Demography of the Pyrenees

The Démographie of the solid mass of the the Pyrenees establishes the caractéristiues population in the zone defined according to the law Montagne.

French side

In 1999, 479.968 inhabitants resided on the zone Massif French side. On these 480.000 residents, 10% are located in the Aude and the Haute-Garonne and approximately 20% in the Ariège, the Yrénées-Atlantiques, the Hautes-Pyrénées and the the Eastern Pyrenees. For each department, the percentage given represents: 5% of the Population of the Haute-Garonne, 15% of the Population of the Aude and the Yrénées-Atlantiques, 30% of the Population of the the Eastern Pyrenees and 65% of the Population of the Ariège.

The pincipales cities of the solid mass of the the Pyrenees French side are: Heavy (15 242 inhabitants), Oloron-Holy-Marie (10 988), Saint-Gaudens (10 837 inhabitants), Limoux (9 411 inhabitants), Foix (9 109 inhabitants), Argelès-sur-mer (9 069 inhabitants), Bagnères-with-Bigorre (8 052 inhabitants). In comparison Toulouse has 390.000 inhabitants.

Evolution: after a strong reduction during the period 1968 - 1990, the Population was stabilized overall between 1990 and 1999 (comparison France: + 3.5% over this period). The many mountainous solid masses limit the demographic development, thus the Population primarily concentrates in the zone of the Pyrenean Piedmont and on the Atlantic frontages and Mediterranean. The proportion of the young Population (less than 20 years) is weaker than the national average whereas the proportion of the old Population (more than 60 years) is more important. The Massif zone extends on 18 176.6 km. In 1999, the Densité was of 26.5 inhabitants per km ²: 28 hab /km2 for the Ariège, 50 hab /km2 for the Aude and the Hautes-Pyrénées, 80 hab /km2 and more for the Yrénées-Atlantiques and the the Eastern Pyrenees and more than 160 hab /km2 for the Haute-Garonne).

Age of the population of the solid mass French side in 1999: 20% have less than 20 years, 30% more than 60 (20% have less than 20 years for the 6 departments, 25% for the Metropolitan France, 24% have of more than 60 years for the 6 departments, 20% for the Metropolitan France). The inhabitants of the solid mass constitute a Population older than the average.

Evolution of the population between 1990 and 1999 French side: after a strong reduction, stabilization of the Population of the solid mass (increase of more than 7% on all 6 department and of more than 3% on the Metropolitan France). The positive Migratory balance could compensate for the fort natural Déficit (more than 4%).

Estimate of the evolution of the Population of the solid mass French side between 1999 and 2004: increase of 2,5% of the Population of the solid mass (increase of 7% on all 6 department).

Spanish side

Sources

http://www.sig-pyrenees.net/ - Gate SIG of the Pyrenean Parliament of Mountain Economy (APEM).
http://www.insee.fr/ - Gate of the National institute of the Statistics and Economic studies (INSEE).

Notes and references of the article

Random links: