intervening in policy-making. Tensions occasionally erupt about alleged discrimination against minorities, especially Muslims (see Islam in France).

Certain body of beliefs such as Scientology, Children of God, the Unification Church, or the Order of the Solar Temple are considered sects,[68]and therefore do not have the same status as religions in France. "Sect" is considered a pejorative term in France.[69]

Public health

Main article: Health in France

The French healthcare system was ranked first worldwide by the World Health Organization in 1997.[70] Care is generally free for people affected by chronic diseases (Affections de longues durées) such as cancers, AIDS or Cystic Fibrosis. Average life expectancy at birth is 79.73 years.

As of 2007, there are approximately 140,000 inhabitants (0.4%) of France who are living with HIV/AIDS.[71]

France, as all EU countries, is under an EU directive to reduce sewage discharge to sensitive areas. As of 2006, France is only 40% in compliance with this directive, placing it as one of the lowest achieving countries within the EU with regard to this wastewater treatmentstandard.[72]

The death of Chantal Sébire revived the debate over euthanasia in France. It was reported on March 21, 2008.[73]

Culture

Claude Monet, founder of the Impressionistmovement.
This section is in a list format that may be better presented usingprose. You can help by converting this section to prose, if appropriate.Editing help is available. (October 2008)
Main article: Culture of France

Architecture

Main article: French architecture

There is, technically speaking, no architecture named French Architecture, although that has not always been true. Gothic Architecture's old name was French Architecture (or Opus Francigenum). The term “Gothic” appeared later as a stylistic insult and was widely adopted. Northern France is the home of some of the most important Gothic cathedrals and basilicas, the first of these being the Saint Denis Basilica (used as the royal necropolis); other important French Gothic cathedrals are Notre-Dame de Chartres and Notre-Dame d'Amiens. The kings were crowned in another important Gothic church: Notre-Dame de Reims. Aside from churches, Gothic Architecture had been used for many religious palaces, the most important one being the Palais des Papes in Avignon.

Saint Louis' Sainte Chapellerepresents the French impact on religious architecture.

During the Middle Ages, fortified castles were built by feudal nobles to mark their powers against their rivals. When King Philip II took Rouen from King John, for example, he demolished the ducal castle to build a bigger one. Fortified cities were also common, unfortunately most French castles did not survive the passage of time. This is why Richard the Lionheart's Château-Gaillard was demolished, as well as theChâteau de Lusignan. Some important French castles that survived are Chinon, Château d'Angers, the massive Château de Vincennes and the so called Cathar castles.

Before the appearance of this architecture France had been using Romanesque architecture like most of Western Europe (with the exception of the Iberian Peninsula, which used Mooresque architecture). Some of the greatest examples of Romanesque churches in France are the Saint Sernin Basilica in Toulouse and the remains of the Cluniac Abbey (largely destroyed during the Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars).

The end of the Hundred Years' War marked an important stage in the evolution of French architecture. It was the time of the French Renaissance and several artists from Italy and Spain were invited to the French court; many residential palaces, Italian-inspired, were built, mainly in the Loire Valley. Such residential castles were the Château de Chambord, the Château de Chenonceau, or the Château d'Amboise. Following the renaissance and the end of the Middle Ages, Baroque Architecture replaced the gothic one. However, in France, baroque architecture found a greater success in the secular domain than in the religious one.[74] In the secular domain the Palace of Versailles has many baroque features. Jules Hardouin Mansart can be said to be the most influential French architect of the baroque style, with his very famous baroque dome of Les Invalides. Some of the most impressive provincial baroque architecture is found in places that were not yet French such as the Place Stanislas in Nancy. On the military architectural side Vauban designed some of the most efficient fortresses of Europe and became a very influential military architect.

The Eiffel Tower is an icon of both Paris and France

After the Revolution the Republicans favoured Neoclassicism although neoclassicism was introduced in France prior to the revolution with such building as the Parisian Pantheon or the Capitole de Toulouse. Built during the French Empire the Arc de Triomphe and Sainte Marie-Madeleine represent this trend the best.

