PARIS—France’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew slightly in the last quarter of 2011, bringing total economic growth for the year to 1.7 percent, while Germany’s Federal Statistical Office said the country’s economy slipped into reverse in the last quarter of 2011, with gross domestic product falling 0.2 percent according to adjusted figures.

France’s figure is slightly below the government’s projection in October of 1.75 percent. It was announced on Wednesday by the national statistics agency, Insee.

The French government has repeatedly revised down its growth expectations for this and last year in recent months, forcing new budget cuts to keep it on track to balance its budget by 2016. It now expects growth for 2012 to be just 0.5 percent.

Those commitments are important to reassuring investors, skittish amid Europe’s debt crisis, and for France’s presidential campaign. President Nicolas Sarkozy has staked his credibility on reducing the deficit.

The drop in Germany, Europe’s largest economy, was slightly less than the 0.25 percent that had been expected, and the Statistical Office said on Wednesday that the economy grew 3 percent overall in 2011, in line with preliminary figures released last month.

The government is predicting a return to 0.1 percent growth in the first quarter of 2012, and expects 0.7-percent growth overall for the year.