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France

Official Language

French

Destination Stats

Population
Surface Area
Temperature
Water
Energy
Air Quality
Flora
Fauna

    • France is making great strides toward ecological preservation with national policies focused on biodiversity, climate action and sustainable agriculture. 

    This section highlights France’s ecological health and cultural depth, offering an inclusive and sustainable vision through Ecology Prime™.  Just click on the sections that you want to explore!

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    • Projected Population Growth: 69.3 million by 2044, followed by a slight decline to 68.1 million by 2070. 
    • Current Population and Density (2025): 66.65 million people.
      • Population Density: 123 people per km² | 319 people per mi².
      • Most Populous City: Paris – 2,138,551
      • Least Populous City: Acheres – 22,555
    • Official Language: French
    • Other Languages: 
      • Arabic (3%)
      • Portuguese (1.5%)
      • Spanish (1.2%)
      • Italian (1.0%)
      • German (0.7%)
    • Footprint: 4.60 global hectares (gha) | 11.37 acres per person
    • Biocapacity: 1.80 gha | 4.45 acres per person
    • Biocapacity Deficit: 2.80 gha | 6.92 acres per person
    • Global Ranking: 20
    • Agriculture: 52% — 27.3 million hectares | 67.4 million acres.
      • Permanent meadows &pastures: 32% | 16.8 Mha | 41.5 million acres.
      • Arable Land and Permanent Crops: 20% | 10.5 Mha | 25.9 million acres.
    • Forests: 31% — 17.7 million hectares | 43.7 million acres
    • Artificial Space (Human Development): 9.97% | 6.4 million hectares | 15.8 million acres
    • Wetlands & Water Bodies: 0.53% — 3,374 km² | 1,303 mi²
    • Arid & Semi-Arid: 0% (France has no extensive arid zones but features Mediterranean dry zones in the southeast).
    • Other: ~6.5% | Estimated remaining area includes protected areas, alpine terrain, and mixed-use land

    Note: France’s land use is diversified—its forests cover nearly a third of the land, agriculture remains central (especially vineyards and dairy), and wetland regions like the Camargue are of international ecological importance.

    • Primary Food Products: France produces wine, wheat, barley, dairy (including cheese), poultry, beef, and seafood.
    • Top Non-crop Food Commodities: Cheese (1,600+ varieties), wine, processed meats (charcuterie), butter, and spirits (e.g., cognac).
    • Top Non-Food Products: Automobiles, aircraft, nuclear energy technology, luxury goods, cosmetics, fashion, pharmaceuticals.
    • Average Annual Surface Temperature: 11.3°C | 52.3°F
    • Average High: 16.2°C | 61.2°F
    • Average Low: 6.4°C | 43.5°F
    • Climate: France has varied climates:
      • Oceanic (West, including Paris): Mild winters (~5°C) and warm summers (~20°C)
      • Mediterranean (South): Warm, dry summers and mild winters
      • Mountain (Alps/Pyrenees): Cold winters, heavy snow, cooler summers
    • Seasons:
      • Fall – September to November: 7°C – 17°C | 45°F – 63°F; increasing rainfall and windiness
      • Winter – December to February: 1°C – 8°C | 34°F – 46°F; cold and damp; snow in high-altitude areas
      • Spring – March to May: 4°C – 18°C | 39°F – 64°F; gradual warming, more sunshine, and blooming
      • Summer – June to August: 15°C – 27°C | 59°F – 81°F; warmest period, drier in the south, thunderstorms in north/central France

    (Liquid water equivalent)

    • Total Water Volume: ~190 bcm | ~50.19 trillion gallons
    • Surface Water: 35 bcm | ~9.24 billion gallons
    • Groundwater: 155 bcm | ~41.01 trillion gallons
    • Annual Precipitation: 867 mm | 34.1 inches
    • Rechargeable Water Supply per Resident: ~120 cubic meters/year | 31,700 gallons/year
    • Total Annual Energy Used: 2,600 TWh | 2.6 Trillion kWh | 8.87 Quadrillion BTU | 224 MTOE
    • Global Rank in Energy Consumption: 19
    • Per Capita Energy Use: 27.09 Million BTU | 7,939 kWh
    • Energy Sources: Natural Gas – 14%, Oil – 32%, Renewables – 17%, Nuclear – 35%, Coal – 2%
    • Renewable Breakdown: Wood – 33.9%, Hydropower – 7%, Biofuels – 11.7%, Wind – 10%, Heat Pumps – 9.3%, Solar – 3.3%, Others – 16.9%
    • Electricity Sources: Nuclear – 66.5%, Hydropower – 14.47%, Wind – 9.55%, Solar – 4.39%, Fossil Fuels – 3.86%
    • Total Estimated Living Species: ~90,120
    • Identified Fauna: 28,589 (Insects: 26,117, Birds: 697, Mammals: 59, Reptiles: 9, Amphibians: 10)
    • Identified Flora: 3,087 (Flowering Plants: 1,997, Mosses & Liverworts: 1,003)
    • Fungi & Lichens: ~12,023
    • Other: Bacteria ~1.2M, Plankton ~1,500+, Algae ~500+
    • Threatened Species: 2903
    • Breakdown by Kingdom: 
      • Animals: 1,610 species
      • Plants: 1,293 species
    • Causes of Extinction: Urban development, agriculture, habitat loss, climate change

