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United Kingdom vs France: population pyramids compared

United Kingdom is slightly larger than France, but size is only part of the story. Compare the two age structures on one percentage scale for 2026 and 2050, with every indicator side by side.

Estimate or projection?

UN estimates run through 2023; figures from 2024 onward are medium-scenario projections.

United Kingdom and France in 2026

United Kingdom population pyramid

2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex

Medium projection
United Kingdom population pyramid for 2026: males on the left and females on the right Male share Female share 100+ males: 4,033 (0.0%) 100+ females: 14,834 (0.0%) 100+ 95–99 males: 41,712 (0.1%) 95–99 females: 99,313 (0.1%) 95–99 90–94 males: 192,650 (0.3%) 90–94 females: 330,809 (0.5%) 90–94 85–89 males: 488,519 (0.7%) 85–89 females: 683,284 (1.0%) 85–89 80–84 males: 880,539 (1.3%) 80–84 females: 1,128,845 (1.6%) 80–84 75–79 males: 1,409,465 (2.0%) 75–79 females: 1,603,887 (2.3%) 75–79 70–74 males: 1,521,267 (2.2%) 70–74 females: 1,733,834 (2.5%) 70–74 65–69 males: 1,822,217 (2.6%) 65–69 females: 1,987,589 (2.8%) 65–69 60–64 males: 2,053,557 (2.9%) 60–64 females: 2,248,965 (3.2%) 60–64 55–59 males: 2,189,149 (3.1%) 55–59 females: 2,385,738 (3.4%) 55–59 50–54 males: 2,176,120 (3.1%) 50–54 females: 2,202,784 (3.1%) 50–54 45–49 males: 2,125,113 (3.0%) 45–49 females: 2,167,997 (3.1%) 45–49 40–44 males: 2,287,783 (3.3%) 40–44 females: 2,335,200 (3.3%) 40–44 35–39 males: 2,292,531 (3.3%) 35–39 females: 2,300,304 (3.3%) 35–39 30–34 males: 2,379,930 (3.4%) 30–34 females: 2,293,555 (3.3%) 30–34 25–29 males: 2,263,267 (3.2%) 25–29 females: 2,139,936 (3.1%) 25–29 20–24 males: 2,124,343 (3.0%) 20–24 females: 2,023,832 (2.9%) 20–24 15–19 males: 2,205,030 (3.2%) 15–19 females: 2,100,313 (3.0%) 15–19 10–14 males: 2,196,617 (3.1%) 10–14 females: 2,089,063 (3.0%) 10–14 5–9 males: 1,991,858 (2.8%) 5–9 females: 1,891,784 (2.7%) 5–9 0–4 males: 1,807,431 (2.6%) 0–4 females: 1,716,530 (2.5%) 0–4 10%5% Age 5%10%

France population pyramid

2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex

Medium projection
France population pyramid for 2026: males on the left and females on the right Male share Female share 100+ males: 5,342 (0.0%) 100+ females: 29,724 (0.0%) 100+ 95–99 males: 54,374 (0.1%) 95–99 females: 183,244 (0.3%) 95–99 90–94 males: 232,560 (0.3%) 90–94 females: 515,977 (0.8%) 90–94 85–89 males: 507,163 (0.8%) 85–89 females: 823,182 (1.2%) 85–89 80–84 males: 854,491 (1.3%) 80–84 females: 1,165,704 (1.7%) 80–84 75–79 males: 1,490,075 (2.2%) 75–79 females: 1,854,022 (2.8%) 75–79 70–74 males: 1,662,845 (2.5%) 70–74 females: 1,973,315 (3.0%) 70–74 65–69 males: 1,858,793 (2.8%) 65–69 females: 2,093,058 (3.1%) 65–69 60–64 males: 2,012,323 (3.0%) 60–64 females: 2,184,552 (3.3%) 60–64 55–59 males: 2,055,273 (3.1%) 55–59 females: 2,179,987 (3.3%) 55–59 50–54 males: 2,103,318 (3.2%) 50–54 females: 2,152,320 (3.2%) 50–54 45–49 males: 2,034,562 (3.0%) 45–49 females: 2,082,601 (3.1%) 45–49 40–44 males: 1,944,010 (2.9%) 40–44 females: 2,044,729 (3.1%) 40–44 35–39 males: 1,930,701 (2.9%) 35–39 females: 1,995,883 (3.0%) 35–39 30–34 males: 1,834,426 (2.7%) 30–34 females: 1,838,767 (2.8%) 30–34 25–29 males: 2,030,111 (3.0%) 25–29 females: 1,958,228 (2.9%) 25–29 20–24 males: 2,175,338 (3.3%) 20–24 females: 2,075,425 (3.1%) 20–24 15–19 males: 2,128,497 (3.2%) 15–19 females: 2,031,149 (3.0%) 15–19 10–14 males: 1,983,922 (3.0%) 10–14 females: 1,894,571 (2.8%) 10–14 5–9 males: 1,784,790 (2.7%) 5–9 females: 1,707,126 (2.6%) 5–9 0–4 males: 1,676,448 (2.5%) 0–4 females: 1,603,474 (2.4%) 0–4 10%5% Age 5%10%