Under Napoleon III a new wave of urbanism and architecture was given birth. If some very extravagant buildings such as the neo-baroque Palais Garnier were built, the urban planning of the time was very organised and rigorous. For example Baron Haussmann rebuilt Paris. The architecture associated to this era is named Second Empire in the English speaking world, the term being taken from the Second French Empire. These times also saw a strong Gothic-Revival trend across Europe, in France the associated architect was Eugène Viollet-le-Duc. In the late 19th century Gustave Eiffel designed many bridges (like the Garabit viaduct) and remains one of the most influential bridge designer of his time, although he is best remembered for the Eiffel Tower.

In the 20th century the Swiss Architect Le Corbusier designed several buildings in France. More recently French architects have combined both modern and old architectural styles. The Louvre Pyramid is a good example of modern architecture added to an older building. Certainly the most difficult buildings to integrate within French cities are skyscrapers, as they are visible from afar. France's largest financial district is La Defense, where a significant number of skyscrapers are located. Other massive buildings that are a challenge to integrate into their environment are large bridges; a good example of the way this has been done is the Millau Viaduct. Some famous modern French architects include Jean Nouvel or Paul Andreu.

Molière is the most played author in theComédie-Française

Literature

Main article: French literature

The earliest French literature dates from the Middle Ages when the area that is modern France did not have a single, uniform language. There were several languages and dialects and each writer used his own spelling and grammar. The author of many French mediaeval texts is unknown, for example Tristan and Iseult and Lancelot and the Holy Grail. Much mediaeval French poetry and literature was inspired by the legends of the Matter of France, such as the The Song of Roland and the various Chansons de geste. The “Roman de Renart”, written in 1175 byPerrout de Saint Cloude tells the story of the mediaeval character Reynard ('the Fox') and is another example of early French writing. The names of some authors from this period are known, for example Chrétien de Troyes andDuke William IX of Aquitaine, who wrote in Occitan.

An important 16th century writer was François Rabelais who influenced modern French vocabulary and metaphor. During the 17th century Pierre Corneille, Jean Racine and Molière's plays, Blaise Pascal and René Descartes's moral and philosophical books deeply influenced the aristocracy leaving an important heritage for the authors of the following decades. Jean de La Fontaine was an important poet from this century.

19th century poet, writer, and translatorCharles Baudelaire.

French literature and poetry flourished in the 18th and 19th centuries. The 18th century saw the works of writers, essayists and moralists such as Voltaire, Denis Diderot and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Charles Perrault was a prolific writer of children's stories such as: “Puss in Boots”, “Cinderella”, “Sleeping Beauty” and “Bluebeard”.

At the turn of the 19th century symbolist poetry was an important movement in French literature, with poets such as Charles Baudelaire, Paul Verlaine and Stéphane Mallarmé. The 19th century saw the writing of many French novels of world renown with Victor Hugo (Les Misérables), Alexandre Dumas (The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte-Cristo), and Jules Verne (Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea) among the most well-known in France and beyond. Other 19th century fiction writers include Emile Zola, Guy de Maupassant, Théophile Gautier and Stendhal.

The Prix Goncourt is a French literary prize first awarded in 1903. Important writers of the 20th century includeLouis-Ferdinand Céline, Albert Camus, and Jean-Paul Sartre. Antoine de Saint Exupéry wrote Little Prince which has remained popular for decades with children and adults around the world.

Sport

Main article: Sport in France
Tour de France

Popular sports include football, both codes of rugby football and in certain regions basketball and handball. France has hosted events such as the 1938 and 1998 FIFA World Cups, and hosted the 2007 Rugby Union World Cup. Stade de France in Paris is the largest stadium in France and was the venue for the 1998 FIFA World Cup final, and hosted the 2007 Rugby World Cup final in October 2007. France also hosts the annualTour de France, the most famous road bicycle race in the world. France is also famous for its 24 Hours of Le Mans sports car endurance race held in the Sarthe department. Several major tennis tournaments take place in France, including the Paris Masters and the French Open, one of the four Grand Slamtournaments.

