Interesting Facts about France - Week 6 - Economy

• France is the world’s leader in luxury goods, including haute couture, perfumes and cosmetics.

• France is the world’s first producer of wine and liquors.

• France is the first producer of nuclear electricity in Europe and second producer in the world after the United States. France produces as much nuclear electricity as Germany, the UK, Spain and Russia combined!

• France has the third highest GDP (PPP) per capita per hour in the world, after Norway and Luxembourg, with an average of US$ 38.16 per hour.

• The Millau Viaduct, completed in 2005 in the south of France, is the tallest bridge in the world.

• The largest and most advanced passenger cruise ship, the Queen Mary 2, was built in France in 2004.

• The France-based Arianespace is the world leader in commercial space launch, with over 50% of the global market for launching satellites.

• The European Space Agency (ESA) is based in Paris, while the headquarters of the pan-European aerospace concern Airbus are in Toulouse.

• The French TGV is one of the fastest train in the world, with an average speed of 263.3 km/h from station to station. It reached a record 574.8km/h on a test run in April 2007. At the time, it held the world record of endurance, running from Calais to Marseille (1067.2 km) in 3h29min, in 2001.

• Charles De Gaulle International Airport in Paris is Europe’s busiest airports by cargo traffic (6th in the world).

• The Société Bic was the world’s first mass manufacturer of ball-point pens. It sold its 100,000 millionth ball pen in 2005.