Terrain: mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west; remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Rhone River delta -2 m highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m
Natural resources: coal, iron ore, bauxite, fish, timber, zinc, potash
Land use: arable land: 33% permanent crops: 2% permanent pastures : 20% forests and woodland: 27% other : 18% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 16,300 sq km (1995 est.)
Natural hazards: flooding
Environment - current issues: some forest damage from acid rain; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from urban wastes, agricultural runoff
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Desertification
Geography - note: largest West European nation; occasional strong, cold, dry, north-to-northwesterly wind known as mistral
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