 INSEE Institut National de la Statistique et des Études Économiques 195, rue de Bercy Tour Gamma A 75582 Paris cedex 12 France Fax: +33 1 53 17 88 09 Internet: www.insee.fr The Institute's missions The National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE) collects and produces information on the French economy and society. This information is made available to the entire international community (government, business, researchers, educators, media, individuals) for study, forecasting, and decision-making purposes.  FRONT PAGE SiteSearch About us Directories  Europe's richest cities Capital cities Largest cities in the world Largest urban areas Largest European cities Largest US cities Largest Canadian cities Largest Brazilian cities Largest German cities Largest French cities Largest UK cities Largest Italian cities Largest Spanish cities Largest Indian cities Top US eCities Top European eCities French Mayors Mayors in Europe French local elections 2008  City Mayors reports news from towns and cities around the world. Worldwide | Elections | North America | Latin America | Europe | Asia | Africa | Events |  Mayors from The Americas, Europe. Asia, Australia and Africa are competing for the annual World Mayor Award. More  City Mayors ranks the world’s largest as well as richest cities and urban areas. It also ranks the cities in individual countries, and provides a list of the capital cities of some 200 sovereign countries. More  City Mayors reports political events, analyses the issues and depicts the main players. More  City Mayors describes and explains the structures and workings of local government in Europe, The Americas, Asia, Australia and Africa. More  City Mayors profiles city leaders from around the world and questions them about their achievements, policies and aims. More  City Mayors deals with economic and investment issues affecting towns and cities. More  City Mayors reports on how business developments impact on cities and examines cooperation between cities and the private sector. More  City Mayors describes and explains financial issues affecting local government. More  City Mayors lists and features urban events, conferences and conventions aimed at urban decision makers and those with an interst in cities worldwide. More  City Mayors reports urban environmental developments and examines the challenges faced by cities worldwide. More  City Mayors reports on and discusses urban development issues in developed and developing countries. More  City Mayors reports on developments in urban society and behaviour and reviews relevant research. More  City Mayors deals with urban transport issues in developed and developing countries and features the world’s greatest metro systems. More  City Mayors examines education issues and policies affecting children and adults in urban areas. More  City Mayors investigates health issues affecting urban areas with an emphasis on health in cities in developing countries. More  City Mayors examines the importance of urban tourism to city economies. More  City Mayors examines the contributions history and culture make to urban society and environment. More  City Mayors describes the history, architecture and politics of the greatest city halls in the world. More  City Mayors invites readers to write short stories about people in cities around the world. More  City Mayors questions those who govern the world’s cities and talks to men and women who contribute to urban society and environment. More  City Mayors profiles national and international organisations representing cities as well as those dealing with urban issues. More  City Mayors reports on major national and international sporting events and their impact on cities. More  City Mayors lists cities and city organisations, profiles individual mayors and provides information on hundreds of urban events. More |
Largest French urban areas:
2 November 2003: Some 22.8 million French men and women, or 38 per cent of the French population, live in the country’s 20 largest urban areas. Indeed, according to INSEE, the French National Institute for Statistics, all of the 20 largest urban areas in France, with the exception of Valenciennes, expanded in the last decade of the 20th century. Population growth rates of more than one per cent were recorded by Montpellier, Toulouse, Nantes and Rennes. The number of people living in the urban area of Paris expanded by almost 0.3 per cent to more than 10.5 million. |
|
Rank
|
Urban area
|
Population
|
Changes in the 1990s
|
|
1
|
Paris |
10,562,000
|
+0.29%
|
|
2
|
Lyon |
1,598,000
|
+0.65%
|
|
3
|
Marseille-Aix |
1,398,000
|
+0.43%
|
|
4
|
Lille |
1,108,000
|
+0.30%
|
|
5
|
Toulouse |
917,000
|
+1.57%
|
|
6
|
Bordeaux |
882,000
|
+0.67%
|
|
7
|
Nantes |
674,000
|
+1.11%
|
|
8
|
Strasbourg |
557,000
|
+0.79%
|
|
9
|
Nice |
557,000
|
+0.35%
|
|
10
|
Grenoble |
505,000
|
+0.63%
|
|
11
|
Rennes |
484,000
|
+1.32%
|
|
12
|
Toulon |
478,000
|
+0.54%
|
|
13
|
Rouen |
470,000
|
+0.26%
|
|
14
|
Montpellier |
446,000
|
+1.86%
|
|
15
|
Nancy |
396,000
|
+0.11%
|
|
16
|
Tours |
368,000
|
+0.11%
|
|
17
|
Valenciennes |
368,000
|
-0.04%
|
|
18
|
Grasse-Cannes-Antibes |
365,000
|
+0.69%
|
|
19
|
Clermont-Ferrand |
352,000
|
+0.36%
|
|
20
|
Caen |
346,000
|
+0.73%
|