Area: At 550,000 sq km the largest country in western Europe (almost one-fifth of EU area)

Population: 60.9 million (1998), 105 inhabitants per sq km. More than 50 per cent live in towns of over 50,000. Paris metropolitan area has nearly 10 million inhabitants.

Principal cities: Paris 10 million, Lyon 1.3 million, Marseille 1.2 million, Lille 959,000, Bordeaux 696,000.

Religions: More than 80 per cent of believers are Catholic. The second religion in France is now Islam (5.9 per cent of the population). Protestants at 2.4 per cent and Jews 0.8 per cent.

Economy: total exports 1,824 billion French francs: agriculture and agri-business 13.1 per cent, consumers goods 13.7 per cent, automobiles 13.7 per cent, capital goods 24.8 per cent, material for further products 31.9 per cent, and energy 2.5 per cent.

Total imports 1,766 billion French francs: agriculture and agri-business 10.1 per cent, consumer goods 15.5 per cent, automobiles 11.1 per cent, capital goods 23.2 per cent, material for further products 32.8 per cent, energy 6.9 per cent.

GDP: in billion francs: 1997 - 8224.9; 1998 8564.7; 1999 - 8816.5; 2000 - 9169.2

Useful addresses:

French Embassy: 36 Ailesbury Rd, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4: Phone 2601666, fax 2830178, e-mail chancellerie@ambafrance.ie, website www.ambafrance.ie

Commercial Service: Marine House, Clanwilliam Place, Dublin 2: Phone 6680777, fax 6617291, e-mail dublin@dree.org, website www.dree.org/irlande

Cultural Service: 1 Kildare St, Dublin 2: Phone 6762197, fax 6769403, e-mail culture@ambafrance.ie, website www.ambafrance.ie/culturel

Alliance Francaise 1 Kildare St, Dublin 2. Phone 6761732, fax 6764077, e-mail info@alliance-francaise.ie, website www.alliance-francaise.ie

Franco-Irish Chamber of Commerce: Confederation House, 84/86 Lower Baggot St, Dublin 2: Phone 6601011