What is the highest surface area recorded in France?

The highest recorded value was 606,410 sq. km in 2020.

What is the lowest surface area recorded in France?

The lowest recorded value was 549,086 sq. km in 1961.

How does France rank for surface area?

France ranks 45th out of 216 countries with data for 2024.

Is surface area rising or falling in France?

Over the last ten years it is up 10.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.

Surface area (sq. km) in France

Name: Surface area (sq. km) in France
Creator: FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
License: CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)

France: Surface area (sq. km) was 606,410 sq. km in 2024. ▬ Flat

Latest (2024)

606,410 sq. km

Change on year

unchanged

World rank

45th

of 216 countries

All-time high

606,410 sq. km

in 2020

All-time low

549,086 sq. km

in 1961

Years of data

1961–2024

Surface area in France, 1961–2024

Source: FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in sq. km.

Analysis

France recorded 606,410 sq. km for surface area in 2024. That is the highest value across all 64 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 10.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, surface area in France peaked at 606,410 sq. km in 2020 and was at its lowest, 549,086 sq. km, in 1961.

France ranks 45th of 216 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

Surface area (sq. km) in France, year by year

Annual values for Surface area (sq. km) in France, 1961 to 2024.
Year	sq. km	Change
1961	549,086 sq. km	—
1962	549,086 sq. km	+0.0%
1963	549,086 sq. km	+0.0%
1964	549,086 sq. km	+0.0%
1965	549,086 sq. km	+0.0%
1966	549,086 sq. km	+0.0%
1967	549,086 sq. km	+0.0%
1968	549,086 sq. km	+0.0%
1969	549,086 sq. km	+0.0%
1970	549,086 sq. km	+0.0%
1971	549,086 sq. km	+0.0%
1972	549,086 sq. km	+0.0%
1973	549,086 sq. km	+0.0%
1974	549,086 sq. km	+0.0%
1975	549,086 sq. km	+0.0%
1976	549,086 sq. km	+0.0%
1977	549,086 sq. km	+0.0%
1978	549,086 sq. km	+0.0%
1979	549,086 sq. km	+0.0%
1980	549,086 sq. km	+0.0%
1981	549,086 sq. km	+0.0%
1982	549,086 sq. km	+0.0%
1983	549,086 sq. km	+0.0%
1984	549,086 sq. km	+0.0%
1985	549,086 sq. km	+0.0%
1986	549,086 sq. km	+0.0%
1987	549,086 sq. km	+0.0%
1988	549,086 sq. km	+0.0%
1989	549,086 sq. km	+0.0%
1990	549,086 sq. km	+0.0%
1991	549,086 sq. km	+0.0%
1992	549,086 sq. km	+0.0%
1993	549,086 sq. km	+0.0%
1994	549,086 sq. km	+0.0%
1995	549,086 sq. km	+0.0%
1996	549,086 sq. km	+0.0%
1997	549,086 sq. km	+0.0%
1998	549,086 sq. km	+0.0%
1999	549,086 sq. km	+0.0%
2000	549,087 sq. km	+0.0%
2001	549,087 sq. km	+0.0%
2002	549,087 sq. km	+0.0%
2003	549,387 sq. km	+0.1%
2004	549,087 sq. km	-0.1%
2005	549,087 sq. km	+0.0%
2006	549,087 sq. km	+0.0%
2007	549,087 sq. km	+0.0%
2008	549,087 sq. km	+0.0%
2009	549,087 sq. km	+0.0%
2010	549,087 sq. km	+0.0%
2011	549,087 sq. km	+0.0%
2012	549,087 sq. km	+0.0%
2013	549,087 sq. km	+0.0%
2014	549,087 sq. km	+0.0%
2015	549,087 sq. km	+0.0%
2016	549,087 sq. km	+0.0%
2017	549,087 sq. km	+0.0%
2018	549,087 sq. km	+0.0%
2019	549,087 sq. km	+0.0%
2020	606,410 sq. km	+10.4%
2021	606,410 sq. km	+0.0%
2022	606,410 sq. km	+0.0%
2023	606,410 sq. km	+0.0%
2024	606,410 sq. km	+0.0%

France compared with similar countries

France's 606,410 sq. km is above the median for high income countries, which is 30,689 sq. km, 19.8× the median. (85 countries reporting)
France's 606,410 sq. km is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 85,240 sq. km, 7.1× the median. (56 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1960s	549,086 sq. km	549,086 sq. km	549,086 sq. km	9
1970s	549,086 sq. km	549,086 sq. km	549,086 sq. km	10
1980s	549,086 sq. km	549,086 sq. km	549,086 sq. km	10
1990s	549,086 sq. km	549,086 sq. km	549,086 sq. km	10
2000s	549,117 sq. km	549,087 sq. km	549,387 sq. km	10
2010s	549,087 sq. km	549,087 sq. km	549,087 sq. km	10
2020s	606,410 sq. km	606,410 sq. km	606,410 sq. km	5

Countries ranked near France

42 Somalia 637,657 sq. km compare
43 Norway 624,500 sq. km compare
44 Central African Republic 622,980 sq. km compare
46 Ukraine 603,550 sq. km compare
47 Kenya 591,970 sq. km compare
48 Madagascar 591,896 sq. km compare

See the full ranking of 264 places →

More agriculture & rural data for France

Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate 0.9478 % change on previous year (2025)
Cropland extent over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
Cropland extent over the long-term, per capita 0.2973 hectares per person (2025)
Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate -0.2498 % change on previous year (2025)
Agricultural area over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 0.4097 hectares per person (2025)
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)

All data for France →

Frequently asked questions

What is surface area in France?: Surface area in France was 606,410 sq. km in 2024, according to FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
What is the highest surface area recorded in France?: The highest recorded value was 606,410 sq. km in 2020.
What is the lowest surface area recorded in France?: The lowest recorded value was 549,086 sq. km in 1961.
How does France rank for surface area?: France ranks 45th out of 216 countries with data for 2024.
Is surface area rising or falling in France?: Over the last ten years it is up 10.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this France data come from?: The figures come from FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Surface area (sq. km). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Surface area in France. Statizoid, drawing on FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Retrieved 12 November 2026, from https://agriculture.statizoid.com/stat/surface-area-sq-km/france/

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About this data

Indicator: Surface area (sq. km)
Unit: sq. km
Source: FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage: 264 places, 16,669 data points, 1961–2024
Last refreshed: 12 November 2026

Surface area is a country's total area, including areas under inland bodies of water and some coastal waterways.