Key differences between United Kingdom and France

Age. France is the older population, with a median age of 42.5 years against 40.2 in United Kingdom — a gap of 2.3 years. United Kingdom has the larger share of children (16.7% under 15 versus 16.0%), while France has the larger share aged 65 and over (22.9% versus 19.9%).

Births and survival. France’s fertility rate of 1.64 is below the replacement level, and United Kingdom’s 1.53 is below it. Life expectancy at birth is 83.7 years in France and 81.7 in United Kingdom.

Dependency. The total age dependency ratio is 57.9 in United Kingdom (26.4 children and 31.5 older people per 100 aged 15–64) and 63.6 in France (26.1 and 37.5). Similar totals can hide very different mixes of young and old.

Outlook. Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario has United Kingdom’s population grows by 8% and France’s grows by 2%. These are scenario results, not forecasts; how projections work explains the assumptions.

United Kingdom vs France: indicators side by side

IndicatorUnited KingdomFrance
Population, 202669,931,52866,746,401
Median age40.2 years42.5 years
Under age 1516.7%16.0%
Aged 15–6463.3%61.1%
Aged 65+19.9%22.9%
Age dependency ratio57.963.6
Fertility rate1.531.64
Life expectancy at birth81.7 years83.7 years
Annual growth+0.5%+0.1%
Males per 100 females97.194.1
Population, 205075,504,68168,219,675
Change, 2026–2050+8.0%+2.2%
Population, 210074,305,41168,484,558
Peak year20722095
Global population rank#22#23

2026, 2050, and 2100 values are UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium-scenario projections.

How the two pyramids could look in 2050

The same scale is kept for the projected charts, so a narrowing base or widening top can be compared directly with the 2026 shapes above.

United Kingdom population pyramid

2050 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex

Medium projection
United Kingdom population pyramid for 2050: males on the left and females on the right Male share Female share 100+ males: 13,771 (0.0%) 100+ females: 32,605 (0.0%) 100+ 95–99 males: 106,795 (0.1%) 95–99 females: 197,322 (0.3%) 95–99 90–94 males: 433,909 (0.6%) 90–94 females: 638,699 (0.8%) 90–94 85–89 males: 960,799 (1.3%) 85–89 females: 1,258,178 (1.7%) 85–89 80–84 males: 1,456,628 (1.9%) 80–84 females: 1,773,215 (2.3%) 80–84 75–79 males: 1,748,642 (2.3%) 75–79 females: 1,932,275 (2.6%) 75–79 70–74 males: 1,827,875 (2.4%) 70–74 females: 1,946,488 (2.6%) 70–74 65–69 males: 2,094,358 (2.8%) 65–69 females: 2,210,916 (2.9%) 65–69 60–64 males: 2,178,968 (2.9%) 60–64 females: 2,250,594 (3.0%) 60–64 55–59 males: 2,350,140 (3.1%) 55–59 females: 2,311,482 (3.1%) 55–59 50–54 males: 2,304,889 (3.1%) 50–54 females: 2,207,280 (2.9%) 50–54 45–49 males: 2,252,457 (3.0%) 45–49 females: 2,166,231 (2.9%) 45–49 40–44 males: 2,536,665 (3.4%) 40–44 females: 2,447,079 (3.2%) 40–44 35–39 males: 2,615,653 (3.5%) 35–39 females: 2,517,175 (3.3%) 35–39 30–34 males: 2,478,803 (3.3%) 30–34 females: 2,378,536 (3.2%) 30–34 25–29 males: 2,303,797 (3.1%) 25–29 females: 2,212,327 (2.9%) 25–29 20–24 males: 2,149,280 (2.8%) 20–24 females: 2,058,298 (2.7%) 20–24 15–19 males: 1,937,152 (2.6%) 15–19 females: 1,844,742 (2.4%) 15–19 10–14 males: 1,936,787 (2.6%) 10–14 females: 1,840,691 (2.4%) 10–14 5–9 males: 1,972,140 (2.6%) 5–9 females: 1,872,877 (2.5%) 5–9 0–4 males: 1,923,249 (2.5%) 0–4 females: 1,824,910 (2.4%) 0–4 10%5% Age 5%10%

