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France: immigration figures

01 July 1992

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Racist and rightwing groups in France are exploiting the confusion over the official figures for the number of foreigners in the country. One figure of 14 million (1986) out of a total population of 56 million includes all those living in France of foreign extraction - either themselves foreign born (and of foreign ancestry) or those who had at least one foreign- born parent or one foreign-born grandparent. Another figure in circulation is 7.71 million "foreigners" - comprised of 4.13 million immigres (immigrants) in the 1990 census and 3.58 million etrangers (foreign residents). However, 2.84 million people (etrangers not born in France) overlap into both categories so the correct census figure is 4.87 million.

Le Figaro magazine conducted a public opinion poll in 1991 asking whether people thought there were the same number of immigrants as ten years before. Only 7% of the survey completely or more or less agreed, while 75% disagreed or definitely disagreed. In fact the census figures showed that between 1982 and 1990 the number of immigres only rose from 4.02 million to 4.13 million and the number of etrangers actually fell from 3.68 million to 3.58 million (remember these figures contain 2.84 million overlapping the two categories).

Population Today, May 1992.

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