From 1789 blue and red, the traditional colors of Paris, were included in flags with Bourbon royal white. In 1794 the tricolor was made official. It embodied liberty, equality, fraternity, democracy, secularism, and modernization, but there is no symbolism attached to the individual colors. It has been the sole national flag since March 5, 1848.

France Official name: République Française (French Republic). Form of government: republic with two legislative houses (Parliament; Senate [321], National Assembly [577]). Chief of state: President. Head of government: Prime Minister. Population (1998): 58,841,000. Population projection: (2000) 59,317,000; (2010) 61,757,000. Natural increase rate per 1,000 population (1996): 3.4 (world avg. 15.7). Gross national product (1996): U.S.$1,533,619,000,000 (U.S.$26,270 per capita). Land use (1994): forest 27.3%; pasture 19.3%; agriculture 35.4%; other 18.0%.

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