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French Are Fecund – 65 Million Strong!

  • January 19th, 2011
  • Posted by EUEditor

family-bertaud.jpgThe population of metropolitan France has gone past 65-million for the first time as a result of a baby boom, the country recording a jump in overall fertility.

baby-france.jpegThe new tally is exactly 65 027 000 inhabitants, 358 000 more than the year before.

The statistics agency Insee which produced the figures said the new rate of growth in population was   “lively and more regular than other European countries.”

Not only were more babies arriving, but life expectancy had also gone up (women living beyond 84 years, men 78).

That expansion of population is home grown not directly attributable to immigration.

family-bertaud-2.jpgThe birth of more than 800 000 children in 2010 is being acclaimed as making France the “baby champion” of Europe, even though the population, like that of the neighbours, notably Germany, has continued to age –  French people over 65 making up nearly 17% of the population.

The new birth rate is being  attributed in part to the global economic crisis in 2008, with couples delaying an investment in a new child; French women have been delaying the event in their lives, on average  giving birth for the first time at 30 and having 2.1 children each.

Germany remains the largest EU country with 81.8-million people (14th in the world); France is second in the EU with its 65.027- million (65.8-million if the overseas territories are counted), and 21st in the world.

Other EU leaders: The United Kingdom (61.79-million, 3rd in EU, number 22 in the world); Italy (60.49-million,  4th, #24); Spain (46.12-million, 5/27), and Poland (38-million, 6/34). The 27 member states of the European Union have altogether  500-million inhabitants.

Reference

Le Monde, Paris, “En 2010, la France comptait plus de 65 millions d’habitants” , (More than 65 million in France last year), 18.1.11. www.lemonde.fr, (18.1.11).

RFI International (English), Paris, “France is ‘baby champion’ of Europe”, 18.1.11. http://www.english.rfi.fr/france/20110118-france-outperforms-neighbours-having-babies, (18.1.1).

Wikipedia, SF, “List of countries by population”.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population, (19.1.11).

Picture   usf.edu