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FRENCH SOCIETY
As of January 1, 2007, the total population of metropolitan France (mainland + Corsica) and French overseas départements was estimated at 63.4 million. In 2006, France was the second most populous member of the European Union (EU), after Germany and just ahead of the United Kingdom and Italy. France thus accounts for 12.8% of the European Union's population. Life expectancy remains on a steady uptrend, at 77.2 years for men and 84.1 years for women in 2006. The French population continues to age, and the proportion of the youngest age groups is diminishing despite a significant number of births in the past several years.
. - Fertility rate: 1.98 children born/woman (2007). - Birth rate: 13.1 births/1,000 population (2006) - • Deaths : 531,000 - Mortality rate: 8.4 deaths/1,000 population (2006) - • Marriages: 268.1 thousand (2006) - Marriage Rate: 4.4 marriages/1,000 population (2006). - • Divorces : 152,020 (2005) Structure of households (2005) Breakdown by age (2007) More information at www.insee.fr Religions
The French Republic is a secular state where all religious faiths
and denominations are represented.- Roman Catholic: 83 %-88 % - Muslim: 5%-10% - Protestant: 2 % - Jewish: 1 % - Unaffiliated: 4 % Education
In 2007, education spending amounted to €77 billion, 28% of the national budget. This represents 6,9% per inhabitant. There are 67, 581 preschool and primary schools, collèges (middle schools) and lycées (high schools). 3,600 higher education establishments exist in France.
 - Preschool, primary and secondary schools: - 12, 342, 900 pupils - 884, 000 teachers
Pupil/teacher ratio (2007): 13.9 to 1. Enrollment rates (2004):
More information at www.education.gouv.fr Labor force
France has a total workforce of some 27.6 million. Within this category, 25.1million are wage and salary earners, 2.2 million are non-salaried wage earners, and 2.72 million, 9.8% of the total labor force, are job seekers. 74.5% of men and 63.8% of women comprise the French labor force (2005).
More information at www.insee.fr Breakdown by type of employment (2003) Standard of living
Net average annual earnings: €20,440 (2004).Gross average household savings: €1,900 or 16% of disposable income. Consumption (% of household spending) Household income (2005)
On June 29 2007, the guaranteed monthly minimum wage (SMIC - salaire minimum interprofessionnel de croissance) was €1 280,07 gross per month for a working week of 35 hours at an hourly rate of €8.44. - Professionals: €70,126- Executives, management staff: €39,360 - Technical and supervisory personnel: €21,190 - Farmers, farm workers: €21,114 - Other intermediate professions: €20,000 - Skilled workers: €14,906 - Clerical, white collar workers: €14,850 - Unskilled workers: €13,960 Vacation
Statutory paid vacation entitlement: five weeks per year.
69% of people spend vacation time away from home.
On January 1, 2006, the average work week was 38.9 hours. Trade unions
Approximately two million people in France - 5% of the working
population - are union members, the lowest percentage in the European Union.The main centralized trade unions are: - the CGT (Confédération générale du travail), - the CFDT (Confédération démocratique du travail), - FO (Force ouvrière), - the CFTC (Confédération française des travailleurs chrétiens) - the FSU (Fédération syndicale unitaire). Social welfare
The French Social Security system was introduced in 1945. In order to better address new demographic trends, the pension system underwent a major overhaul which was adopted as law in July 2003. Benefits are financed on a "pay as you go" system.
65.5% of total social security spending (29.6% of GDP) comes from employers and employees’ contributions and 17.4% from taxes, including earmarked taxes such as the CSG (Contribution sociale généralisée - social security contribution levied on virtually all sources of income) or the CRDS (Contribution pour le remboursement de la dette sociale - contribution to the repayment of the social debt) which apply to all income other than that deriving from work. This is virtually the sole source of funding for the Social Security system. Public financing accounts for 13.5% of total resources. Benefits break down as follows: pensions (44%), health (35.2%), family allowances (9%) and employment aid (unemployment benefit, vocational training and social integration) (7.4%). However, the growing number of pensioners compared to the labour force, combined with medical advances and longer life expectancy, has led to a deficit in the French Social Security system and in 2003 to reform of the pension contribution system. More informations at www.travail.gouv.fr Health is a major concern of the French; in 2004, they spent €173.9 billion on medical care and goods.75% of this was covered by the social security system, with an increasing proportion being met by households and insurance companies. A major programme of reform was instituted in 2004 to balance the accounts of the helath insurance branch of the Social Security System. More information at www.sante.gouv.fr Useful websites : www.insee.fr For further information
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