On January 1, 2020, France had 67.16 million inhabitants (excluding Mayotte).

However, the growth of the French population is attenuated in almost all regions due to a lower natural balance (number of deaths subtracted from the number of births).

The French population grew by an average of 0.3% each year between 2014 and 2020, against 0.5% between 2009 and 2014, according to figures for 2020 published Thursday by INSEE.

This slowdown is due to a lower contribution from the natural balance in all regions, except in Guyana, explained the National Institute of Statistics.

In general, all regions saw their demographic growth weaken between 2014 and 2020, with the exception of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur where the pace remained identical to that of previous years (+ 0.4% ).

Guyana, Corsica and Occitanie are the regions where the population is increasing the most

Despite the slowdown, the regions which saw their population increase the most are Guyana (+ 2.1%), Corsica (+ 1%) and Occitanie (+ 0.7%).

Conversely, it is in Martinique and Guadeloupe that it fell the most (- 1% and - 0.7% respectively).

In Martinique, "many departures, mainly to metropolitan France, largely concern young people who are pursuing studies or looking for a job", and these departures are not compensated by the natural surplus, a phenomenon that is found in Guadeloupe, explains INSEE.

In Ile-de-France, the population increased slightly (+0.3%), an evolution which results from a high natural balance and a negative migratory balance.

Decline in the population in Paris, but not in the inner suburbs

In detail, the population fell between 2014 and 2020 in 21 departments, located mainly in the Northeast, the Center and the Massif Central.

Nièvre, Meuse and Haute-Marne in particular experienced sharp declines.

Paris is also one of the departments concerned with a decline of 0.6% on average each year.

On the other hand, the population increased in departments around Paris such as Seine-Saint-Denis or along the Atlantic coast, such as in Gironde and Loire-Atlantique as well as in the South, such as in Hérault and Corsica. .

Towns generally continue to attract inhabitants.

The population has increased twice as fast in urban areas as in rural areas (+0.4% per year on average, against +0.2%).

Company

Bordeaux: With now nearly 820,000 inhabitants, the metropolis is attracting more and more people

Paris

Paris: Three out of ten young workers live with their parents

  • Company

  • Demography

  • Population

  • Census

  • Insee

  • Paca

  • Occitania

  • Ile-de-France

  • Guyana

  • Gironde

  • Aquitaine