Land area (sq. km) in France was reported at 538950 sq. Km in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. France - Land area (sq. km) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on March of 2026.

Population density (people per sq. km of land area) in France was reported at 127 sq. Km in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. France - Population density (people per sq. km) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on March of 2026.

France FR: Population Density: People per Square Km data was reported at 122.578 Person/sq km in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 122.106 Person/sq km for 2016. France FR: Population Density: People per Square Km data is updated yearly, averaging 106.257 Person/sq km from Dec 1961 (Median) to 2017, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 122.578 Person/sq km in 2017 and a record low of 86.647 Person/sq km in 1961. France FR: Population Density: People per Square Km data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s France – Table FR.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Population density is midyear population divided by land area in square kilometers. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship--except for refugees not permanently settled in the country of asylum, who are generally considered part of the population of their country of origin. Land area is a country's total area, excluding area under inland water bodies, national claims to continental shelf, and exclusive economic zones. In most cases the definition of inland water bodies includes major rivers and lakes.; ; Food and Agriculture Organization and World Bank population estimates.; Weighted average;

Surface area (sq. km) in France was reported at 606410 sq. Km in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. France - Surface area (sq. km) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on March of 2026.

France: Land area in sq. km: The latest value from 2023 is 538950 sq. km, unchanged from 538950 sq. km in 2022. In comparison, the world average is 656095 sq. km, based on data from 196 countries. Historically, the average for France from 1961 to 2023 is 538950 sq. km. The minimum value, 538950 sq. km, was reached in 1961 while the maximum of 538950 sq. km was recorded in 1961.

France: Population density, people per square km: The latest value from 2023 is 127 people per square km, unchanged from 127 people per square km in 2022. In comparison, the world average is 471 people per square km, based on data from 196 countries. Historically, the average for France from 1961 to 2023 is 109 people per square km. The minimum value, 89 people per square km, was reached in 1961 while the maximum of 127 people per square km was recorded in 2022.

France Land Use: Land Area data was reported at 547,557.000 sq km in 2022. This stayed constant from the previous number of 547,557.000 sq km for 2021. France Land Use: Land Area data is updated yearly, averaging 547,566.000 sq km from Dec 1961 (Median) to 2022, with 62 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 547,867.000 sq km in 2003 and a record low of 547,557.000 sq km in 2022. France Land Use: Land Area data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The data is categorized under Global Database’s France – Table FR.OECD.ESG: Environmental: Land Use: OECD Member: Annual.

France FR: Land Area data was reported at 547,557.000 sq km in 2017. This stayed constant from the previous number of 547,557.000 sq km for 2016. France FR: Land Area data is updated yearly, averaging 547,566.000 sq km from Dec 1961 (Median) to 2017, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 547,867.000 sq km in 2003 and a record low of 547,557.000 sq km in 2017. France FR: Land Area data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s France – Table FR.World Bank.WDI: Land Use, Protected Areas and National Wealth. Land area is a country's total area, excluding area under inland water bodies, national claims to continental shelf, and exclusive economic zones. In most cases the definition of inland water bodies includes major rivers and lakes.; ; Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site.; Sum;

