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FRANCE
A key player on the world stage and a country at the political heart of Europe, France paid a high price in both economic and human terms during the two world wars.
The years which followed saw protracted wars culminating in independence for Algeria and most other French colonies in Africa as well as the decolonisation of Indochina.
- Capital City: Paris
- Population: 60.1 million (UN, 2003)
- Major language: French
- Major religion: Christianity
- Life expectancy: 75 years (men), 83 years (women) (UN)
- Monetary unit: 1 Euro = 100 cents
- Main exports: Machinery and transport equipment, agricultural products, including wine
- Average annual income: US $22,730 (World Bank, 2001)
- Internet domain: .fr
- International dialling code: +33
France's long-established commercial radio stations, particularly RTL and Europe 1, still command large audiences. They have been joined by a multiplicity of FM stations, often consolidated into successful commercial networks such as hit music station NRJ and oldies station Nostalgie
THE MEDIA
- The press
- Le Monde - national daily
- Liberation - national daily
- Le Figaro - national daily
- Ouest France - regional daily
- L'Express - news weekly
- Le Point - news weekly
- Television
- France 2 - national, public
- France 3 - national, public
- TF1 - national, commercial
- La Chaine Info - rolling news
- TV5 - international French-language TV, with programmes from French, Belgian, Swiss and Canadian public broadcasters
- Radio
- Radio France - operates national and regional outlets, including flagship speech-based station France Inter and all-news station France Info
- Radio France Internationale (RFI) - international broadcaster, available via shortwave and numerous FM relays worldwide
- Europe 1 - major commercial station, news and entertainment programmes
- RTL - major commercial station, mix of speech and music programmes
- NRJ - commercial, leading FM music network
- News agency/internet
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