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France: immigration figures (1)

01 January 1991

France: immigration figures
artdoc August=1992

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 immigr s (immigrants) in the 1990 census and 3.58 million
trangers (foreign residents). However, 2.84 million people
( trangers 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 immigr s only rose from 4.02 million to
4.13 million and the number of trangers 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.

Europe

Statewatch vol 2 no 4, July/August 1992