Posted on 01/13/2009 3:32:32 PM PST by GOPGuide
PARIS (AFP)
France cemented its status as Europe's fertility champion on Tuesday when fresh statistics showed women are having on average more than two children each, an increase from last year's birth rate.
The second most populous country in the European Union after Germany, France began 2009 with 64.3 million inhabitants, 366,500 more than in 2008, according to the national statistics agency INSEE.
While there are fewer women of child-bearing age in France, the birth rate has continued to climb, with 2.02 children on average born to every woman in 2008, up from 1.98 in 2007.
Last year, more than 800,000 babies were born in France, the highest number in three decades, confirming the success of the country's family-friendly policies.
State-provided child care and family support payments are well-established while labour laws provide for generous maternity and parental leaves, encouraging young couples to become parents.
The average European birth rate is 1.5 children, with France and Ireland at the top of the fertility list.
Like in many other western countries, French women are having babies later in life, starting usually at age 30, nearly two years later than in the 1980s.
Birth rates are up in the 30-40 age group and more than one in five babies were born last year to a woman over the age of 35. In 1998, older women accounted for only 16.5 percent of births.
Since 2006, more babies are born out of wedlock in France and the trend is continuing. Some 52 percent of newborns were born to unmarried couples in 2008, a full 10 percent more than in 1998.
Longevity in France remains high with men living on average until the ripe old age of 77.5 while women usually make it to their 84th birthday.
(Excerpt) Read more at google.com ...
That’s still 4.5M French Muslims, or Muslims living in France. I’m thinking they account for a disproportionate % of the new borns.
Looks like she should be on Fox News
Southern Spaniards, Catalans, Italians from all regions, Poles, and even Hungarians are far more attractive than zee French women.
Besides, in addition to being a-s ugly, most Englishwomen are rude, feministic, and skanky. Very ugly, inside and out.
they are instead Polish...:D
Actually, I hate to burst the bubble, but I have been looking, and although I cannot find the list, it is a requirement in France to choose a baby name from an approved list. So, the most popular names most likely indicate...nothing.
I dunno, if it is a double post or not. But again, while I cannot find the list, I have read at numerous sites that the French have an approved list of names for children (I believe around 150 in number), so the propensity of those top ten names very likely means nothing.
That is correct. The names must be on the list so as to not allow children to make fun of. I wonder how many of those Maries and such are bearing male Muslim middle names from their fathers. Also, if they have more than one wife, they may be multiplying far faster than people are willing to admit. I have read articles that say many, many Native French are having no children, as well as friends who were living there who gave anecdotal evidence. It would be interesting to see what the growth rate of Muslims has been, and over just what period of time...
Birth rate of France: 2.02
Birth rate of Algeria, where the largest number of French Muslims are from: 1.82
Birth rate of Tunisia: 1.73
can you say Rachida Dati?
All these posts about % of Muslim births vs. native French while I find this fact to be even more telling, regardless: “Some 52 percent of newborns were born to unmarried couples in 2008”
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