Being one of the largest cities in the world, it’s perhaps not surprising that Paris is very cosmopolitan. One of my classes in Paris this fall is on immigration and diversity – essentially exploring how the population of Paris got to be the way it is. How have people from different parts of the world coexisted in Paris and elsewhere in France for that matter? I find that it’s interesting to think about the dynamics of immigration in France – as you read, I certainly suggest considering how they might be similar in some ways and different in others to the dynamics of immigration in the U.S.
It’s good to know a few basic statistics. According to notes from my immigration class, as of 2021, there were 7 million immigrants in France which was 10.3% of the total population. Of those 7 million, only about 36% have successfully gained French citizenship. Paris and its surrounding regions have the strongest migrant presence in France. While immigration to France in the 19th century was largely composed of immigrants from other European countries, in the 20th century, it was largely composed of immigrants from former French colonies elsewhere in the world such as Algeria.