France has a close association with the Modern Olympic Games; it was a French aristocrat, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, who suggested the Games' revival, at the end of the 19th century. After Athens was awarded the first Games, in reference to the Greek origins of the ancient Olympics, Paris hosted the second Games in 1900. Paris was also the first home of the International Olympic Committee, before it moved to Lausanne. Since that 1900 Games, France has hosted the Olympics on four further occasions: the 1924 Summer Olympics, again in Paris and three Winter Games (1924 in Chamonix, 1968 in Grenoble and 1992 inAlbertville).

Both the national football team and the national rugby union team are nicknamed “Les Bleus” in reference to the team’s shirt color as well as the national French tricolor flag. The football team is among the most successful in the world, particularly at the turn of the 21st century, with one FIFA World Cup victory in 1998, one FIFA World Cup second place in 2006, and two European Championships in 1984 and 2000. The top national football club competition is the Ligue 1. Rugby is also very popular, particularly in Paris and the southwest of France. The national rugby team has competed at every Rugby World Cup, and takes part in the annual Six Nations Championship. Following from a strong domestic tournament the French rugby team has won sixteen Six Nations Championships, including eight grand slams; and have reached the semi-finals and final of the Rugby World Cup.

Marianne

Main article: Marianne
Masonic Mariannebronze

Marianne is a symbol of the French Republic. She is an allegorical figure of liberty and the Republic and first appeared at the time of the French Revolution. The earliest representations of Marianne are of a woman wearing aPhrygian cap. The origins of the name Marianne are unknown, but Marie-Anne was a very common first name in the 18th century. Anti-revolutionaries of the time derisively called her La Gueuse (the Commoner). It is believed that revolutionaries from the South of France adopted the Phrygian cap as it symbolised liberty, having been worn by freed slaves in both Greece and Rome. Mediterranean seamen and convicts manning the galleys also wore a similar type of cap.

Under the Third Republic, statues, and especially busts, of Marianne began to proliferate, particularly in town halls. She was represented in several different manners, depending on whether the aim was to emphasise her revolutionary nature or her “wisdom”. Over time, the Phrygian cap was felt to be too seditious, and was replaced by a diadem or a crown. In recent times, famous French women have been used as the model for those busts. Recent ones include Sophie Marceau, and Laetitia Casta. She also features on everyday articles such as postage stamps and coins.