    Five of the fascinating and intriguing Natural Wonders of France among many:

    • Étretat Cliffs, Located in Normandy along the Alabaster Coast, the Étretat Cliffs are renowned for their white chalk formations, dramatic arches, and natural sea stacks. These coastal cliffs have inspired famous painters such as Claude Monet and remain one of France’s most visually stunning natural landmarks.
    • Gavarnie Falls, Found in the Pyrenees near the Spanish border in the Occitanie region, Gavarnie Falls is France’s highest waterfall, dropping 422 meters (1,385 feet). Nestled within the Cirque de Gavarnie, a UNESCO World Heritage site, the waterfall is surrounded by rugged peaks and alpine meadows, accessible via scenic hikes.
    • Aven Armand Cave, Located in the Lozère department in southern France, Aven Armand is a vast underground cavern famous for its stunning stalagmites—one of which towers 30 meters (98 feet) high. Visitors descend by funicular to witness the surreal formations of one of Europe’s most spectacular limestone caves.
    • Îles de Glénan, A remote archipelago off the coast of Brittany, the Glénan Islands are often dubbed the ‘French Caribbean’ for their white sandy beaches and crystal-clear turquoise waters. The area is a protected marine reserve and a top destination for sailing and scuba diving.
    • Lac d’Allos, Located in the Mercantour National Park in the Alps-de-Haute-Provence, Lac d’Allos is the largest natural high-altitude lake in Europe, sitting at 2,230 meters (7,316 feet) above sea level. Surrounded by rocky peaks and alpine flora, the lake offers a pristine setting for hiking and wildlife viewing.

    Destinations – France is a proprietary presentation of Ecology Prime™ in collaboration with the Ecology Prime Foundation and iConsult Collaborative in the College of Professional Studies at Syracuse University.

    Acknowledgements:

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    Welcome from France!

    France is the largest country in Western Europe by both population and land area, bordered by Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany to the northeast, Switzerland and Italy to the east, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Spain to the southwest. With a range of climates influenced by the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and high-altitude regions, France experiences a diverse climate, from oceanic and Mediterranean to mountain climates with snowy winters.

    Home to about 67 million people, France welcomes a wide array of cultural influences due to its colonial history. The nation’s diverse population reflects influences from Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Europe, making it a cultural mosaic.

    The Colmar Little Venice district, located on the River Lauch in the city of Colmar, is one of France’s most indelible and charming attractions connecting human activity to the country’s local ecology. Colmar is located in the Alsace Region of northeastern France. (Pexels photo by Pierre Blache)

    The Industrial Revolution also took root in France following England‘s lead, fueling technological advancements and urbanization across the nation. While this era brought significant progress in health, education, and industry, it also posed environmental challenges that France continues to address through national policies on biodiversity, climate action, and sustainable agriculture.

    Today, France is committed to environmental preservation, actively restoring its natural landscapes, from the countryside to urban green spaces. The country is home to some of Europe’s most breathtaking scenery, including Mont Blanc, the highest peak in Western Europe, the scenic vineyards of Bordeaux, and the lavender fields of Provence. France also boasts Gorges du Verdon, known as the “Grand Canyon of Europe,” famous for its turquoise-blue river and stunning limestone cliffs.

    One of France’s natural treasures is the Camargue, a unique wetland region in the Rhône delta where salt flats, marshes, and beaches converge, creating a rich ecosystem known for its wild horses, flamingos, and biodiversity. Recognized as a Ramsar wetland of International Importance, the Camargue represents France’s commitment to environmental conservation and the importance of wetland ecosystems.Ecology Prime™ brings you into the heart of France’s ecological beauty and cultural legacy, showcasing a nation that blends tradition with environmental innovation. This marks the beginning of France’s cultural hub on Ecology Prime™, highlighting its vision for a sustainable and inclusive world. This is France…. 

    City Square Reflecting Pool – Bordeaux, France (Pexels photo by TBD Traveller)

    Official Languages: French

    • English is the second most spoken language with approximately 24% of French residents speaking it fluently.  It is widely understood in urban and tourist areas.
    • Regional Languages include Occitan, Alsatian, Breton, Corsican, and Catalan.
    • Other Languages Spoken: Arabic – 3%; Portuguese – 1.5%; Spanish – 1.2%; Italian –  1.0%; German– 0.7%.

