France's birthrate climbs, probably highest in Europe.

[Flagg]

PARIS, Jan 16, 2007 (AFP) - France's birthrate has reached its highest level in 25 years, and is probably the highest in Europe, according to new census figures released on Tuesday.
With French women having on average two babies, France's rate "very probably" puts it ahead of Ireland, the EU birthrate champion with a fertility rate of 1.98 per woman, said chief statistician Jean-Michel Charpin.
"Births grew strongly in 2006, reaching the highest level since 1981," Charpin said as he presented the statistics.
A total of 830,900 children were born last year, a 2.9 percent increase over 2005, said Charpin, the director general of the INSEE national statistics institute.
France's overall population -- comprising mainland France and overseas territories -- totalled 63.4 million and swelled by 400,000 last year.
Three-quarters of France's population growth comes from births, with the rest from immigration.


http://www.ttc.org/200701161156.l0gbujo08391.htm

[TlalocW]

1. Those damn French...

Are building an army to invade us. Probably encouraged by Nancy Pelosi. :)

TlalocW

[Igel]

3. Maybe.

But it's probably true that immigrants, French citizens but not ethnic French, are pushing the numbers up. Same pattern as in the US and Germany and Britain. The French have been notoriously color blind in data collection.

[closeupready]

4. re: immigration, an interesting contrast between France and the US

is that in "Old World" France, immigration is mostly from other Old World regions, i.e., North Africa, the "Near East". That is, from one formerly Latin province to another - and in the case of Algeria which was part of France for 150 years I think, from one part of what used to be known as France to another part. Their cultures share much history together. Whereas here in the US, immigration is mostly from New World countries and indigenous populations, with whom Anglos share little.

Just something interesting I wanted to point out. :hi:

[Davis_X_Machina]

2. France has aggressive...

...natalist policies, including state-supported day care and direct subventions to mothers.

In policy-land, you generally get the behaviors you encourage. I know at $4.00/pack, I'm not smoking any more.