France

===Energy===
{{Further|Energy in France}}
[[File:Centrale EDF de Belleville-FR-18-a05.jpg|thumb|left|alt=Nuclear power plant in Cattenom, France four large cooling towers expelling white water vapour against a blue sky|[[Belleville Nuclear Power Plant]]. France derives most of its electricity from [[Nuclear power in France|nuclear power]], the highest percentage in the world. ]]
France is the world's tenth-largest producer of electricity.<ref>{{Cite web |title=BP Statistical Review of World Energy July 2021". |url=https://www.bp.com/content/dam/bp/business-sites/en/global/corporate/xlsx/energy-economics/statistical-review/bp-stats-review-2021-all-data.xlsx}}</ref> [[Électricité de France]] (EDF), which is majority-owned by the French government, is the country's main producer and distributor of electricity, and one of the world's largest [[Electric utility|electric utility companies]], ranking third in revenue globally.<ref>{{Cite web |date=19 March 2019 |title=The ten biggest power companies in 2018 |url=https://www.power-technology.com/features/top-10-power-companies-in-the-world/ |access-date=5 February 2022 |website=Power Technology |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2018, EDF produced around one-fifth of the [[European Union]]'s electricity, primarily from [[nuclear power]].<ref>[https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Electricity_production,_consumption_and_market_overview#:~:text=Germany%20had%20the%20highest%20level,with%20a%20double%2Ddigit%20share. Electricity production, consumption and market overview], [[Eurostat]]</ref> As of 2021, France was the biggest energy exporter in Europe, mostly to the U.K. and Italy,<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Nuclear Power in France {{!}} French Nuclear Energy – World Nuclear Association |url=https://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/country-profiles/countries-a-f/france.aspx |access-date=5 February 2022 |website=world-nuclear.org}}</ref> and the largest net exporter of electricity in the world.<ref name=":3"/>

Since the [[1973 oil crisis]], France has pursued a strong policy of [[energy security]],<ref name=":3"/> namely through [[Nuclear power in France|heavy investment in nuclear energy]]. It is one of 32 countries with [[nuclear power plant]]s, ranking second in the world by the [[Nuclear power by country|number of operational nuclear reactors]], at 56.<ref>{{Cite web |title=PRIS – Miscellaneous reports – Nuclear Share |url=https://pris.iaea.org/PRIS/WorldStatistics/NuclearShareofElectricityGeneration.aspx |access-date=5 February 2022 |website=pris.iaea.org}}</ref> Consequently, 70% of France's electricity is generated by nuclear power, the highest proportion in the world by a wide margin;<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 2017 |title=Nuclear share figures, 2006–2016 |url=http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Facts-and-Figures/Nuclear-generation-by-country/ |access-date=8 January 2018 |publisher=World Nuclear Association |archive-date=1 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131001103413/http://world-nuclear.org/info/Facts-and-Figures/Nuclear-generation-by-country/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> only Slovakia and Ukraine also derive a majority of electricity from nuclear power, at roughly 53% and 51%, respectively.<ref>{{Cite web |title=France |url=https://www.iaea.org/pris/CountryStatistics/CountryDetails.aspx?current=FR |access-date=8 January 2018 |website=IAEA {{!}} PRIS Power Reactor Information System |publisher=International Atomic Energy Agency}}</ref> France is considered a world leader in nuclear technology, with reactors and fuel products being major exports.<ref name=":3"/>

France's significant reliance on nuclear power has resulted in comparatively slower development of [[Renewable energy in France|renewable energy]] sources than in other Western nations. Nevertheless, between 2008 and 2019, France's production capacity from renewable energies rose consistently and nearly doubled.<ref name=":5"/> [[Hydropower]] is by far the leading source, accounting for over half the country's renewable energy sources<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=France |url=https://www.hydropower.org/country-profiles/france |access-date=5 February 2022 |website=hydropower.org |language=en}}</ref> and contributing 13% of its electricity,<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |title=Topic: Hydropower in France |url=https://www.statista.com/topics/6308/hydropower-in-france/ |access-date=5 February 2022 |website=Statista |language=en}}</ref> the highest proportion in Europe after Norway and Turkey.<ref name=":4"/> As with nuclear power, most hydroelectric plants, such as [[Eguzon dam|Eguzon]], [[Étang de Soulcem]], and [[Lac de Vouglans]], are managed by EDF.<ref name=":4"/> France aims to further expand hydropower into 2040.<ref name=":5"/>