France - Population

The population of France in 2003 was estimated by the United Nations at 60,144,000, which placed it as number 20 in population among the 193 nations of the world. In that year approximately 16% of the population was over 65 years of age, with another 19% of the population under 15 years of age. There were 95 males for every 100 females in the country in 2003. According to the UN, the annual population growth rate for 2000–2005 is 0.47%, with the projected population for the year 2015 at 62,841,000. The population density in 2002 was 108 per sq km (279 per sq mi). Much of the population is concentrated in the north and southeast areas of the country.

It was estimated by the Population Reference Bureau that 76% of the population lived in urban areas in 2001. The capital city, Paris, had a population of 9,608,000 in that year. The next largest cities include Marseilles, 1,243,000; Lyon, 1,381,000; and Lille, 1,003,000. Other major urban centers include Toulouse, Nice, Strasbourg, Nantes, Bordeaux, Montpellier, Rennes, Saint-Étienne, and Le Havre. According to the United Nations, the urban population growth rate for 2000–2005 was 0.6%.