Share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in France
France: Share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents was 16.0% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in France, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in France is 16.0%, measured in 2020.
That represents a change of down 0.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in France peaked at 16.1% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 12.8%, in 1950.
That places France 91st out of 180 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in France, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 12.8% | — |
| 1955 | 13.2% | +3.2% |
| 1960 | 13.7% | +3.4% |
| 1965 | 13.7% | +0.3% |
| 1970 | 13.9% | +1.2% |
| 1975 | 14.1% | +1.5% |
| 1980 | 13.9% | -1.3% |
| 1985 | 13.9% | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 14.1% | +1.4% |
| 1995 | 14.1% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 15.8% | +11.9% |
| 2005 | 16.0% | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 16.0% | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 16.1% | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 16.0% | -0.6% |
France compared with similar countries
- France's 16.0% is above the median for high income countries, which is 15.3%, 1.0× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- France's 16.0% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 11.6%, 1.4× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 13.0% | 12.8% | 13.2% | 2 |
| 1960s | 13.7% | 13.7% | 13.7% | 2 |
| 1970s | 14.0% | 13.9% | 14.1% | 2 |
| 1980s | 13.9% | 13.9% | 13.9% | 2 |
| 1990s | 14.1% | 14.1% | 14.1% | 2 |
| 2000s | 15.9% | 15.8% | 16.0% | 2 |
| 2010s | 16.0% | 16.0% | 16.1% | 2 |
| 2020s | 16.0% | 16.0% | 16.0% | 1 |
Countries ranked near France
More reference data data for France
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 5.48 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 2.93 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 22.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.81 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 22.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 18.36 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 11.75 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 14.49 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 106.68 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 15.3 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in France?
- Share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in France was 16.0% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents recorded in France?
- The highest recorded value was 16.1% in 2015.
- What is the lowest share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents recorded in France?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.8% in 1950.
- How does France rank for share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents?
- France ranks 91st out of 180 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents rising or falling in France?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this France data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of the total population living in cities with 1 million or more people. City boundaries are defined using a consistent global approach based on satellite imagery and population data.