Science and Technology
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Seven of France's top ten exports to the U.S. are industrial or high technology products.
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France is the fourth largest producer of automobiles in the world (Renault, Peugeot, Citroën) and the third largest exporter. (All Mack trucks are manufactured by Renault.)
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France is fourth in research among countries of the Organization for Economic Development and Cooperation (after Japan, Germany, and the US).
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France is a major world research center in the field of high energy physics.
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The French are a world leader in medical research: the AIDS virus was first isolated by French doctors.
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The French are a leader in medical genetics (the Human Genome Project is located in Paris).
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The French are the world's third manufacturers of electronics equipment.
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European leader in aerospace (Aérospatiale, Arianespace, Airbus...).
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Most commercial satellites are put into space on French Ariane rockets.
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The fastest train (TGV) is French.
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The fastest commercial airplane (Concorde) is French (built in collaboration with British Aerospace).
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France is the world's third military power (after the US and Russia), and has the world's second largest defense industry (i.e. exocet missiles, radar technology.)
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France is the world's second largest builder and exporter of civilian and military aircraft and helicopters (Airbus is the world's second largest fleet of commercial airliners, and many of the US Coast Guard helicopters are made by Aérospatiale in Toulouse.)
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France has one of the most advanced systems of telecommunications in the world. Fiber optics were invented in France.
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France is the world's largest manufacturer of television sets (HDTV was invented in France).
© 2002 Richard Shryock
Please visit the original site for an up-dated version:
http://www.fll.vt.edu/french/whyfrench.html