    Unique Facts about France: Did You Know…?

    • The first known humans in France date back around 1.8 million years, with prehistoric sites like Lascaux Cave in the Dordogne region showcasing some of the world’s oldest and most famous cave paintings, dating back about 17,000 years.
    • France is home to over 200 islands including Corsica, the largest and most populated, and smaller islands such as Île de Ré and Île d’Oléron, which are popular tourist destinations.
    • France aims to improve air quality by ending the sale of new gasoline and diesel cars by 2035 as part of its ambitious environmental plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
    • Around 400 million years ago, France’s mountainous regions began forming; today, the French Alps is popular for their breathtaking views and serve as major tourist destinations for skiing, hiking, and mountaineering.
    Mont Blanc, or White Mountain, is in the southeastern portion of France and is part of the Mont Blanc Massif mountain range along the French border with Italy. Reaching 4,808.7 meters (15,776.5 feet) above sea level, it is the highest mountain in the Alps and western Europe. (Wikimedia CC 4.0 by Dmitry A. Mottl)
    • French people consume more cheese per capita than almost any other country, boasting over 1,600 types of cheese, sourced from cattle, goats, and sheep across regions like Normandy, Auvergne, and the Pyrenees, supported by sustainable pasture-based farming and AOP certification.
    • The Camargue is one of Europe’s largest wetlands and a unique wildlife reserve, home to iconic pink flamingos, wild horses, and one of the richest ecosystems in France.
    • France’s geography includes incredible diversity within a small area: the country spans from the Mediterranean beaches in the south to the snowy Alps and Pyrenees in the east, with no place more than 480 km (300 miles) from the sea.
    • France’s population is projected to increase modestly, reaching approximately 69.3 million by 2044, before gradually declining to 68.1 million by 2070. This trend suggests that the country will experience zero population growth around 2044, after which the population is expected to decrease slightly.
    • France’s diverse climates stem from its varied geography: Paris experiences a temperate oceanic climate with mild winters averaging around 5°C (41°F) in January and warm summers averaging 20°C (68°F) in July, influenced by its low elevation and proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. 
    • In contrast, the French Alps have a mountain climate characterized by colder temperatures, with January averages ranging from -9°C (16°F) to -3°C (27°F), due to high altitudes and complex topography.
    • Fontainebleau Forest, near Paris, has been wooded for thousands of years and is a popular spot for rock climbing and hiking, holding a place of cultural and ecological significance in French history.
    Greater flamingos hugely populate the Camargue Regional National Park located along the Rhone River in the south of France. The Park is an expansive flat area of marshes, fields, salt-flats and lakes. (Photo © Giles Laurent, gileslaurent.com, Wikimedia CC 4.0 BY-SA)

    France Home Statistics

    (Note: Some statistics are approximate due to varying methods of recording by various established sources, i.e., population, living species and water volume totals.  Others are more precise, i.e., surface area, precipitation/rainfall, air quality and temperatures.) 

    Population

    Total Population: 66.65 million (2025) | 67.23 million projected by 2030

    • World Rank: 23, 0.82% of the world’s total population. 
    • Population Density: 123 people per km2 | 319 people per mi2. 
    • Most Populous City: Paris | 2,138,551
    • Least Populous City:  Acheres | 22,555

    Surface Area

    Total Surface Area: 643,801 km2 | 248,573 mi2  

    (*Includes metropolitan and overseas territories of France).

    • Land Surface Area: 640,427 km² | 247,344 mi² (99.47% of the total surface area.
    • Water Surface Area: 3,374 km² | 1,303 mi² (0.53% of the total surface area).

    . 

    New! Mother Earth™

    Temperature

    Average Annual Temperature: 11.3°C | 52.3°F  

    • Average High – 16.2°C | 61.2°F, Average Low – 6.4°C | 43.5°F.   
    • Hottest Month (average high): July | 25.3°C (77.5°F).   
    • Coldest Month (average low): January | 3.4°C (38.1°F).   
    • Coldest temperature on record: -36.7°C (-34°F) recorded in Mouthe, Doubs, in January 1968. 
    • Hottest temperature on record: 46.0°C (114.8°F) recorded in Vérargues,Hérault, on June 28, 2019.

    Water

    Total Water Volume: ~190 billion cubic meters (bcm) | ~50.19 trillion gallons.    

