LIMOUSIN - Population
East/west imbalance
The demography of the region is imbalanced. With the west of the region housing most of the population, and the east under the threat of depopulation. The urban area is mainly centred around Limoges, which is the capital of the region and its biggest conurbation with 173 000 inhabitants (accounting for a quarter of the population), and Brive. The region is still very much rural, with less than 60% of the population living in urban communes.
The municipal districts whose populations are most elderly and sparse are in the north and east of the region, in particular on the Millevaches plateau: the districts where the bulk of resources are of agricultural origin, centred on Bel lac, Aubusson, Ussel and Guéret. The four westernmost centres are amongst the most heavily industrialized: Rochechouart in particular, but also Limoges, Brive and Bellac. Services are concentrated in and around Limoges and Brive.
After a pause during the 60s and 70s, the demographic decline which began at the beginning of the last century, started again. In 1999 Limousin had 711 000 inhabitants, resulting in a decrease of 1.7% between 1990 and 1999. The population density is the third lowest in France (after Guyane and Corsica) with only 42 inhabitants/km. The migration balance is positive, with the region still attracting new inhabitants. But these tend to be made up of elderly people, whereas more young working people are leaving the region than are coming to it. Between 1990 and 1999 net migration increased by an average of 0.22% per year, whereas the natural demography decreased by 0.41% per year.
Roughly 30% of the population is aged more than 60, and this share exceeds largely the proportion of those aged less than 25 years of age, who account for just 25%. The composition of the population is reflected in the birth and deaths rates, and in the high proportion of widows (10.7% of the regional population).
The fertility rate is the lowest of all the regions of France (150 children for 100 women against 190 at national level in 2001). In 1999 the gross birth rate was 9.2 per 1 000 inhabitants compared to the average for the provinces of 12.1. In 2000 there were 7 021 births (+6.1% compared to 1999).
With 13 deaths per 1 000 inhabitants in 1999 Limousin has the highest mortality rate in France. The infant mortality rate however is below the national average: 3.2 deaths of children under 1 year old per 1 000 live births, compared to the average for the provinces of 4.2.
In 1999 the foreign population accounted for 2.8% of the total population of the region. This is below the average for the provinces (4.1%). More than half the foreign population is composed of nationals coming from countries outside the European Union (56.1%).
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