HAUTE-NORMANDIE - Population
A high-density young population
Upper Normandy's population density of 145 inhabitants per km2 places the region as the seventh most densely populated region of France and the fourth most densely populated region of the metropolitan in 1999.
Population growth was very slow up until the Second World War, but took off afterwards. Although the rate of increase has since slowed down, the movement is still upwards. Most of the overall demographic increase since 1982 has been through natural growth. Since 1968, there has been a negative net migration, although migratory behaviour in the two départements has differed considerably. While Eure benefited from its proximity to the Paris region and recorded a positive net migration of around 0.8% per year between 1982 and 1990, in Seine-Maritime, a traditionally industrial département, there was a negative net migration of -0.4% per year over the same period.
In 1999 the region had 1 780 200 inhabitants, of which a third live in Eure. The population of the region continues to grow, but at a slower rhythm than in the 1980s and of that of the population of the nation as a whole (with an average of +0.27% against +0.39% per year between 1990 and 1999). The share of the population accounted for by Upper Normandy (3.15) on the national scale is declining slightly. The slowdown in demographic growth is fairly pronounced in urban and suburban areas. This is due to a fall in the growth rate of the natural balance (births minus deaths), which however remains higher than that at national level. Moreover the migration balance has deteriorated during the last decade. In Seine-Maritime the migration balance is still in deficit. In Eure the migration balance is falling but still remains slightly positive. Upper Normandy is losing inhabitants mainly to Brittany and the regions of the south of France. The proximity of Ile-de-France also means that there are a lot of commuters, but also migration. This is especially the case in the east of the Eure department zone bordering the Paris region.
Nevertheless, the region remains fairly young and the areas that are mainly rural are becoming attractive again. In 1999 youngsters aged less than 25 years old represented 33% of the population, whereas the number of over-60s represented less than 20%.
The gross birth rate is Upper Normandy is fairly high compared to the national average, with 13.1 births per 1 000 inhabitants in 1999 against 12.1. However 1990 and 1999 the number of live births fell from 25 000 to 23 400 in 1999, with the year 1994 recording the lowest level (22 900). In 2000 the number of births was 24 000 (+2.6% compared to 1999). The death rate remains fairly low compared to the national average. In 1999 Upper Normandy recorded 8.7 deaths per 1 000 inhabitants against 9.1. The infant mortality rate on the other hand is close to the national average (4.5 deaths of children under 1 year old per 1 000 live births) against 4.4).
In 1999 the foreign population accounted for 2.7% of the total population of the region. This is below the national average (5.5%). The foreign population is largely composed of nationals coming from countries outside the European Union (73%), notably Moroccans (19%) and Algerians (18%).
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