International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons

France is a signatory of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and has both signed and ratified the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT).

Nearly eighty per cent of French energy needs are met by the fifty-eight nuclear reactors operating there. Plans are currently underway to construct at least one new nuclear reactor, a 1650 MW European Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR), at Flammanville in Normandy.

In March 2008 France, along with Britain, announced a deal to build new nuclear power stations and export the technology worldwide.

France has approximately 348 nuclear weapons deliverable by aircraft and submarines. In 2005 France authorised around USD$4,000 million to maintain and modernise its nuclear arsenal.

Read the profile on France from the Model Nuclear Inventory (pdf), produced by the Reaching Critical Will project of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom.