The Republic of France£¬La Republique Francaise

    President: Jacques Chirac (1995)

    Area: 551,602 sq km

    Population (2003 est.): 60,180,529 (growth rate: 0.4%); birth rate: 12.5/1000; infant mortality rate: 4.4/1000; density per sq mi: 285

    Capital and largest city(2000 est.): Paris, 10,150,000 (metro. area)

    Monetary units: Euro (formerly French franc)

    Languages:  French, declining regional dialects (Proven?al, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican)

    Ethnicity/race: Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African, Southeast Asian, and Basque minorities

    Religions:  Roman Catholic 81%, Protestant 1.7%, Muslim 6.9%, Jewish 1.3%