Overview

• In 2024, France recorded 663,000 births, a 2.2% drop from 2023 and the lowest figure since the end of World War II.
• The total fertility rate fell to 1.62 children per woman, the lowest level in France since World War I, though still above the EU average of 1.4.
• The natural population growth rate dropped to just 17,000, the lowest since 1945, due to declining births and rising mortality as baby boomers age.
• Experts cite economic challenges, housing shortages, and insufficient childcare options as key factors discouraging young families from having children.
• Proposals to reverse the trend include increased investment in childcare, financial support for first-time parents, and policies to better balance work and family life.