Number of people living in urban and rural areas in France
France: Number of people living in urban and rural areas was 52.55 million people in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
52.55 million people
Change on year
up 0.2%
World rank
17th
of 236 countries
All-time high
52.55 million people
in 2025
All-time low
22.91 million people
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Number of people living in urban and rural areas in France, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2025, number of people living in urban and rural areas in France stood at 52.55 million people. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 4.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas in France peaked at 52.55 million people in 2025 and was at its lowest, 22.91 million people, in 1950.
That places France 17th out of 236 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas in France, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 22.91 million people | — |
| 1951 | 23.44 million people | +2.3% |
| 1952 | 23.98 million people | +2.3% |
| 1953 | 24.53 million people | +2.3% |
| 1954 | 25.07 million people | +2.2% |
| 1955 | 25.61 million people | +2.2% |
| 1956 | 26.17 million people | +2.2% |
| 1957 | 26.75 million people | +2.2% |
| 1958 | 27.35 million people | +2.3% |
| 1959 | 27.98 million people | +2.3% |
| 1960 | 28.64 million people | +2.3% |
| 1961 | 29.32 million people | +2.4% |
| 1962 | 30.05 million people | +2.5% |
| 1963 | 30.88 million people | +2.8% |
| 1964 | 31.82 million people | +3.1% |
| 1965 | 32.77 million people | +3.0% |
| 1966 | 33.65 million people | +2.7% |
| 1967 | 34.43 million people | +2.3% |
| 1968 | 35.05 million people | +1.8% |
| 1969 | 35.64 million people | +1.7% |
| 1970 | 36.26 million people | +1.7% |
| 1971 | 36.87 million people | +1.7% |
| 1972 | 37.42 million people | +1.5% |
| 1973 | 37.90 million people | +1.3% |
| 1974 | 38.27 million people | +1.0% |
| 1975 | 38.51 million people | +0.6% |
| 1976 | 38.70 million people | +0.5% |
| 1977 | 38.91 million people | +0.5% |
| 1978 | 39.10 million people | +0.5% |
| 1979 | 39.29 million people | +0.5% |
| 1980 | 39.51 million people | +0.6% |
| 1981 | 39.77 million people | +0.6% |
| 1982 | 40.04 million people | +0.7% |
| 1983 | 40.30 million people | +0.7% |
| 1984 | 40.55 million people | +0.6% |
| 1985 | 40.80 million people | +0.6% |
| 1986 | 41.06 million people | +0.6% |
| 1987 | 41.33 million people | +0.7% |
| 1988 | 41.61 million people | +0.7% |
| 1989 | 41.91 million people | +0.7% |
| 1990 | 42.21 million people | +0.7% |
| 1991 | 42.51 million people | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 42.82 million people | +0.7% |
| 1993 | 43.13 million people | +0.7% |
| 1994 | 43.41 million people | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 43.70 million people | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 44.00 million people | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 44.29 million people | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 44.61 million people | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 45.00 million people | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 45.51 million people | +1.1% |
| 2001 | 46.07 million people | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 46.61 million people | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 47.06 million people | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 47.40 million people | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 47.72 million people | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 47.99 million people | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 48.23 million people | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 48.44 million people | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 48.66 million people | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 48.89 million people | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 49.15 million people | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 49.43 million people | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 49.74 million people | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 50.04 million people | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 50.48 million people | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 51.16 million people | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 51.34 million people | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 51.55 million people | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 51.72 million people | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 51.88 million people | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 52.03 million people | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 52.20 million people | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 52.34 million people | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 52.44 million people | +0.2% |
| 2025 | 52.55 million people | +0.2% |
France compared with similar countries
- France's 52.55 million people is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.22 million people, 23.6× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- France's 52.55 million people is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 3.89 million people, 13.5× the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 25.38 million people | 22.91 million people | 27.98 million people | 10 |
| 1960s | 32.23 million people | 28.64 million people | 35.64 million people | 10 |
| 1970s | 38.12 million people | 36.26 million people | 39.29 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 40.69 million people | 39.51 million people | 41.91 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 43.57 million people | 42.21 million people | 45.00 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 47.37 million people | 45.51 million people | 48.66 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 50.35 million people | 48.89 million people | 51.72 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 52.24 million people | 51.88 million people | 52.55 million people | 6 |
Countries ranked near France
- 14 Philippines 65.14 million people compare
- 15 Bangladesh 58.40 million people compare
- 16 United Kingdom 57.95 million people compare
- 18 Democratic Republic of Congo 50.90 million people compare
- 19 Egypt 50.78 million people compare
- 20 Thailand 44.98 million people compare
More population data for France
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.1885 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.028 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -3.58 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.028 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.0% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 3.16 million people (2100)
- Population density 125.07 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.0% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate 0.1075 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.1504 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people living in urban and rural areas in France?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas in France was 52.55 million people in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of people living in urban and rural areas recorded in France?
- The highest recorded value was 52.55 million people in 2025.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas recorded in France?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.91 million people in 1950.
- How does France rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas?
- France ranks 17th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in France?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this France data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of people living in urban and rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of people living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.