Population of France and Religion Percentage
France, officially the French Republic is a country located in Western Europe. It’s Europe’s fourth most populous country and 3rd Largest by Area. According to French Census Studies, As of 1 January 2021, 65,250,000 people lived in Metropolitan France, while 2,785,000 lived in overseas France, for a total of 68,035,000 inhabitants in the French Republic.
The estimated population of France in 2024 is 68.5 million.
France Demography
| France | 2021 Census |
| Total Population | 65,250,000 |
| Europe Rank | 4th |
| Land Area | 247,270 sq. mi (640,427 sq. km) |
| Area Rank | 3rd |
| Pop. Density | 264 people/sq mi (102 per sq.mi ) |
| Fertility Rate | 1.9 |
| Median Age | 42.3 years |
| Life Expectancy | 83.13 years |
| Urban Population | 81.50% |
| Capital City | Paris |
Source: The National Institute of Statistics & Economic Studies, France
Religion in France
France is a secular country and Christianity is the majority religion. Among Christians Roman Catholics has the most adherents followed by a small percentage of Protestants and Easter Orthodoxy.
According to 2019 estimates, 47% of the total population of France was Christian, 40% had no religion (atheism or agnosticism), 5% were Muslims, 5% were followers of other faiths, and the remaining 1% were undecided about their faith. Other minor religions include Buddhism, Judaism, Hinduism, and Sikhism.
Religion in France
| Religion/Affiliations | Percentage |
| Catholicism | 41% |
| Protestantism | 2% |
| Eastern Orthodoxy | 2% |
| Other Christians | 2% |
| No religion | 40% |
| Other religions | 5% |
| Islam | 5% |
| Buddhism | 1% |
| Judaism | 1% |
| Undeclared | 1% |
Source: Eurobarometer 2019
France Historical Population
France’s Population rose from 3.8 million in 1901 to 5 million in the 1970s. Since the 1970s population growth is steady & reach 6.5 million in 2022. Between the years 2010–17, the population of France grew from 64,613,000 to 66,991,000 (i.e. about 2.4 million people in a span of 7 years), making France one of the fastest-growing countries in Europe.
France was historically Europe’s most populous country. With a total fertility rate of 1.83 in 2020, it remains the most fertile country in the European Union. In 2018, 31.9% of newborns in France had at least one foreign-born parent and 27.7% had at least one parent born outside of Europe. Let’s Look at the French Population from the Year 1800 to 2022.
| Year | Population | Percentage Change |
| 1806 | 29,107,000 | — |
| 1821 | 30,462,000 | 4.66% |
| 1831 | 32,569,000 | 6.92% |
| 1841 | 34,230,000 | 5.10% |
| 1851 | 35,783,000 | 4.54% |
| 1872 | 36,103,000 | 0.89% |
| 1881 | 37,672,000 | 4.35% |
| 1891 | 38,343,000 | 1.78% |
| 1901 | 38,962,000 | 1.61% |
| 1911 | 39,605,000 | 1.65% |
| 1921 | 39,108,000 | -1.25% |
| 1931 | 41,524,000 | 6.18% |
| 1946 | 40,125,230 | -3.37% |
| 1950 | 41,647,258 | 3.79% |
| 1960 | 45,464,797 | 9.17% |
| 1970 | 50,528,219 | 11.14% |
The Population from 1975 to 2020
| Year | Population | Absolute Change | Percentage Change |
| 1975 | 52,600,000 | – | – |
| 1980 | 53,731,000 | 1,131,000 | 2.15% |
| 1985 | 55,157,000 | 1,426,000 | 2.65% |
| 1990 | 56,577,000 | 1,420,000 | 2.57% |
| 1995 | 57,753,000 | 1,176,000 | 2.08% |
| 2000 | 58,858,000 | 1,105,000 | 1.91% |
| 2005 | 60,963,000 | 2,105,000 | 3.58% |
| 2010 | 62,765,000 | 1,802,000 | 2.96% |
| 2015 | 64,301,000 | 1,536,000 | 2.45% |
| 2020 | 65,124,000 | 823,000 | 1.28% |
Source: The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies, France
Top Cities in France by Population
| # | City | Population |
| 1 | Paris | 21,90,327 |
| 2 | Marseille | 8,62,211 |
| 3 | Lyon | 5,15,695 |
| 4 | Toulouse | 4,75,438 |
| 5 | Nice | 3,42,637 |
| 6 | Nantes | 3,06,694 |
| 7 | Montpellier | 2,81,613 |
| 8 | Strasbourg | 2,79,284 |
| 9 | Bordeaux | 2,52,040 |
| 10 | Lille | 2,32,440 |
| 11 | Rennes | 2,16,268 |
| 12 | Reims | 1,83,113 |
| 13 | Saint-Étienne | 1,71,924 |
| 14 | Le Havre | 1,70,352 |
| 15 | Toulon | 1,69,634 |
| 16 | Grenoble | 1,58,180 |
| 17 | Dijon | 1,55,090 |
| 18 | Angers | 1,51,229 |
| 19 | Nîmes | 1,51,001 |
| 20 | Villeurbanne | 1,49,019 |
Source: 2016 Census
French Diaspora
People of French ancestry form an important group in several countries in North and South America. American countries with significant numbers of people with French ancestry include Canada and the United States, whose territories were partly colonized by France between the 17th and 19th centuries, as well as Argentina and Uruguay.
As per the US Census 2020, French ancestry is estimated at 9.4 million people. It also forms an important Group in Canada (4.6 million), Argentina (6 million), Brazil (2 million), Uruguay (300,000), and Chile (500,000)
read more about French Ancestry in America
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