France - Urban population

The value for Urban population in France was 54,560,880 as of 2020. As the graph below shows, over the past 60 years this indicator reached a maximum value of 54,560,880 in 2020 and a minimum value of 28,849,500 in 1960.

Definition: Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated using World Bank population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects. Aggregation of urban and rural population may not add up to total population because of different country coverages.

Source: World Bank staff estimates based on the United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects: 2018 Revision.

See also:

Year Value
1960 28,849,500
1961 29,575,880
1962 30,414,330
1963 31,433,930
1964 32,441,970
1965 33,413,440
1966 34,337,820
1967 35,216,560
1968 35,944,650
1969 36,427,400
1970 36,918,580
1971 37,424,020
1972 37,937,160
1973 38,445,790
1974 38,934,760
1975 39,330,000
1976 39,579,000
1977 39,798,460
1978 40,001,630
1979 40,205,360
1980 40,423,460
1981 40,659,220
1982 40,911,630
1983 41,177,480
1984 41,450,440
1985 41,726,190
1986 42,005,650
1987 42,289,350
1988 42,572,020
1989 42,846,780
1990 43,127,040
1991 43,467,990
1992 43,785,890
1993 44,077,090
1994 44,342,930
1995 44,604,030
1996 44,863,820
1997 45,123,540
1998 45,390,690
1999 45,743,980
2000 46,214,920
2001 46,709,570
2002 47,206,860
2003 47,699,500
2004 48,209,410
2005 48,730,240
2006 49,228,310
2007 49,690,040
2008 50,127,510
2009 50,547,200
2010 50,961,400
2011 51,373,810
2012 51,791,150
2013 52,228,060
2014 52,647,800
2015 53,009,020
2016 53,323,900
2017 53,654,870
2018 53,979,480
2019 54,275,940
2020 54,560,880

Development Relevance: Explosive growth of cities globally signifies the demographic transition from rural to urban, and is associated with shifts from an agriculture-based economy to mass industry, technology, and service. In principle, cities offer a more favorable setting for the resolution of social and environmental problems than rural areas. Cities generate jobs and income, and deliver education, health care and other services. Cities also present opportunities for social mobilization and women's empowerment.

Limitations and Exceptions: Aggregation of urban and rural population may not add up to total population because of different country coverage. There is no consistent and universally accepted standard for distinguishing urban from rural areas, in part because of the wide variety of situations across countries. Most countries use an urban classification related to the size or characteristics of settlements. Some define urban areas based on the presence of certain infrastructure and services. And other countries designate urban areas based on administrative arrangements. Because of national differences in the characteristics that distinguish urban from rural areas, the distinction between urban and rural population is not amenable to a single definition that would be applicable to all countries. Estimates of the world's urban population would change significantly if China, India, and a few other populous nations were to change their definition of urban centers. Because the estimates of city and metropolitan area are based on national definitions of what constitutes a city or metropolitan area, cross-country comparisons should be made with caution.

Statistical Concept and Methodology: Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. The indicator is calculated using World Bank population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects. To estimate urban populations, UN ratios of urban to total population were applied to the World Bank's estimates of total population. Countries differ in the way they classify population as "urban" or "rural." The population of a city or metropolitan area depends on the boundaries chosen.

Aggregation method: Sum

Periodicity: Annual

Classification

Topic: Environment Indicators

Sub-Topic: Density & urbanization