Rural population, per square kilometre in France
France: Rural population, per square kilometre was 26.92 units per square kilometre in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
26.92 units per square kilometre
Change on year
up 0.2%
World rank
107th
of 215 countries
All-time high
33.3 units per square kilometre
in 1961
All-time low
26.02 units per square kilometre
in 2003
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Rural population, per square kilometre in France, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.
Analysis
The most recent figure for rural population, per square kilometre in France is 26.92 units per square kilometre, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of up 0.2% on the previous year and down 3.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population, per square kilometre in France peaked at 33.3 units per square kilometre in 1961 and was at its lowest, 26.02 units per square kilometre, in 2003.
That places France 107th out of 215 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.
Rural population, per square kilometre in France, year by year
| Year | units per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 33.3 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 32.81 units per square kilometre | -1.5% |
| 1963 | 32.13 units per square kilometre | -2.1% |
| 1964 | 31.29 units per square kilometre | -2.6% |
| 1965 | 30.37 units per square kilometre | -3.0% |
| 1966 | 29.48 units per square kilometre | -2.9% |
| 1967 | 28.75 units per square kilometre | -2.5% |
| 1968 | 28.28 units per square kilometre | -1.6% |
| 1969 | 27.93 units per square kilometre | -1.2% |
| 1970 | 27.64 units per square kilometre | -1.1% |
| 1971 | 27.4 units per square kilometre | -0.9% |
| 1972 | 27.21 units per square kilometre | -0.7% |
| 1973 | 27.08 units per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 1974 | 27.03 units per square kilometre | -0.2% |
| 1975 | 27.04 units per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 27.09 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 1977 | 27.16 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 27.24 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1979 | 27.33 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1980 | 27.44 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 1981 | 27.55 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 1982 | 27.59 units per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1983 | 27.67 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1984 | 27.74 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 1985 | 27.8 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 1986 | 27.85 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 1987 | 27.91 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 1988 | 27.97 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 1989 | 28.01 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 28.03 units per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1991 | 28.01 units per square kilometre | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 27.95 units per square kilometre | -0.2% |
| 1993 | 27.84 units per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 1994 | 27.68 units per square kilometre | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 27.51 units per square kilometre | -0.6% |
| 1996 | 27.32 units per square kilometre | -0.7% |
| 1997 | 27.12 units per square kilometre | -0.7% |
| 1998 | 26.92 units per square kilometre | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 26.75 units per square kilometre | -0.6% |
| 2000 | 26.55 units per square kilometre | -0.8% |
| 2001 | 26.29 units per square kilometre | -1.0% |
| 2002 | 26.09 units per square kilometre | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 26.02 units per square kilometre | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 26.19 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 26.45 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 26.74 units per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 2007 | 27.03 units per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 27.29 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2009 | 27.49 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 27.63 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 27.74 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 27.82 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 27.87 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 27.87 units per square kilometre | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 27.46 units per square kilometre | -1.5% |
| 2016 | 26.49 units per square kilometre | -3.5% |
| 2017 | 26.51 units per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 26.58 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 26.64 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 26.7 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 26.77 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 26.87 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 26.92 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
France compared with similar countries
- France's 26.92 units per square kilometre is above the median for high income countries, which is 18.09 units per square kilometre, 1.5× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- France's 26.92 units per square kilometre is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 25.88 units per square kilometre, 1.0× the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 30.48 units per square kilometre | 27.93 units per square kilometre | 33.3 units per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 27.22 units per square kilometre | 27.03 units per square kilometre | 27.64 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 27.75 units per square kilometre | 27.44 units per square kilometre | 28.01 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 27.51 units per square kilometre | 26.75 units per square kilometre | 28.03 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 26.61 units per square kilometre | 26.02 units per square kilometre | 27.49 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 27.26 units per square kilometre | 26.49 units per square kilometre | 27.87 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 26.82 units per square kilometre | 26.7 units per square kilometre | 26.92 units per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near France
- 104 North Macedonia 27.36 units per square kilometre compare
- 105 Japan 27.04 units per square kilometre compare
- 106 Cameroon 26.93 units per square kilometre compare
- 108 Ecuador 26.69 units per square kilometre compare
- 109 Democratic Republic of Congo 25.96 units per square kilometre compare
- 110 Liberia 25.66 units per square kilometre compare
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, per square kilometre in France?
- Rural population, per square kilometre in France was 26.92 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest rural population, per square kilometre recorded in France?
- The highest recorded value was 33.3 units per square kilometre in 1961.
- What is the lowest rural population, per square kilometre recorded in France?
- The lowest recorded value was 26.02 units per square kilometre in 2003.
- How does France rank for rural population, per square kilometre?
- France ranks 107th out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is rural population, per square kilometre rising or falling in France?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this France data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Rural population, 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
Rural population 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.
Rural population ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Rural population World Urbanization Prospects, 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
Rural population 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.