This statistic shows the total population of France from 2020 to 2024, with projections up until 2030. In 2024, the total population of France amounted to 68.44 million people. See the population of Italy for comparison. France's population Although the total French population has annually increased, population growth has been in a slump from 2006 to 2012. However, the decrease of population growth is seemingly irrelative to births in the country, primarily because France’s fertility rate has remained relatively steady over the past decade, based on information from 2011. Yearly population growth could potentially be attributed to a positive lifestyle in the country and a steady economic growth. France is ranked in the top 30 countries with the highest Human Development Index , also known as HDI, which is determined based on life expectancy at birth, literacy rate, education levels and gross national income per capita. France, in this case, was ranked 12th out of the top 20 countries with the highest life expectancy in 2011. From an economic standpoint, France has remained stable, despite several complications within the European Union. Since the 2008 financial crisis, France’s unemployment rate has increased and has experienced several swings year-to-year up until 2014. However, despite fluctuating unemployment rates, GDP growth has very slightly been on the rise on a yearly basis, ever since experiencing a dramatic drop in 2009. Additionally, the GDP itself has continuously been fluctuating since 2008), after enduring a continuous increase in the years prior.

The total population of France has been increasing for years now, exceeding 68 million inhabitants in 2025. However, like most Western nations, France is struggling with an aging population. Demographics in France For a few years, the population growth in France has been decreasing. However, unlike the majority of European countries, France appears to have a steady fertility rate of around 1.79 children per woman. This phenomenon allows France to be ranked as the most fertile country in Europe. But this cannot hide the fact that the population is getting older every year. An aging country The median age of French citizens has been increasing since the seventies. In 2050, the median age in France is expected to reach 43.5 years, compared to 35.2 years back in 1995. France has one of the highest life expectancies in Europe. Even though its birth rate seems pretty high compared to other European nations, this does not appear to be enough to slow down the growing trend of the French median age.

France birth rate for 2025 is 10.81, a 0.49% decline from 2024.

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li>France birth rate for 2024 was <strong>10.86</strong>, a <strong>0.48% decline</strong> from 2023.</li>
<li>France birth rate for 2023 was <strong>10.91</strong>, a <strong>0.58% decline</strong> from 2022.</li>
<li>France birth rate for 2022 was <strong>10.98</strong>, a <strong>0.58% decline</strong> from 2021.</li>
</ul>Crude birth rate indicates the number of live births occurring during the year, per 1,000 population estimated at midyear. Subtracting the crude death rate from the crude birth rate provides the rate of natural increase, which is equal to the rate of population change in the absence of migration.

In 2024, the birth rate in France reached its lowest level since 1982. From 1982 to 2019, the birth rate in France has been fluctuating between more than 11 births and almost 14 births for 1,000 inhabitants. For the first time in this period, the birth rate fell below 11 in 2020. The highest birth rate in France during this period was recorded in 1982. That year there were 14.8 births per 1,000 inhabitants. Since then, the birth rate in the country keeps decreasing. If France keeps being one of the European countries with the highest fertility rate, it is still been impacted by the decline in the birth rate that affects most Western countries. A Declining birth rate Birth rate is the ration between the annual number of live births and the average total population over that year. In 2023, there were 640,000 live births in France, while the French population amounted to 68 million people. The average number of children born per women went from 2.03 in 2010, down to 1.66 in 2023. Births in France With a crude birth rate of 10.9 births per 1,000 inhabitants in 2020, France still has one of the highest birth rates in Europe. The percentage of children born out-of-wedlock in France has been rising since the nineties, reaching 65.2 percent in 2022. Another change can be seen in the average age at childbirth among French women. In 2022, most of women in France were aged 31.1 years old at childbirth, compared to 28.8 years old in 1994.

France: Demographic pressures, 0 (low) - 10 (high): The latest value from 2024 is 2.8 index points, a decline from 3.1 index points in 2023. In comparison, the world average is 5.80 index points, based on data from 176 countries. Historically, the average for France from 2007 to 2024 is 3.12 index points. The minimum value, 1.9 index points, was reached in 2020 while the maximum of 4.1 index points was recorded in 2007.

Of the G7 countries, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States were forecast to have a constant population ******** until 2050. In Japan, Germany, and Italy, the population is forecast to constantly ******* due to aging populations and falling fertility rates. In France, the population was first expected to decline by 2048.

