France saw the largest ever single-year increase in its foreign-born population in 2024, the national statistician found, with the vast majority of arrivals coming from Africa.

The number of people living in France who were born abroad increased by 434,000 in 2024, national statistician Insee has found. This boosted the total foreign-born population of France to 7.7 million people, made up of 5.1 million foreigners and 2.6 million foreigners who have been awarded French citizenship since arriving.

Major French broadcaster CNEWS states the rise in the number of people living in France who were born abroad is the largest one-year increase on record, and is “as many as the previous three years combined”.

70 per cent of new residents are from Africa, and this group is also the most likely

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