Western Europe · sovereign state

France

French Republic

Capital: Paris
Languages: French
Currency: Euro
People: 68.7 million (2025)
Neighbours: 8

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Photo: Sainte-Enimie-Gorges_du_Tarn-Frankreic… · CC BY-SA 3.0

Surprising facts about France

The comparisons that stand out most against its neighbours, its region and the world median.

Picked for surprise among France’s neighbours, its region and the world median.

France among 213 countries & territories

Each dot shows where France sits between the lowest and the highest value in the world; “See it” opens the full visual against the world median. Higher is not automatically better.

Total area

606,410 km²

45th of 205

2023

Coastline

4,853 km

28th of 213

2026 edition

Highest point

4,810 m

30th of 213

2026 edition

Forest cover

32.5%

101st of 207

2023

Population

68.7 million

23rd of 210

2025

Population density

128 per km²

83rd of 209

2025

Height of men

178.6 cm

34th of 196

2019

Height of women

164.5 cm

41st of 196

2019

Median age

41.8 years

35th of 213

2023

Fertility rate

1.61 children per woman

132nd of 210

2024

Aged 65 and over

22.5%

17th of 210

2025

Economy size (GDP)

$3.37 trillion

7th of 207

2025

GDP per person (PPP)

Int$63,975

34th of 198

2025

Income inequality (Gini)

31.8

109th of 155

2023

Unemployment

7.5%

57th of 186

2025

Health spending per person

$5,327

19th of 193

2024

Military spending

2.1%

59th of 158

2024

Life expectancy

83 years

24th of 210

2024

Infant mortality

3.4 per 1,000

162nd of 194

2024

Doctors

3.3 per 1,000

55th of 190

2022

Adult obesity

12.5%

148th of 195

2024

Smoking

33.6%

18th of 166

2024

Life satisfaction

6.59

36th of 163

2025

Alcohol consumption

11.2 litres

23rd of 195

2023

Meat supply

80.3 kg

46th of 189

2023

Daily calories

3,490 kcal

23rd of 189

2023

Working hours

1,487 hours

120th of 130

2023

Years of schooling

11.8 years

46th of 193

2023

Internet users

89%

71st of 208

2024

Access to electricity

100%

1st of 209

2024

Urban population

79%

60th of 210

2025

Mobile subscriptions

117

98th of 208

2023

CO₂ per person

4 t

79th of 203

2024

Renewable electricity

26.1%

109th of 201

2025

Air pollution (PM2.5)

8.9 µg/m³

174th of 213

2024

Homicide rate

1.3 per 100k

100th of 160

2024

Road deaths

4.7 per 100k

166th of 193

2021

Average temperature

14.1°C

128th of 187

2016–2025 avg

Rainfall

1,158 mm

77th of 187

2016–2025 avg

Nobel laureates per 10 million people

9.3

12th of 160

2025

Railway network

27,716 km

9th of 133

2021

Air passengers per resident

0.94

48th of 165

2023

Tourists per resident

1.35

43rd of 179

2019

Official languages

87th of 213

2026

Price level (US = 100)

77%

34th of 198

2025

World twins

The countries most like France across 12 indicators (GDP/person, Life exp., Median age, Fertility, Urban, Internet, Schooling, CO₂/person, Density, Temperature, Happiness, Obesity). Each indicator is standardised and compared by average distance; a resemblance, not a score.