According to a ********** survey, the share of young French respondents without access to a banking account declined by ** percentage points between 2017 and 2021. The decline in this particular group of respondents stood out compared to other demographics, and is likely the main cause of why the "unbanked" population - or those who or those who did not access to the services of a bank or another, similar financial organization - declined from *** percent in 2017 to *** percent in 2021. The report adds that men in France were more likely than women to be financially excluded from services like ATM machines, credit cards, or financial products like insurance or mortgages. The declining figures for unbanked population are reflected in the decreasing market share of cash in French physical stores.

In 2024, the rural population in France reached 17.96 percent of the total. In 2023, Europe was ranked the third continent worldwide in terms of degree of urbanization. 75 percent of the European population was living in cities in 2023, but this figure is expected to decrease by 2050. In France, studies have shown that most of the population lives in urban areas, but many French citizens seem to aspire to live in the countryside. France: an urban country From 2006 to 2020, the share of French residents living in rural areas kept decreasing, going from roughly 22.6 percent in 2006 to slightly more than 19 percent in 2020. According to Insee, a municipality is rural when it does not reach the threshold of 2,000 inhabitants. In France, more than 13 million individuals were living in the countryside in 2016. In comparison, the urban population amounted to 53 million people that same year and reached more than 80 percent of the total in 2022. The advantages of the countryside A survey conducted by Ifop in 2018 showed that 41 percent of French people wanted to live in a rural town. Despite common beliefs, the countryside appears to have a lot to offer. In addition to a more pleasant living environment, the employment situation seems to be more advantageous in French rural areas. In 2020, the percentage of unemployed people reached 5.5 percent in rural areas, compared to less than nine percent in cities. Similarly, the percentage of labor force participants is higher in rural areas.

France net migration for 2024 was 90,527, a 1.45% decline from 2023.

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li>France net migration for 2023 was <strong>91,862</strong>, a <strong>48.79% decline</strong> from 2022.</li>
<li>France net migration for 2022 was <strong>179,377</strong>, a <strong>36.44% increase</strong> from 2021.</li>
<li>France net migration for 2021 was <strong>131,465</strong>, a <strong>9.7% decline</strong> from 2020.</li>
</ul>Net migration is the net total of migrants during the period, that is, the total number of immigrants less the annual number of emigrants, including both citizens and noncitizens. Data are five-year estimates.

The population of Europe was estimated to be 745 million in 2024, an increase of around 4 million when compared with 2012. Over 35 years between 1950 and 1985, the population of Europe grew by approximately 157.8 million. But 35 years after 1985 it was estimated to have only increased by around 38.7 million. Since the 1960s, population growth in Europe has fallen quite significantly and was even negative during the mid-1990s. While population growth has increased slightly since the low of -0.07 percent in 1998, the growth rate for 2020 was just 0.04 percent. Which European country has the biggest population? As of 2024, the population of Russia was estimated to be approximately 144.8 million and was by far Europe's largest country in terms of population, with Turkey being the second-largest at over 87 million. While these two countries both have territory in Europe, however, they are both only partially in Europe, with the majority of their landmasses being in Asia. In terms of countries wholly located on the European continent, Germany had the highest population at 84.5 million, and was followed by the United Kingdom and France at 69.1 million and 66.5 million respectively. Characteristics of Europe's population There are approximately 384.6 million females in Europe, compared with 359.5 million males, a difference of around 25 million. In 1950, however, the male population has grown faster than the female one, with the male population growing by 104.7 million, and the female one by 93.6 million. As of 2024, the single year of age with the highest population was 37, at 10.6 million, while in the same year there were estimated to be around 136 thousand people aged 100 or over.

During the Holocaust, approximately six million Jews were killed. In France, the Jewish population had decreased by ******* individuals between 1939 and 1945. It then increased between the end of World War II and the 1970s, reaching ******* individuals in 1970. However, according to the source, the number of Jews in France has declined by more than 15 percent between that period and 2020, and is now estimated to be *******.

This statistic shows the unemployment rate in France from 1991 to 2024. In 2024, the unemployment rate in France was around 7.37 percent. Population of France A member of the G7 and G20, France is one of the world's most powerful, advanced and emerging economies. With a total population of around 65 million people, France’s economy must adapt itself to employ the growing population. Although the rates of population growth in the past five years have declined in comparison to the population growth rates between 2003 and 2007, there is still an overall growth in the total population. An important factor that directly affects the French economy is the percentage increase in people who are 65 years of age or older and the percentage decline of people between the ages of 15 and 64 years. Because the percentage of the working population is decreasing, mainly people between the ages of 15 and 64 years, and the median age of the population in France is increasing, the economy must adapt to the growing competition by providing more employment opportunities. With the Eurozone crisis and global financial crisis of 2008, the real gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate in France suffered dramatic drops between 2008 and 2009 in comparison to the previous year. Despite having increased between 2009 and 2013, employment in France has not reached the record high of 2008 again yet. In addition, the unemployment rates in the last decade have increased by almost two percent.

