France at a Glance

• Population: 61.1 million


• Capital city: Paris, 10.8 million inhabitants


• Language: French


• Religions: 82% Roman Catholic, 4-5 million Muslims, approx. 0.8 million Protestants, 0.7 million Jews


• Form of government:: Parliamentary presidential bicameral democracy

Economy

Germany and France are by far each the other's most important trade partner. An estimated 10.9 percent of Germany's exports in 2004 went to France. French exports to Germany amount to 15.4 percent of the countries export total. The intensive trade has lead to considerable direct investment in both countries. In the new East German Federal States, France is the second-largest investor after the USA. Due to the strong interconnectivity of the two national economies, which together account for more than 50 per cent of the Euro-Zone's economic performance, there are strong convergences in economic, financial and social policy. A close, continuous cooperation and coordination is maintained via regular bilateral meetings between the commerce and finance ministers, as well as close contacts between businesses. This cooperation also focuses on space research and technology (ESA), as well as other high-tech fields.

Culture and Science

Since the 1950s, and especially since the signing of the Elysée Treaty on January 22, 1963, the network of social relations between the two countries is probably more closely knit than between any other two countries in the world. Important aspects of this network are the youth exchange coordinated by the Franco-German Youth Office, which involves 200,000 participants in around 7,000 programmes annually, and the twin-partnerships between 2,200 towns and regions, as well as between 4,300 schools. With the decreasing, or stagnating, interest in learning the partner's language, there is a threat in both countries that an important foundation for mutual cultural understanding could be undermined. Therefore, Germany and France both intend to promote the partner's language resolutely in their own country. So-called 'Deutschmobiles' and 'Francemobiles' tour both countries in an effort to promote the respective partner's language in as many schools and educational institutions as possible. The first success-stories have become evident in France, where at some of the schools visited by 'Deutschmobiles', there has been a distinct increase in enrolment numbers for German. In 1999, the Franco-German University was founded in Saarbrücken. It does not carry out teaching or research activities itself, but rather acts as an association of German and French universities, and coordinates courses of study with a joint diploma. In addition, with regards to the school systems, universities and vocational training, there are many projects geared towards providing the younger generation with an increased, cross-border mobility in their professional lives.

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