Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square in France
France: Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square was 29.09 units per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising
Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square in France, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square in France is 29.09 units per square kilometre, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 5.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square in France peaked at 29.09 units per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 19.03 units per square kilometre, in 1961.
That places France 34th out of 121 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square in France, year by year
| Year | units per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 19.03 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 19.36 units per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 1963 | 19.59 units per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 1964 | 19.83 units per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 1965 | 20.07 units per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 1966 | 20.31 units per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 1967 | 20.56 units per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 1968 | 20.79 units per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 1969 | 20.98 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 1970 | 21.17 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 1971 | 21.37 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 1972 | 21.56 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 1973 | 21.76 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 1974 | 21.96 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 1975 | 22.14 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 1976 | 22.26 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 1977 | 22.39 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 1978 | 22.52 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 1979 | 22.65 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 1980 | 22.78 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 1981 | 22.91 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 1982 | 23.05 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 1983 | 23.21 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 1984 | 23.36 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 1985 | 23.52 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 1986 | 23.68 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 1987 | 23.84 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 1988 | 24 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 1989 | 24.16 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 1990 | 24.3 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 1991 | 24.39 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 24.49 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 24.58 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 24.67 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 24.77 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 24.86 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 24.96 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 25.05 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 25.17 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 25.35 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 25.52 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 25.7 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 25.87 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 26.05 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 26.23 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 26.41 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 26.6 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 26.78 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 26.96 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 27.14 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 27.28 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 27.42 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 27.56 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 27.7 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 27.85 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 27.99 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 28.14 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 28.29 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 28.43 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 28.59 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 28.75 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 28.91 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 29.09 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 20.06 units per square kilometre | 19.03 units per square kilometre | 20.98 units per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 21.98 units per square kilometre | 21.17 units per square kilometre | 22.65 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 23.45 units per square kilometre | 22.78 units per square kilometre | 24.16 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 24.72 units per square kilometre | 24.3 units per square kilometre | 25.17 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 26.15 units per square kilometre | 25.35 units per square kilometre | 26.96 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 27.78 units per square kilometre | 27.14 units per square kilometre | 28.43 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 28.83 units per square kilometre | 28.59 units per square kilometre | 29.09 units per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near France
- 31 Syrian Arab Republic 33.93 units per square kilometre compare
- 32 Thailand 29.55 units per square kilometre compare
- 33 Azerbaijan 29.43 units per square kilometre compare
- 35 Guatemala 28.88 units per square kilometre compare
- 36 Costa Rica 28.63 units per square kilometre compare
- 37 Ghana 28.25 units per square kilometre compare
More urban development data for France
- Population in the largest city 20.9% (2025)
- Population density 126.86 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 8.23 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 15.87 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per capita 0.2309 units per person (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual 0.6226 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per unit 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population in largest city 11.35 million (2025)
- Crude steelmaking capacity 19.12 Tonnes (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 23 - Ecological 1,345 Hectares (2020)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square in France?
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square in France was 29.09 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square recorded in France?
- The highest recorded value was 29.09 units per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square recorded in France?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.03 units per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does France rank for population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square?
- France ranks 34th out of 121 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square rising or falling in France?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this France data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN)
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.