PARIS: France’s birth rate fell under the symbolically important bar of two children per woman and the country saw its lowest population growth in a decade in 2013, data showed yesterday in a blow to one of its economic strengths.
The population reached 66 million inhabitants on January 1 2014, up by 280,000 residents or 0.4 percent from the previous year. That was its weakest growth rate since 2000, a census by the INSEE statistics office showed.
The total fertility rate (TFR) fell to 1.99 children per woman in 2013 from 2.01 in 2012 and 2.03 in 2010. A rate of 2.1 children per woman is considered necessary to keep the population growing excluding migration.
While France remains the second most fertile nation in the European Union after Ireland, which had a TFR of 2.05 in 2011, the drop suggests that Europe’s number two economy may be losing what has long been seen as a key strength.
Unlike EU economic powerhouse Germany, whose economy is heavily oriented toward exports, the French model has long emphasised domestic consumption supported by strong population growth as the main driver of its economy. Pro-fertility policies such as free post-natal care, subsidised daycare, allowances for each child born and discounts on a range of services for large families have held up steady population growth in the post-war period.
France is currently Europe’s second most populous nation after Germany. REUTERS
