France Unitary state

France is a unitary state in Western Europe, bordering the Atlantic Ocean to the west. It has a population of 67,024,500 (2017).
Its system of local self-government stems largely from the major decentralisation acts of 1982/1983, redefining the relationship between local authorities and central government, which had previously been known for its highly centralist tendencies.
France is subdivided into municipalities (communes), departments (départements) and regions (régions).

Markers

STATE STRUCTURE:

Unitary

CURRENCY:

Euro (EUR)

VOTE

Non-compulsory

74

SEATS AT THE
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
Ratification of the European Charter
of Local Self-Government in 2007

36773

LOCAL GOVERNMENTS (IN 2016)
CAPITAL CITY:

Paris
POPULATION:

67 024 500
GEOGRAPHICAL SIZE:

632 834 km2
MEMBER STATE

EU since 1958
Council of Europe since 1949

24

SEATS AT THE COMMITTEE
OF REGIONS

3

LEVELS OF SUB-NATIONAL GOVERNMENTS

Evolution

NUMBER OF LOCAL AUTHORITIES*

* Dates of CEMR publications