France vs United Kingdom: population pyramids in 1996
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 1996, France has a population of 58.3 million and the United Kingdom 58.2 million; the two are about the same size.
The share aged 65 and over is 15.2% in France and 16.0% in the United Kingdom, 0.8 points higher in the United Kingdom. The median age is 36.3 years in France and 36.7 years in the United Kingdom.
The total fertility rate is 1.74 in France and 1.72 in the United Kingdom, both below the replacement level of about 2.1. Life expectancy at birth is 78.1 years in France and 76.9 years in the United Kingdom.
By 2050, the population of France is projected to grow by 16.9% and that of the United Kingdom to grow by 29.5% compared with 1996.
GDP per person is $49K in France (2025) and $58K in the United Kingdom (2025).
Key figures (1996)
| France | United Kingdom | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 58.3 million | 58.2 million |
| Aged 0–14 | 19.4% | 19.4% |
| Aged 15–64 | 65.4% | 64.6% |
| Aged 65+ | 15.2% | 16.0% |
| Median age | 36.3 yrs | 36.7 yrs |
| Old-age dependency | 23.3 | 24.8 |
| Total fertility rate | 1.74 | 1.72 |
| Life expectancy | 78.1 yrs | 76.9 yrs |
| Population growth | +0.32% | +0.25% |
| Net migration (per year) | -21,463 | +54,964 |
| 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.