Rural population growth (annual %) in France
France: Rural population growth (annual %) was 0.0% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Rural population growth in France, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
France recorded 0.0% for rural population growth in 2025.
The figure is down 80.4% on the previous year and up 102.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population growth in France peaked at 1.1% in 2006 and was at its lowest, -3.6%, in 2016.
France ranks 113th of 210 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Rural population growth (annual %) in France, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | -1.2% | — |
| 1962 | -1.5% | +23.9% |
| 1963 | -2.1% | +39.3% |
| 1964 | -2.6% | +26.0% |
| 1965 | -3.0% | +13.8% |
| 1966 | -3.0% | -0.5% |
| 1967 | -2.5% | -16.1% |
| 1968 | -1.7% | -33.8% |
| 1969 | -1.2% | -26.4% |
| 1970 | -1.1% | -12.1% |
| 1971 | -0.9% | -18.5% |
| 1972 | -0.7% | -20.1% |
| 1973 | -0.5% | -35.3% |
| 1974 | -0.2% | -54.6% |
| 1975 | 0.0% | -121.0% |
| 1976 | 0.2% | +300.6% |
| 1977 | 0.3% | +59.1% |
| 1978 | 0.3% | +9.9% |
| 1979 | 0.3% | +4.1% |
| 1980 | 0.4% | +25.4% |
| 1981 | 0.4% | +7.6% |
| 1982 | 0.1% | -65.6% |
| 1983 | 0.3% | +100.1% |
| 1984 | 0.2% | -22.2% |
| 1985 | 0.2% | -4.4% |
| 1986 | 0.2% | -7.0% |
| 1987 | 0.2% | +0.1% |
| 1988 | 0.2% | -1.0% |
| 1989 | 0.2% | -11.9% |
| 1990 | 0.1% | -61.8% |
| 1991 | -0.1% | -228.6% |
| 1992 | -0.2% | +158.1% |
| 1993 | -0.4% | +77.2% |
| 1994 | -0.5% | +38.4% |
| 1995 | -0.6% | +15.3% |
| 1996 | -0.7% | +9.7% |
| 1997 | -0.7% | +5.2% |
| 1998 | -0.7% | +0.1% |
| 1999 | -0.6% | -12.6% |
| 2000 | -0.8% | +21.9% |
| 2001 | -1.0% | +23.4% |
| 2002 | -0.8% | -17.9% |
| 2003 | -0.2% | -69.1% |
| 2004 | 0.6% | -363.3% |
| 2005 | 1.0% | +54.8% |
| 2006 | 1.1% | +10.3% |
| 2007 | 1.1% | -2.7% |
| 2008 | 1.0% | -10.5% |
| 2009 | 0.8% | -20.4% |
| 2010 | 0.5% | -32.4% |
| 2011 | 0.4% | -24.4% |
| 2012 | 0.3% | -30.0% |
| 2013 | 0.2% | -34.1% |
| 2014 | -0.0% | -101.4% |
| 2015 | -1.5% | +59378.3% |
| 2016 | -3.6% | +144.4% |
| 2017 | 0.1% | -102.0% |
| 2018 | 0.2% | +242.4% |
| 2019 | 0.2% | +2.8% |
| 2020 | 0.2% | -13.0% |
| 2021 | 0.2% | +11.1% |
| 2022 | 0.4% | +63.7% |
| 2023 | 0.2% | -55.7% |
| 2024 | 0.2% | -3.0% |
| 2025 | 0.0% | -80.4% |
France compared with similar countries
- France's 0.0% is above the median for high income countries, which is -0.3%. (77 countries reporting)
- France's 0.0% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is -0.4%. (55 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Rural population growth (annual %) in France changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | -59378.3% | -0.0% | -1.5% |
| 2004 | +363.3% | -0.2% | 0.6% |
| 1976 | +300.6% | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| 2018 | +242.4% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| 1991 | -228.6% | 0.1% | -0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -2.1% | -3.0% | -1.2% | 9 |
| 1970s | -0.2% | -1.1% | 0.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.5% | -0.7% | 0.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.3% | -1.0% | 1.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | -0.3% | -3.6% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near France
More agriculture & rural data for France
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 14.99 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.014 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 687.36 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.033 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.2115 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 1.4% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 1.4% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.0% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.1% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population growth in France?
- Rural population growth in France was 0.0% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population growth recorded in France?
- The highest recorded value was 1.1% in 2006.
- What is the lowest rural population growth recorded in France?
- The lowest recorded value was -3.6% in 2016.
- How does France rank for rural population growth?
- France ranks 113th out of 210 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population growth rising or falling in France?
- Over the last ten years it is up 102.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this France data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Rural population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Annual rural population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear rural population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population.