International rankings

Main article: International rankings of France

See also

France portal
Main article: Outline of France


Notes and references

  1. ^ a b Whole territory of the French Republic, including all the overseas departments and territories, but excluding the French territory of Terre Adélie in Antarctica where sovereignty is suspended since the signing of the Antarctic Treaty in 1959.
  2. ^ French National Geographic Institute data.
  3. ^ French Land Register data, which exclude lakes, ponds and glaciers larger than 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) as well as the estuaries of rivers.
  4. ^ INSEE, Government of France. "Pyramide des âges au 1er janvier 2009 - France métropolitaine". Retrieved 2009-01-13. (French)
  5. ^ a b c INSEE, Government of France. "Bilan démographique 2008". Retrieved 2009-01-13. (French)
  6. ^ a b c Metropolitan France only.
  7. ^ a b c d "France". International Monetary Fund. Retrieved 2009-04-22.
  8. ^ HDI of France. The United Nations. Retrieved 10 July 2009.
  9. ^ Whole of the French Republic except the overseas territories in the Pacific Ocean.
  10. ^ French overseas territories in the Pacific Ocean only.
  11. ^ In addition to .fr, several other Internet TLDs are used in French overseas départements and territories: .re, .mq, .gp, .tf, .nc, .pf, .wf, .pm, .gf and .yt. France also uses .eu, shared with other members of the European Union. The .cat domain is used in Catalan-speaking territories.
  12. ^ For more information, see Category:Overseas departments, collectivities and territories of France.
  13. ^ Field listing - GDP (official exchange rate), CIA World Factbook
  14. ^ "CIA - The World Factbook - Country Comparisons - GDP (purchasing power parity)". Cia.gov. Retrieved 2009-04-26.
  15. ^ a b "Le tourisme international en France en 2007" (PDF). Direction du Tourisme (French government's tourism agency). Retrieved 2008-06-05. (French)
  16. ^ Elizabeth M. Hallam & Judith Everard - Capetian France 937-1328, chapter 1 "The origins of Western Francia" page 7: "What did the name Francia mean in the tenth and eleventh centuries? It still retained a wide general use; both Byzantine and western writers at the time of the crusades described the western forces as Franks. But it was also taking on more specific meanings. From 911 onwards the west Frankish king was known as the Rex Francorum -king of the Franks- and the name Francia could be used to describe his kingdom, as it was also used by the east Frankish, or German, kingdom... The Robertines, forerunners of the Capetians, were duces francorum, dukes of the Franks, and their 'duchy' covered in theory most of northern France. Then as royal power contracted further, leaving the early Capetian only a small bloc of lands around Paris and Orleans, the term Francia was used for this region."
  17. ^ Plutarch claimed that one million people (probably 1 in 4 of the Gauls) died, another million were enslaved, 300 tribes were subjugated and 800 cities were destroyed during the Gallic Wars.
  18. ^ Massacre of the Pure. Time. April 28, 1961.
  19. ^ France VII. — History. Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia 2009.
  20. ^ Don O'Reilly. "Hundred Years' War: Joan of Arc and the Siege of Orléans". TheHistoryNet.com.
  21. ^ Massacre of Saint Bartholomew’s Day. Encyclopaedia Britannica.
  22. ^ Vive la Contre-Revolution!. The New York Times. July 9, 1989.
  23. ^ Napoleon and German identity. Magazine article by Tim Blanning; History Today, Vol. 48, April 1998.
  24. ^ France's oldest WWI veteran dies. BBC News. January 20, 2008.
  25. ^ In France, a War of Memories Over Memories of War. The New York Times. March 4, 2009.
  26. ^ Sovereignty claims in Antarctica are governed by the Antarctic Treaty System
  27. ^ CIA (2007). "The World Factbook". Retrieved 2007-12-06.
  28. ^ a b CIA (2006). "The World Factbook: Field Listing - Elevation extremes". Retrieved 2006-12-14.
  29. ^ (French) French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "La France en bref". Retrieved 2008-03-20.
  30. ^ According to a different calculation cited by the Pew Research Center, the EEZ of France would be 10,084,201 square kilometres (3,893,532 sq mi), still behind the United States (12,174,629 km² / 4,700,651 sq mi), and still ahead of Australia (8,980,568 km² / 3,467,416 sq mi) and Russia (7,566,673 km² / 2,921,508 sq mi).
  31. ^ Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2005). "Discovering France: Geography". Retrieved 2006-12-29.
  32. ^ "Rôle et fonctionnement du Sénat". French Senate. 2006. Retrieved 2006-04-20.
  33. ^ Comparison of recognised and alleged nuclear powers.
  34. ^ "La marine chinoise accède au rang de 3ème puissance mondiale".
  35. ^ L'automobile magazine, hors-série 2003/2004 page 294
  36. ^ "Guide pratique de l' ADEME, la voiture". Ademe.fr. Retrieved 2008-10-22.
  37. ^ DGEMP / Observatoire de l'énergie (April 2007). "Électricité en France: les principaux résultats en 2006.". Retrieved 2007-05-23.
