How Many Cities Are in France?
The French National Statistics Office reports that there are 123 cities in France with a population larger than 50,000, as of 2010. However, depending on one’s definition of city and the year in question, the number of French cities can vary.
Mainland France and Corsica are divided into 22 metropolitan regions and five overseas regions that include French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte and Reunion. Politically, these regions are much like Alaska and Hawaii in the United States in that they are considered to be part of France proper. The country also possesses a number dependent areas such as Saint Martin and French Polynesia. These regions are roughly equivalent to U.S. territories like Puerto Rico or Guam.
Metropolitan France and its five overseas regions have a total population of 66,259,012 people, as of 2014. It is the 22nd most populous country in the world, and while its real gross domestic product has fallen in recent years, it remains one of the largest and most important economies in the world. The country is a secular republic, and its present constitution was adopted on October 5, 1958. Paris is the capital, and cities like Alsace, Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille, Nice, Normandy, Strasbourg and Toulouse are also well known outside of France.