The population density in France is unevenly distributed. The country, which enjoys a great variety of regions and landscapes, is becoming more and more urbanized, and big cities concentrate economic activities. Ile-de-France and overseas regions: the most densely populated French regions In 2022, Ile-de-France was the French region with the highest population density. According to the source, there were ******* residents per square kilometer in Ile-de-France. In 2025, more than ***** million people lived in this region, which contains the city of Paris and its greater suburbs. The overseas regions, such as Guadeloupe, Reunion, and Martinique, are the most densely populated French regions after the Paris region. On the other hand, Corsica was the least densely populated region in metropolitan France. However, it is Guyane, the largest overseas department, which has the lowest density in France, with only *** inhabitants per square kilometre. Largely covered by the Amazon jungle, this French territory is almost entirely populated along the coasts. The overall population density in metropolitan France reached ****** inhabitants per square kilometer in 2021, compared to ****** in 2007. Ile-de-France, and particularly Paris, is the center of most of the economic, political, and social activities in France. For instance, the ten most visited national French museums and galleries in 2017 were all located in Paris. In 2014, Ile-de-France was the French region that had the highest expenditure on Research and Development (19 billion euros). Regions in France Hauts-de-France, in the northern part of the country, and Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur in the southeastern part, were the second and the third most densely populated regions in Metropolitan France. The French southeastern coast is known for being highly urbanized, while its living conditions (sun, Mediterranean sea…) make it one of the most attractive regions to work and live in France. Hauts-de-France, which used to be one of the leading industrial regions of the country, now benefits from its geographical proximity to the heart of Europe: Brussels. Furthermore, rural regions like Centre-Val de Loire or Bourgogne Franche-Comté are less populous, and the share of the rural population in France is decreasing for years now.

Agricultural land (sq. km) in France was reported at 282972 sq. Km in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. France - Agricultural land (sq. km) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on February of 2026.

France: Forest area, sq. km: Pour cet indicateur, FAO fournit des données pour la France de 1990 à 2023. La valeur moyenne pour France pendant cette période était de 159887.9 sq. km avec un minimum de 144360 sq. km en 1990 et un maximum de 175032 sq. km en 2023.

France FR: Surface Area data was reported at 549,087.000 sq km in 2017. This stayed constant from the previous number of 549,087.000 sq km for 2016. France FR: Surface Area data is updated yearly, averaging 549,086.000 sq km from Dec 1961 (Median) to 2017, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 549,387.000 sq km in 2003 and a record low of 549,086.000 sq km in 1999. France FR: Surface Area data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s France – Table FR.World Bank.WDI: Land Use, Protected Areas and National Wealth. Surface area is a country's total area, including areas under inland bodies of water and some coastal waterways.; ; Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site.; Sum;

Russia is the largest country in Europe, and also the largest in the world, its total size amounting to 17 million square kilometers (km2). It should be noted, however, that over three quarters of Russia is located in Asia, and the Ural mountains are often viewed as the meeting point of the two continents in Russia; nonetheless, European Russia is still significantly larger than any other European country. Ukraine, the second largest country on the continent, is only 603,000 km2, making it about 28 times smaller than its eastern neighbor, or seven times smaller than the European part of Russia. France is the third largest country in Europe, but the largest in the European Union. The Vatican City, often referred to as the Holy Sea, is both the smallest country in Europe and in the world, at just one km2. Population Russia is also the most populous country in Europe. It has around 144 million inhabitants across the country; in this case, around three quarters of the population live in the European part, which still gives it the largest population in Europe. Despite having the largest population, Russia is a very sparsely populated country due to its size and the harsh winters. Germany is the second most populous country in Europe, with 83 million inhabitants, while the Vatican has the smallest population. Worldwide, India and China are the most populous countries, with approximately 1.4 billion inhabitants each. Cities Moscow in Russia is ranked as the most populous city in Europe with around 13 million inhabitants, although figures vary, due to differences in the methodologies used by countries and sources. Some statistics include Istanbul in Turkey* as the largest city in Europe with its 15 million inhabitants, bit it has been excluded here as most of the country and parts of the city is located in Asia. Worldwide, Tokyo is the most populous city, with Jakarta the second largest and Delhi the third.

Forest area (sq. km) in France was reported at 175032 sq. Km in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. France - Forest area (sq. km) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on March of 2026.