  38. ^ "Rank Order - GDP - per capita (PPP)". The World Factbook. 2008.
  39. ^ OECD in Figures 2005, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (2005). "Labour productivity 2003" (Microsoft Excel). Retrieved 2006-04-20. ; in 2004, the GDP per hour worked in France was $47.7, ranking France above the United States ($46.3), Germany ($42.1), the United Kingdom ($39.6), or Japan ($32.5) (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (2005). "Differentials in GDP per capita and their decomposition, 2004" (Microsoft Excel). Retrieved 2006-04-20.)
  40. ^ Objectif croissance 2008, OCDE, February 2008, page 67 ; graphic visible in the Summary page 8 ; effective annual working duration in France is 1580 hours, compared to 1750 for developped countries
  41. ^ Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (2005). "OECD Employment Outlook 2005 - Statistical Annex" (PDF). Retrieved 2006-06-29.
  42. ^ INSEE (2008). "Taux d'emploi des travailleurs âgés de 55 à 64 ans" (in French). Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  43. ^ INSEE (2008). "Taux d'emploi des jeunes de 15 à 24 ans dans l'Union européenne" (in French). Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  44. ^ Philippe Aghion; Gilbert Cette, Élie Cohen and Jean Pisani-Ferry (2007). "Les leviers de la croissance française" (in French) (PDF). Conseil d'analyse économique. pp. 55. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  45. ^ "Enhancing Incentives to Improve Performances in the Education System in France" (PDF). OECD. 01 August 2007. "Initial education, especially secondary education and the universities, along with labour market policies themselves, do not always succeed in improving labour market entry for a significant proportion of young people."
  46. ^ "Employment Outlook 2008 – How does FRANCE compare?" (PDF). OECD. "Only 38% of people aged 55 to 64 are working, 15.5 percentage points less than the OECD average."
  47. ^ "France: Jobs and older workers". OECD Observer.
  48. ^ INSEE (2008). "Taux de chômage ; France métropolitaine" (in French). Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  49. ^ INSEE (2008). "Chômage dans l'Union européenne" (in French). Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  50. ^ Harmonised unemployment rate by gender - total - % (SA). Eurostat.
  51. ^ "Musées et Monuments historiques".
  52. ^ INSEE, Government of France. "Tableau 44 - Taux de fécondité générale par âge de la mère". Retrieved 2009-01-13. (French)
  53. ^ "Inflow of third-country nationals by country of nationality". 2004.
  54. ^ "Immigration and the 2007 French Presidential Elections" (PDF).
  55. ^ Europe's Minority Politicians in Short Supply. The Washington Post. April 24, 2005.
  56. ^ In officially colorblind France, blacks have a dream - and now a lobby. Csmonitor.com. January 12, 2007.
  57. ^ Paris Riots in Perspective. ABC News. November 4, 2005.
  58. ^ INSEE (2005-01-25). "Enquêtes annuelles de recensement 2004 et 2005". Retrieved 2006-12-14. (French)
  59. ^ UNHCR (2006). "UNHCR Global Report 2005: Western Europe" (PDF). Retrieved 2006-12-14.
  60. ^ "Jeanjean, Henri. “Language Diversity in Europe: Can the EU Prevent the Genocide of French Linguistic Minorities?”" (PDF).
  61. ^ Catholic World News (2003). "France is no longer Catholic, survey shows". Retrieved 2007-01-11.
  62. ^ (Romanian) Franţa nu mai e o ţară catolică, Cotidianul 2007-01-11
  63. ^ La Vie, issue 3209, 2007-03-01 (French)
  64. ^ "Eurobarometer on Social Values, Science and technology 2005 - page 11" (PDF). Retrieved 2007-05-05.
  65. ^ Religious Views and Beliefs Vary Greatly by Country, Financial Times/Harris Poll, December 2006
  66. ^ France to train imams in 'French Islam', The Guardian
  67. ^ "France - International Religious Freedom Report 2005".
  68. ^ "Commission d’enquête sur les sectes".
  69. ^ http://www.understandfrance.org/France/Society2.html
  70. ^ "the ranking, see spreadsheet details for a whole analysis".
  71. ^ "CIA - The World Factbook -- France". CIA.
  72. ^ "epaedia - Welcome". Epaedia.eea.europa.eu. Retrieved 2008-10-22.
  73. ^ "France searches its soul after euthanasia plea woman dies". CNN.com.
  74. ^ Claude Lébedel - Les Splendeurs du Baroque en France: Histoire et splendeurs du baroque en France page 9: “Si en allant plus loin, on prononce les mots ‘art baroque en France’, on provoque alors le plus souvent une moue interrogative, parfois seulement étonnée, parfois franchement réprobatrice: Mais voyons, l'art baroque n'existe pas en France!”

External links

Find more about France on Wikipedia'ssister projects:
Search Wiktionary Definitions from Wiktionary

Search Wikibooks Textbooks from Wikibooks
Search Wikiquote Quotations from Wikiquote
Search Wikisource Source texts from Wikisource
Search Commons Images and media from Commons
Search Wikinews News stories from Wikinews

Search Wikiversity Learning resources from Wikiversity
Government
Culture
General

0 comments:

Post a Comment