During the eighteenth century, it is estimated that France's population grew by roughly fifty percent, from 19.7 million in 1700, to 29 million by 1800. In France itself, the 1700s are remembered for the end of King Louis XIV's reign in 1715, the Age of Enlightenment, and the French Revolution. During this century, the scientific and ideological advances made in France and across Europe challenged the leadership structures of the time, and questioned the relationship between monarchial, religious and political institutions and their subjects. France was arguably the most powerful nation in the world in these early years, with the second largest population in Europe (after Russia); however, this century was defined by a number of costly, large-scale conflicts across Europe and in the new North American theater, which saw the loss of most overseas territories (particularly in North America) and almost bankrupted the French crown. A combination of regressive taxation, food shortages and enlightenment ideologies ultimately culminated in the French Revolution in 1789, which brought an end to the Ancien Régime, and set in motion a period of self-actualization.

War and peace

After a volatile and tumultuous decade, in which tens of thousands were executed by the state (most infamously: guillotined), relative stability was restored within France as Napoleon Bonaparte seized power in 1799, and the policies of the revolution became enforced. Beyond France's borders, the country was involved in a series of large scale wars for two almost decades, and the First French Empire eventually covered half of Europe by 1812. In 1815, Napoleon was defeated outright, the empire was dissolved, and the monarchy was restored to France; nonetheless, a large number of revolutionary and Napoleonic reforms remained in effect afterwards, and the ideas had a long-term impact across the globe. France experienced a century of comparative peace in the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars; there were some notable uprisings and conflicts, and the monarchy was abolished yet again, but nothing on the scale of what had preceded or what was to follow. A new overseas colonial empire was also established in the late 1800s, particularly across Africa and Southeast Asia. Through most of the eighteenth and nineteenth century, France had the second largest population in Europe (after Russia), however political instability and the economic prioritization of Paris meant that the entire country did not urbanize or industrialize at the same rate as the other European powers. Because of this, Germany and Britain entered the twentieth century with larger populations, and other regions, such as Austria or Belgium, had overtaken France in terms of industrialization; the German annexation of Alsace-Lorraine in the Franco-Prussian War was also a major contributor to this.

World Wars and contemporary France

Coming into the 1900s, France had a population of approximately forty million people (officially 38 million* due to to territorial changes), and there was relatively little growth in the first half of the century. France was comparatively unprepared for a large scale war, however it became one of the most active theaters of the First World War when Germany invaded via Belgium in 1914, with the ability to mobilize over eight million men. By the war's end in 1918, France had lost almost 1.4 million in the conflict, and approximately 300,000 in the Spanish Flu pandemic that followed. Germany invaded France again during the Second World War, and occupied the country from 1940, until the Allied counter-invasion liberated the country during the summer of 1944. France lost around 600,000 people in the course of the war, over half of which were civilians. Following the war's end, the country experienced a baby boom, and the population grew by approximately twenty million people in the next fifty years (compared to just one million in the previous fifty years). Since the 1950s, France's economy quickly grew to be one of the strongest in the world, despite losing the vast majority of its overseas colonial empire by the 1970s. A wave of migration, especially from these former colonies, has greatly contributed to the growth and diversity of France's population today, which stands at over 65 million people in 2020.

In 2024, Monaco was the European country estimated to have the highest fertility rate. The country had a fertility rate of 2.1 children per woman. Other small countries such as Gibraltar or Montenegro also came towards the top of the list for 2024, while the large country with the highest fertility rate was France, with 1.64 children per woman. On the other hand, Ukraine had the lowest fertility rate, averaging around one child per woman.

This statistic shows the total number of male births in France from 2004 to 2022. In 2004, there were 393,477 boys born in France. The number of male births in France peaked in 2010, with more than 410,000 births recorded. The number of boy births has been declining for many years; in 2022, the number dropped below 352,000.