France population pyramid

2050 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex

Medium projection
France population pyramid for 2050: males on the left and females on the right Male share Female share 100+ males: 22,686 (0.0%) 100+ females: 76,851 (0.1%) 100+ 95–99 males: 161,840 (0.2%) 95–99 females: 385,773 (0.6%) 95–99 90–94 males: 544,347 (0.8%) 90–94 females: 964,370 (1.4%) 90–94 85–89 males: 1,048,149 (1.5%) 85–89 females: 1,516,345 (2.2%) 85–89 80–84 males: 1,397,507 (2.0%) 80–84 females: 1,800,228 (2.6%) 80–84 75–79 males: 1,661,692 (2.4%) 75–79 females: 1,956,408 (2.9%) 75–79 70–74 males: 1,687,859 (2.5%) 70–74 females: 1,897,643 (2.8%) 70–74 65–69 males: 1,730,044 (2.5%) 65–69 females: 1,950,093 (2.9%) 65–69 60–64 males: 1,761,620 (2.6%) 60–64 females: 1,926,048 (2.8%) 60–64 55–59 males: 1,700,719 (2.5%) 55–59 females: 1,776,912 (2.6%) 55–59 50–54 males: 1,828,604 (2.7%) 50–54 females: 1,829,688 (2.7%) 50–54 45–49 males: 2,051,780 (3.0%) 45–49 females: 2,016,939 (3.0%) 45–49 40–44 males: 2,225,598 (3.3%) 40–44 females: 2,204,626 (3.2%) 40–44 35–39 males: 2,171,661 (3.2%) 35–39 females: 2,154,742 (3.2%) 35–39 30–34 males: 2,039,813 (3.0%) 30–34 females: 2,025,526 (3.0%) 30–34 25–29 males: 1,971,994 (2.9%) 25–29 females: 1,958,378 (2.9%) 25–29 20–24 males: 1,857,445 (2.7%) 20–24 females: 1,826,056 (2.7%) 20–24 15–19 males: 1,762,593 (2.6%) 15–19 females: 1,707,230 (2.5%) 15–19 10–14 males: 1,817,372 (2.7%) 10–14 females: 1,750,683 (2.6%) 10–14 5–9 males: 1,835,661 (2.7%) 5–9 females: 1,761,870 (2.6%) 5–9 0–4 males: 1,766,831 (2.6%) 0–4 females: 1,687,447 (2.5%) 0–4 10%5% Age 5%10%

What shapes United Kingdom’s pyramid

The UK pyramid is unusually straight-sided from birth to the early sixties, with small ripples from past booms and troughs and adults added by migration. Read the full United Kingdom analysis.

What shapes France’s pyramid

France’s pyramid still carries scars of both world wars, yet its baby boom and relatively high fertility keep the base wider than most of Europe. Read the full France analysis.

Explore each country in depth

Questions about United Kingdom and France

Which population is older, United Kingdom or France?

France is older: its projected 2026 median age is 42.5 years, compared with 40.2 in United Kingdom.

Which has a higher fertility rate, United Kingdom or France?

France has the higher total fertility rate in 2026: 1.64 births per woman, against 1.53 in United Kingdom.

Will United Kingdom or France have more people in 2050?

Under the UN medium scenario, United Kingdom is projected to be larger in 2050, with 75.5M people against 68.2M.