    • Surface Water Volume: 35 bcm | 9.24 billion gallons.
    • Groundwater: 155 bcm | 41.01 trillion gallons. 
    • Annual Average Precipitation: 867 mm | 34.1 inches. (AQUASTAT – UN FAO)
    • Potable (rechargeable) water: 8.9 bcm | ~2.35 trillion gallons

    Dinosaur Dialogues™

    Energy

    Annual Total Energy Usage:  2,600 TWh | 2.6 Trillion KWh | 8.87 Quadrillion BTU | 224 MTOE

    • Global Ranking in Energy Consumption: 19. 
    • Percentage of Total Global Energy Consumption: 1.3%. 
    • Per Capita Energy Consumption: 27.09 million Btu | 7,939 kWh per capita 

    Energy Sources:  Natural Gas – 14% | Oil – 32% | Renewables – 17% | Nuclear – 35%  | Coal – 2% 

    Renewable Energy Sources:  Wood Energy – 33.9% | Hydropower – 7.0% | Biofuels – 11.7% | Wind – 10.0% | Heat Pumps – 9.3% | Renewable waste – 4.6% | Biogas – 3.3% | Solar – 3.3% | Others (Geothermal, Agriculture, Marine) – 16.9% Electricity Sources: Hydropower – 14.47% | Wind – 9.55% |Solar – 4.39% |  Nuclear – 66.50% | Fossil Fuels (Natural gas being the primary contributor) – 3.86 % | Other Low-Carbon – 1.23%

    (Source: France Energy Source , Planete Energies, France Energy and LowCarbonPower )

    Air Quality

    Air Quality Index: AQI 39 – Good

     

    • Global ranking – 2024: 99 most polluted (out of 147 monitored). 
    • Most polluted city -2024:  Strasbourg, Grand Est – AQI 59 (Moderate)
    • Least polluted city – 2024: Saint-Pierre, Reunion – AQI 16 (Good)
    • LeadingSources of Pollution:  Fossil fuel and wood burning combustion from travel and transportation, residential heating, and industry.

    Featured: Biological Footprint

    View France’ Current Air Quality

    Real Time Air Quality Index – AQI

    (Provided by IQAir)
    Click Here!

    Estimated Total Number Living Species: ~90,120 Species

    ((This is the total number of plant and animal species that is estimated to exist in France, with some not yet identified. Numbers are approximate due to various reporting methods by different organizations.)  

    Flora

    Identified Flora:  3,087

    • Flowering Plants: 1997 species (e.g., Lavender, edelweiss, French iris)
    • Ferns and Fern Allies: 81
    • Conifers: 6 (e.g., maritime pine, silver fir)
    • Mosses & Liverworts: 1,003
    • Fungi & Lichens: ~12,023
    • Other: bacteria: ~ 1.2 million, plankton : ~1,500+ , some algae : ~500+

    Note: –(The total number of fungi & lichens and other species in France is constantly evolving as new species are discovered and categorized through ongoing research and biodiversity studies.)

    Total Number of Endangered/Threatened Plant and Animal Species:  2903 species

    Breakdown by Kingdom:

    • Animals: 1,610 species
    • Plants: 1,293 species
    • France’s lost and threatened species.
    • At Risk of Extinction:  Animals Species such as the European mink, Pyrenean desman, and meadow viper are at risk. For Plants, endangered species include Alpine forget Me-Not, Wild Orchids, and Black Pine.
    • Primary Causes of Extinction:  Human activities including urban development, intensive agriculture, habitat destruction, and climate change are the main drivers of species decline.
    • France, like many European countries, faces significant biodiversity challenges and ranks among the most impacted by biodiversity loss. The country is actively working on biological conservation and revitalization efforts.
    The Common Hawthorne is one of oldest trees in Europe dating back centuries (Wikimedia CC 3.0 by H. Zell)

    Fauna

    Identified Fauna: 28,589

    Alpine Forget-Me-Not in Buais-Les-Monts, Normandie, France (Pexels by William Warby)
    Once well-populated across Europe and Russia, the European Mink is now restricted to small populations in France and other European countries. (Photo: Wikimedia CC public domain)
    The Iberian Lynx, native to France and all Europe, was once on the brink of extinction and is slowly recovering today.
    European Rabbit – Île-de-France region in Northern France (Wikimedia CC 4.0 photo by Marie-Lan Taÿ Pamart)

    Destinations: India!

    Welcome From India

    India is home to over 1.4 billion people, the world’s second most populous country, occupying the world’s seventh largest area of land – including water surface – of nearly 3.3 million square kilometers or about 1.3 million square miles.  Still, with such a huge population, India is only the world’s 30th most densely populated country…
    Read More Welcome From India

    Sources and Research

    Notable Environment Organisations & Platforms in Wales:

    Notable French Universities and Colleges for Environmental Studies:

    Research and Development Credits

    Destinations – Wales is a proprietary presentation of Ecology Prime™ in collaboration with the Ecology Prime Foundation and iConsult Collaborative in the College of Professional Studies at Syracuse University.

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