Since 2015, the unemployment rate of young French men and women has been steadily decreasing. While the 2008 economic crisis caused financial troubles in all EU member states, impacting companies and banks, studies have shown that the lack of follow-up and the absence of options for young people without diplomas are some of the main causes of youth unemployment in France. Younger generations are more affected by unemployment The global unemployment rate of the country increased from 2011 to 2016, and it went down to around *** percent by 2024. However, in recent years, younger generations seemed to be particularly affected by unemployment in France, while the percentage of the working population is decreasing in the country. The issue of unemployment in France France has one of the highest unemployment rates in the European Union. Workers seem to be more affected by unemployment compared to employees or managers, while long-term unemployment is more prevalent among the older generations. Thus, for years, the French government has been trying to find solutions to curb the rise in unemployment. The average monthly gross amount of benefits increased slightly since 2011, while the country spent more than ** million euros on work and employment, which was only the government’s ninth spending area that year.

In the immediate aftermath of the Second World War, Germany was split into four zones, each administered by France, the United Kingdom, the United States and the Soviet Union respectively. In 1949, the Soviet-controlled zone formed the German Democratic Republic (East Germany), while the rest became the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany). In this time, Berlin was also split into four zones, and the three non-Soviet zones formed West Berlin, which was a part of West Germany (although the West's administrative capital was moved to Bonn). One population grows, while the other declines Between 1949 and 1961, an estimated 2.7 million people migrated from East to West Germany. East Germany had a communist government with a socialist economy and was a satellite state of the Soviet Union, whereas West Germany was a liberal democracy with a capitalist economy, and western autonomy increased over time. Because of this difference, West Germany was a much freer society with more economic opportunities. During the German partition, the population of the west grew, from 51 million in 1950 to 62.7 million in 1989, whereas the population of East Germany declined from 18.4 million to just 16.4 million during this time. Little change after reunification In 1989, after four decades of separation, the process of German reunification began. The legal and physical barriers that had split the country were removed, and Germans could freely travel within the entire country. Despite this development, population growth patterns did not change. The population of the 'new states' (East Germany) continued to decline, whereas the population of the west grew, particularly in the 1990s, the first decade after reunification. The reasons for this continued imbalance between German population in the east and west, is mostly due to a low birth rate and internal migration within Germany. Despite the fact that levels of income and unemployment in the new states have gotten closer to those reported for the west (a major obstacle after reunification), life and opportunities in the west continue to attract young Germans from rural areas in the east with detrimental effect on the economy and demography of the new states.

In 1800, the region of Germany was not a single, unified nation, but a collection of decentralized, independent states, bound together as part of the Holy Roman Empire. This empire was dissolved, however, in 1806, during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic eras in Europe, and the German Confederation was established in 1815. Napoleonic reforms led to the abolition of serfdom, extension of voting rights to property-owners, and an overall increase in living standards. The population grew throughout the remainder of the century, as improvements in sanitation and medicine (namely, mandatory vaccination policies) saw child mortality rates fall in later decades. As Germany industrialized and the economy grew, so too did the argument for nationhood; calls for pan-Germanism (the unification of all German-speaking lands) grew more popular among the lower classes in the mid-1800s, especially following the revolutions of 1948-49. In contrast, industrialization and poor harvests also saw high unemployment in rural regions, which led to waves of mass migration, particularly to the U.S.. In 1886, the Austro-Prussian War united northern Germany under a new Confederation, while the remaining German states (excluding Austria and Switzerland) joined following the Franco-Prussian War in 1871; this established the German Empire, under the Prussian leadership of Emperor Wilhelm I and Chancellor Otto von Bismarck. 1871 to 1945 - Unification to the Second World War The first decades of unification saw Germany rise to become one of Europe's strongest and most advanced nations, and challenge other world powers on an international scale, establishing colonies in Africa and the Pacific. These endeavors were cut short, however, when the Austro-Hungarian heir apparent was assassinated in Sarajevo; Germany promised a "blank check" of support for Austria's retaliation, who subsequently declared war on Serbia and set the First World War in motion. Viewed as the strongest of the Central Powers, Germany mobilized over 11 million men throughout the war, and its army fought in all theaters. As the war progressed, both the military and civilian populations grew increasingly weakened due to malnutrition, as Germany's resources became stretched. By the war's end in 1918, Germany suffered over 2 million civilian and military deaths due to conflict, and several hundred thousand more during the accompanying influenza pandemic. Mass displacement and the restructuring of Europe's borders through the Treaty of Versailles saw the population drop by several million more.

