France vs United Kingdom: population pyramids in 1972
FranceUnited Kingdom
Each bar is the share of the total population at that single year of age (men left, women right), so countries of different sizes can be compared.
France and United Kingdom compared
In 1972, France has a population of 51.5 million and the United Kingdom 56 million; the United Kingdom is about 1.1 times the size of France.
The share aged 65 and over is 13.0% in France and 13.4% in the United Kingdom, almost the same. The median age is 32.2 years in France and 34.1 years in the United Kingdom.
The total fertility rate is 2.43 in France and 2.18 in the United Kingdom, both above the replacement level of about 2.1. Life expectancy at birth is 72.3 years in France and 72.0 years in the United Kingdom.
By 2050, the population of France is projected to grow by 32.2% and that of the United Kingdom to grow by 34.6% compared with 1972.
GDP per person is $49K in France (2025) and $58K in the United Kingdom (2025).
Key figures (1972)
| France | United Kingdom | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 51.5 million | 56 million |
| Aged 0–14 | 24.7% | 24.0% |
| Aged 15–64 | 62.3% | 62.5% |
| Aged 65+ | 13.0% | 13.4% |
| Median age | 32.2 yrs | 34.1 yrs |
| Old-age dependency | 20.9 | 21.4 |
| Total fertility rate | 2.43 | 2.18 |
| Life expectancy | 72.3 yrs | 72.0 yrs |
| Population growth | +0.83% | +0.26% |
| Net migration (per year) | +101,223 | -1,406 |
| GDP | $3.37T (2025) | $4T (2025) |
| GDP per person | $49K (2025) | $58K (2025) |
| Unemployment | 7.5% (2025) | 4.8% (2025) |
Economic figures are the latest year published for each country.