The population density in France was 124.3 people per square kilometer in 2022. This number has been slowly increasing for the past ten years. Higher population density is associated with urbanization, but not necessarily economic growth. Comparative densities France’s population density is higher than the European average. It is higher than any region except Asia, as well as the total world population density. This is likely due to the number of large cities in France. The country has one of the largest urban populations in the world. This shapes the French economic and social landscapes; the cities become more expensive, but they also bring more economic opportunities. These opportunities attract people both from the French countryside and other countries who hope to benefit from such jobs. A tale of two countries For those who can afford it, Paris can be a cosmopolitan paradise. However, with the average price of a rental apartment twice that of most other French cities, few can afford to live in the richest parts of the city. This stark difference in costs implies that average annual wages should have a similar difference between cities. While this is not a perfectly even cause and effect, it gives some explanation for the increasing population density of France.

FR: Rural Land Area Where Elevation is Below 5 Meters data was reported at 5,705.210 sq km in 2010. This stayed constant from the previous number of 5,705.210 sq km for 2000. FR: Rural Land Area Where Elevation is Below 5 Meters data is updated yearly, averaging 5,705.210 sq km from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2010, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 5,705.210 sq km in 2010 and a record low of 5,705.210 sq km in 2010. FR: Rural Land Area Where Elevation is Below 5 Meters data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s France – Table FR.World Bank.WDI: Land Use, Protected Areas and National Wealth. Rural land area below 5m is the total rural land area in square kilometers where the elevation is 5 meters or less.; ; Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN)/Columbia University. 2013. Urban-Rural Population and Land Area Estimates Version 2. Palisades, NY: NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC). http://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/data/set/lecz-urban-rural-population-land-area-estimates-v2.; Sum;

Historical data for Population density in France from 2020 to 2026

This bar chart presents the estimated population density in the Ile-de-France region (Paris area), in France, in 2025, by district. It appears that the city of Paris counted approximately 19,509 inhabitants per square kilometer, making it the most densely populated department in the region.

France FR: Urban Land Area data was reported at 86,463.063 sq km in 2010. This stayed constant from the previous number of 86,463.063 sq km for 2000. France FR: Urban Land Area data is updated yearly, averaging 86,463.063 sq km from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2010, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 86,463.063 sq km in 2010 and a record low of 86,463.063 sq km in 2010. France FR: Urban Land Area data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s France – Table FR.World Bank: Land Use, Protected Areas and National Wealth. Urban land area in square kilometers, based on a combination of population counts (persons), settlement points, and the presence of Nighttime Lights. Areas are defined as urban where contiguous lighted cells from the Nighttime Lights or approximated urban extents based on buffered settlement points for which the total population is greater than 5,000 persons.; ; Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN)/Columbia University. 2013. Urban-Rural Population and Land Area Estimates Version 2. Palisades, NY: NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC). http://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/data/set/lecz-urban-rural-population-land-area-estimates-v2.; Sum;

In 2026, the Ile-de-France region, sometimes called the Paris region, was the most populous in France. It is located in the northern part of France, divided into eight departments and crossed by the Seine River. The region contains Paris, its large suburbs, and several rural areas. The total population in metropolitan France was estimated at around ** million inhabitants. In the DOM (Overseas Department), France had more than *** million citizens spread over the islands of Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion, Mayotte, and the South American territory of French Guiana. Ile-de-France: the most populous region in France According to the source, more than **** million people lived in the Ile-de-France region. Ile-de-France was followed by Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and the Occitanie region, which is in the Southern part of the country. Ile-de-France is not only the most populated region in France, but it is also the French region with the highest population density. In 2020, there were ******* residents per square kilometer in Ile-de-France compared to ***** for Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, the second most populated region in France. More than two million people were living in the city of Paris in 2025. Thus, the metropolitan area outside the city of Paris, called the suburbs or banlieue in French, had more than ten million inhabitants. Ile-de-France concentrates the majority of the country’s economic and political activities. An urban population In 2025, the total population of France amounted to almost ** million. The population in the country has increased since the mid-2000s. As well as the other European countries, France is experiencing urbanization. In 2023, more than ** percent of the French population lived in cities. This phenomenon shapes France’s geography.