Reparations and economic mismanagement also financially crippled Germany and led to bitter indignation among many Germans in the interwar period; something that was exploited by Adolf Hitler on his rise to power. Reckless printing of money caused hyperinflation in 1923, when the currency became so worthless that basic items were priced at trillions of Marks; the introduction of the Rentenmark then stabilized the economy before the Great Depression of 1929 sent it back into dramatic decline. When Hitler became Chancellor of Germany in 1933, the Nazi government disregarded the Treaty of Versailles' restrictions and Germany rose once more to become an emerging superpower. Hitler's desire for territorial expansion into eastern Europe and the creation of an ethnically-homogenous German empire then led to the invasion of Poland in 1939, which is considered the beginning of the Second World War in Europe. Again, almost every aspect of German life contributed to the war effort, and more than 13 million men were mobilized. After six years of war, and over seven million German deaths, the Axis powers were defeated and Germany was divided into four zones administered by France, the Soviet Union, the UK, and the U.S.. Mass displacement, shifting borders, and the relocation of peoples based on ethnicity also greatly affected the population during this time. 1945 to 2020 - Partition and Reunification In the late 1940s, cold war tensions led to two distinct states emerging in Germany; the Soviet-controlled east became the communist German Democratic Republic (DDR), and the three western zones merged to form the democratic Federal Republic of Germany. Additionally, Berlin was split in a similar fashion, although its location deep inside DDR territory created series of problems and opportunities for the those on either side. Life quickly changed depending on which side of the border one lived. Within a decade, rapid economic recovery saw West Germany become western Europe's strongest economy and a key international player. In the east, living standards were much lower, although unemployment was almost non-existent; internationally, East Germany was the strongest economy in the Eastern Bloc (after the USSR), though it eventually fell behind the West by the 1970s. The restriction of movement between the two states also led to labor shortages in t...

During the first quarter of 2025, La Réunion and Guyane, two overseas regions, had the highest unemployment rate among all French regions. Over there, the unemployment rate reached **** and **** percent, respectively, compared to around *** percent in Bretagne and Pays de la Loire. Unemployment: an important issue in the economy of France France has been struggling with unemployment since the end of the 2000s and the beginning of the 2008 financial crisis. The unemployment rate in the country reached a record level in 2015 when it amounted to nearly **** percent. However, the situation of employment in France has shown signs of recovery since then. Youth unemployment in the country is finally decreasing; in the meantime, long-term unemployment in France has not yet regained its pre-2008 levels, but stood at *** percent in 2024, a decrease of *** points since the previous year. Being unemployed in France Unemployment does not affect the population in the same way. As displayed by this figure, the northern part of France, which used to be a mining center, was more impacted by the phenomenon. Workers, contrary to the more qualified socio-professional categories, were also more affected by unemployment, as well as women, who are usually more unemployed than men in France, regardless of their nationality.

In 1800, the population of Portugal was estimated to be approximately 2.8 million; a figure that would see gradual growth throughout the 19th century. During this time, Portugal experienced a series of political and military challenges, including an invasion by Napoleonic France, the cessation of Brazil (it's largest colony), and a civil war caused by royal succession; nonetheless, Portugal remained an international power throughout the 1800s, with significant spheres of influence on all continents. 20th century At the turn of the 20th century, Portugal's international standing began to diminish, and its weakening position in Africa initiated a wave of civil unrest in the metropole. In 1908, following a period of political instability, King Carlos I and his heir were assassinated in Lisbon, and the 5 October 1910 Revolution permanently brought an end to the monarchy. This, however, did not end the political instability, which was further exacerbated by the impacts of the First World War and Spanish Flu pandemic (which, combined, resulted in the deaths of more than 220,000 Portuguese people). Portugal would then experience a rapid population gain following the establishment of the Second Republic (Estado Novo) in 1933, under the 34 year reign of António de Oliveira Salazar, which would see Portugal’s currency stabilized and significant economic growth lasting until the 1960s. However, Portugal’s population would decline in the early 1960s, as escalating colonial wars overseas, combined with increasing political instability at home would see many citizens emigrating elsewhere in Europe; particularly youths attempting to avoid the country’s military draft. Growth would largely resume following the end of the dictatorship with the Carnation Revolution of 1974, as many Portuguese migrants in the now independent colonies would return to Europe. Recent decades While growth would slow (and decline slightly) amidst economic troubles in the 1980s, Portugal’s population generally increased until 2008, when it peaked at 10.6 million people. From 2008 until today, a combination of the long term impacts of the 2008 financial crisis and declining fertility rates have resulted in a steady drop in the country’s population. As a result, in 2020, Portugal is estimated to have fallen to 10.2 million people, although it is also regarded as one of the most stable, peaceful and democratic countries in the world.