Population and Demographics

With an estimated population of 61 million people, France is the 23rd most populous country in the world. Population growth is largely accomplished through natural growth, and to a lesser extent, immigration. In 2003, France's natural population growth (excluding immigration) was responsible for almost all natural population growth in the European Union. In 2004, population growth was 0.68% and then in 2005 birth and fertility rates continued to increase. The natural increase of births over deaths rose to 270,100. The lifetime fertility rate rose to 1.94 in 2005, from 1.92 in 2004. Net immigration fell slightly in 2005 to 97,500. Despite this, France is an ethnically diverse nation. According to the French National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies, it has an estimated 4.9 million foreign-born immigrants, of which 2 million have acquired French citizenship. France is the leading asylum destination in Western Europe with an estimated 50,000 applications in 2005 (a 15% decrease from 2004).

A perennial political issue concerns rural depopulation. Over the period 1960-1999 fifteen rural départements experienced a decline in population. In the most extreme case, the population of Creuse fell by 24%. France's largest cities are Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Nice, Toulouse and Nantes.

Language

According to Article 2 of the Constitution, French is the sole official language of France since 1992. This makes France unique among the Western European nations (excluding microstates) as the only country with just one officially recognised language. However, 77 regional languages are also spoken, in metropolitan area as well in the overseas departments and territories. Up until recently the French government and state school system discouraged the use of any of these languages, however, they are now taught at some schools. Other languages, such as Portuguese, Italian, Maghreb Arabic and several Berber languages are spoken by immigrants.

Religion

A variety of religions are practised in France, as freedom of religion is a constitutional right. The concept of laïcité exists in France and because of this the French government is legally prohibited from recognising any religion (except for legacy statutes like those of military chaplains and Alsace-Moselle). Instead, it merely recognises religious organisations, according to formal legal criteria that do not address religious doctrine. Conversely, religious organisations should refrain from intervening in policy-making.

Facts and Figures

• Population:
  • Metropolitan France: 60,876,136
  • Total: 62,752,136
• Age Structure:
  • 0-14 years: 18.3% (male 5,704,152/female 5,427,213)
  • 15-64 years: 65.3% (male 19,886,228/female 19,860,506)
  • 65 years and over: 16.4% (male 4,103,883/female 5,894,154)
• Median Age:
  • Total: 39.1 years
  • Male: 37.6 years
  • Female: 40.7 years
• Population Growth Rate: 0.35%
• Birth Rate: 11.99 births/1,000 population
• Death Rate: 9.14 deaths/1,000 population
• Net Migration Rate: 0.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population
• Sex Ratio:
  • At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  • Under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  • 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  • 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  • Total population: 0.95 male(s)/female
• Infant Mortality Rate:
  • Total: 4.21 deaths/1,000 live births
  • Male: 4.71 deaths/1,000 live births
  • Female: 3.69 deaths/1,000 live births
• Life Expectancy at Birth:
  • Total population: 79.73 years
  • Male: 76.1 years
  • Female: 83.54 years
• Total Fertility Rate: 1.84 children born/woman
• HIV/AIDS:
  • Adult prevalence rate: 0.4%
  • People living with HIV/AIDS: 120,000
• Ethnic Groups:
  • Celtic and Latin with Teutonic
  • Slavic
  • North African
  • Indochinese
  • Basque minorities
  • Overseas departments
    • Black
    • White
    • Mulatto
    • East Indian
    • Chinese
    • Amerindian
• Religions:
  • Roman Catholic 83%-88%
  • Protestant 2%
  • Jewish 1%
  • Muslim 5%-10%
  • Unaffiliated 4%
  • Overseas departments:
    • Roman Catholic
    • Protestant
    • Hindu
    • Muslim
    • Buddhist
    • Pagan
• Languages:
• French 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and languages (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish)
• Overseas departments: French, Creole patois
• Literacy:
  • Total population: 99%
  • Male: 99%
  • Female: 99%