Strategic geographic location
France is the seventh largest economy in the world and the second within Europe, which represents a share of 20% of the EU's GDP. An aspect that has undoubtedly contributed to this positioning is its strategic position, since being located in The center of the Eurozone has first-hand access to the single market of the European Union, which concentrates more than 500 million consumers, as well as to all the partners with which it has commercial relations.
This nation is the second largest market in the world and its location in Central Europe allows it easy access to markets in Europe where it has a larger share, as well as in the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).
On the other hand, France has an important interconnection of relations with the most important organizations worldwide where France is a founding member of the United Nations Organization and one of the five permanent members of its Security Council and is a member of NATO.
Let us remember that this country located on the Atlantic coast of Western Europe also has an area of 549,087 km² and a total coastline of 3,427 km, which makes it the third largest country in Europe, where 81% of its inhabitants belong to the urban population.
Modern infrastructure
France is one of the main infrastructure centers in all of Europe and has the first road network and the first leading business aviation airport in the European region (Le Bourget) and the main cargo airport.
The French road network is the longest in the European Union since it has 1,303,000 kilometers distributed in departmental roads, national roads and motorways, of which 12,000 kilometers are motorways, which puts it in second place in Europe. Although shipping by road represents 85.9% of freight transport, the intermodal system is gaining ground every day in the country.
France has a railway network of 30,000 kilometers of railways, together with an additional special network of more than 13,000 kilometers through which the high-speed train (TGV) circulates, which allows it to travel at a commercial speed equal to or greater than 270 km/h. Through this system, the connection with the main French cities is integrated and reaches Geneva, Brussels and London.
Equipped with three international airports such as Roissy-Charles de Gaulle, Orly and Beauvais (for low-cost airlines) that handle 50% of domestic flights, this sector, which is generally used by more than 200 million passengers per year, generates approximately 300,000 jobs direct and indirect work, according to data from the French Ministry of Transport. This sector was covered by a government support program of 15,000 million euros, about US $16,900 million to help it recover after the crisis in Syria.
For its part, the French commercial fleet is made up of 66 maritime trading ports, where 11 belong to Dunkirk, Le Havre, Rouen, Nantes Saint-Nazaire, La Rochelle, Bordeaux, Marseille, Guyane, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Port-Reunion. Through this maritime trade, approximately 35 million tons of merchandise and 32 million passengers circulate annually.
Currently, the French Ministry of the Sea (CIMer) has proposed the implementation of a new French maritime and port policy, where three major initiatives are sought. First, there is the application of a national port strategy, which promotes an increase in the volume of container cargo moved and created by French companies, through the country's ports, between 60 and 80% by 2050.
As a second measure on the issue of draft, there is the merger of the ports of the Seine, Le Havre, Rouen and Paris, remaining under Le Havre Port Authority. The CIMer carried out a study to establish fiscal measures that promote the attractiveness of port industrial zones in the world to implement them.
Finally, the ministry has established a marine renewable energy strategy, as well as a change in practices in fishing, aquaculture and coastal protection. This transformation also seeks to generate more than 350,000 jobs.
Important leader in world trade
According to the World Trade Organization (WTO), France is a major player in world trade. This nation is the sixth largest exporter and importer of merchandise, the world's leading port for the export of wine, aircraft, vehicles, pharmaceutical products, hydrocarbons and electronic components. The World Bank estimated that the nation's trade represents more than 65% of the country's GDP.
Despite the impact of the health crisis in the world, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecasts that the volume of exports will rebound in 2022 by 5.4%. Among its main trading partners are the other countries of the European Union (Germany is the leading consumer and supplier), the United States and China.
France is currently undergoing a process of reforms, promoted by the current government, with which the modernization of the economy and the State, ecological adaptation and technological updating are sought.
Qualified human talent
According to data from the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies INSEE, last year the French population was made up of about 67.1 million people, including both citizens of the metropolitan area and those from overseas.
The French citizenship that is recognized worldwide for its great productivity per hour, surpassing even Germany and the United Kingdom, also has a high-quality educational system, in fact, here are some of the best schools and masters in business and administration of the planet. They are about 50% of students between 25 to 34 who have a higher education degree. Here the academic training of its population is considered essential, which is why the schooling rate reaches 99%.
Leader undergoing renewal
France is a power and a world leader par excellence, which in this post-pandemic scenario has achieved, in the third quarter of this year, a growth in Gross Domestic Product of 3%, approximately 626,988 million euros, which places it as the fifth economy in the world in this concept.
With the aim of strengthening the recovery, achieving reindustrialization and making France a leader in innovation, finance and cutting-edge technology, President Emmanuel Macron will allocate 30 billion euros, some 35 billion dollars, which will be invested in sectors such as nuclear energy, clean hydrogen, clean agriculture, bio-medicines and in the space sector.
According to the president, through small nuclear reactors his country will be able to achieve energy independence. Additionally, in the next 10 years, France plans to build an ecological aircraft and almost 2 million electric and hybrid vehicles.
In this way, it decisively and ambitiously aims to encourage and increase the capacity of its economy to grow through innovation, especially with a view to financing its social model.