Exports: $304.7 billion (f.o.b., 1999)
Exports - commodities: machinery and transportation equipment, chemicals, iron and steel products; agricultural products, textiles and clothing
Exports - partners: EU 63% (Germany 16%, UK 10%, Italy 9%, Spain 9%,
Belgium-Luxembourg 8%), US 7% (1998)
Imports: $280.8 billion (f.o.b., 1999)
Imports - commodities: crude oil, machinery and equipment, chemicals; agricultural products
Imports - partners: EU 62% (Germany 17%, Italy 10%, Belgium-Luxembourg 8%, UK 8%, Spain 7%), US 9% (1998)
Debt - external: $117.6 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid - donor: ODA, $6.3 billion (1997)
Currency: 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: euros per US$1 - 0.9867 (January 2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.65 (January 1999), 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997), 5.1155 (1996), 4.9915 (1995) note: on 1 January 1999, the EU introduced a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in some member countries at a fixed rate of 6.55957 French francs per euro; the euro will replace the local currency in consenting countries for all transactions in 2002