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indicator value unit
Population 65.0 mil.
Visitors per year 77.1 mil.
Renewable energy 8.07 %

How’s Life?

France performs well across a number  of well-being dimensions relative to other countries in the Better Life Index. France outperforms the average in work-life balance, safety, social connections and civic engagement. These assessments are based on available selected data.

Money, while it cannot buy happiness, is an important means to achieving higher living standards. In France, the average household net-adjusted disposable income per capita is USD 34 375 a year, more than the OECD average of USD 30 490 a year.

In terms of employment, about 65% of people aged 15 to 64 in France have a paid job, below the OECD employment average of 66%. Some 68% of men are in paid work, compared with 62% of women. In France, 8% of employees work very long hours in paid work, below the OECD average of 10%, with 10% of men working very long hours in paid work compared with 5% of women.

Good education and skills are important requisites for finding a job. In France, 81% of adults aged 25-64 have completed upper secondary education, higher than the OECD average of 79%. However, completion varies between men and women, as 81% of men have successfully completed high school compared with 82% of women. In terms of the quality of the education system, the average student scored 494 in reading literacy, maths and science in the OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). This score is higher than the OECD average of 488. On average in France, girls outperformed boys by 6 points, slightly above the average OECD gap of 5 points.

In terms of health, life expectancy at birth in France is around 83 years, two years higher than the OECD average of 81 years. Life expectancy for women is 86 years, compared with 80 for men. The level of atmospheric PM2.5 – tiny air pollutant particles small enough to enter and cause damage to the lungs – is 11.4 micrograms per cubic meter, below the OECD average of 14 micrograms per cubic meter. In France, 78% of people say they are satisfied with the quality of their water, lower than the OECD average of 84%.

Concerning the public sphere, there is a strong sense of community and high levels of civic participation in France, where 94% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in time of need, more than the OECD average of 91%. Voter turnout, a measure of citizens' participation in the political process, was 75% during recent elections, higher than the OECD average of 69%. Social and economic status can affect voting rates; voter turnout for the top 20% of the population is an estimated 83% and for the bottom 20% it is an estimated 67%.

When asked to rate their general satisfaction with life on a scale from 0 to 10, French people gave it the same grade on average as the OECD average of 6.7.

 

For more information on estimates and years of reference, see FAQ section and BLI database.

 

 

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OECD in Action

OECD Economic Surveys: France

OECD’s periodic surveys of the French economy. Each edition surveys the major challenges faced by the country, evaluates the short-term outlook, and makes specific policy recommendations. Special chapters take a more detailed look at specific challenges. Extensive statistical information is included in charts and graphs.

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France in Detail