France  Population (2016) - World Population Review
World Population Review
France  Population 2016
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﻿France, or the French Republic, is located in western Europe, with many overseas regions and territories. Metropolitan France extends from the English Channel and North Sea to the Mediterranean Sea and from the Atlantic Ocean to the Rhine, bordering Luxembourg, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Andorra, and Monaco. In 2016, the population in France is estimated to be around 66,689,000.
France also has many territories, including Clipperton Island, New Caledonia, French Polynesia, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre, Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, and others.
In 2016, the population of France is estimated at 66,689,000, which ranks 20th in the world.
France has an estimated 2016 metro population of 64,750,000, which does not include overseas territories. Combined, the territories add an additional 2 million people. Metropolitan France has a population density of 117.37 people per square kilometer, which ranks 95th in the world.
Paris is the largest city and capital of France. The City of Paris has just 40 square miles of land with a population of 2.24 million in the city limits, and the most populous urban area in all of the European Union. The city proper has a density of over 21,000 people per square kilometer. The much larger Paris Region, with 4,638 square miles of land, has its own president and regional council with a population of 12 million. This accounts for 18% of France's total population.
France Demographics
A law from 1872 prohibits the French Republic from conducting census by making any distinction between its citizens in terms of race or religious beliefs, so French demographics can be a bit hard to determine. In 2004, it was estimated that 85% of the population of Metropolitan France was white or of European origin, with 10% from North Africa, 3.5% Black and 1.5% Asian.
This law does not apply to surveys or polls, and a marketing company called Solis estimated numbers of ethnic minorities in 2009 as 5.23% Maghrebis, 2.94% black (a majority from Sub-Saharan Africa) and 0.71% Turkish.
In 2010, 27% of newborns in Metro France had at least a single foreign-born parent. Most French people today are of Celtic origin. The country has experienced large-scale immigration over the last 100 years. It's believed that 40% of France's population is descended, at least in part, from the waves of immigration since the start of the 20th century.
France Population Growth
The figures reported in 2011 confirmed that France as a whole was growing at a faster rate than most other countries across the globe. In fact, its natural growth, which excludes any immigration figures, accounted for nearly the whole of the natural growth recorded in the European Union in 2003.
The birth rate exceeded the death rate by a considerable amount -- 302,432 in 2006 which was the highest recorded figure since 1973. Further contrasts in the rates led to the final figures declared in the 2011 census. The country also has the second highest number of children per family in Europe; 2.01 when the last figures were announced.
France Immigration
Like many of its neighbors, France represents a huge attraction for immigration and when statistics were released in 2008, it was reported that 11.8 million foreign born immigrants and their immediate descendants were residents in the country; a figure which accounted for around 19% of the total population of the time.
Exact figures in relation to this are slightly hampered by the fact that it is illegal for the French state as an entity to compile statistics when it comes to race and ethnicity. Data in relation to this is therefore supplied by independent agencies such as INED and INSEE.
What is clear however is that France’s population is growing quite significantly. The large discrepancy in the birth and death rate shows no signs of narrowing and as such, it will be fascinating to see the results from the next national census.
Largest Cities in France
For a country of such size, it is surprising that there is only one city proper with a population exceeding 1 million. The largest cities in France include:
Paris (2.2 million) The wider Paris urban area had a population of over 12.1 million in 2013. Marseille (853,000) While it's the second largest city in France, it has the third largest urban and metropolitan area with a population of 1.6 million. Lyon (484,000) Including suburbs and satellite towns, Lyon is the most populous area of France with a population of 1.7 million. Toulouse (449,000) This is the fourth largest metropolitan area of France with a population of 1.2 million.
France Population Growth
Metropolitan France is expected to see its population grow by another 9 million people over the next 40 years, placing the country's population around 72 million by 2050. To reach this projection, fertility rates will need to stay about the same, mortality will need to decrease, and net migration will need to remain about 100,000 annually.
With its population growing despite decreases in many of its neighboring countries, France is finally back in the race to be the most populous country in Europe. By 2050, it's expected that Germany will have just 70-74 million (compared to 2012's 82 million), while Britain's population will be about 73 million, compared to today's 63 million.