French online Demography
In 2004 France counted 63 million French inhabitants1, 1/3 of it connected every month reaching millions 24,58 in February 20052. Internet use had a 20% raise in 20033, and a 9% raise in 2004. Nowadays Internet population is growing less rapidly mainly because the market is reaching maturity and embracing French population curves. Across Europe, the last survey of Nielsen Net Ratings and Mediametrie counted 100million web users4.
French online age pyramid compared to
French population patterns in 2005
Internet still remains part of the young generation codes and habits with 4/5 of French Internet population aged less than 49 (and only weighing 60% in the overall French population). However age groups are shifting from a really young internet population base (people less than 25 years old where until 2003 weighing more than 30% in the overall Internet population) to much more mature age groups.
In France, 42% of the current population is aged 50 or more. This age group is only now realizing how much Internet can help them and is catching up quickly by starting to use this medium in day to day life. This demographic particularity in France will have a lot of economical and political consequences that will for sure influence Internet use and service base for the next decade.
Specific French population patterns
compared to the French online population in 2005.
Nowadays France is reaching the same Internet use level as the United Kingdom and Sweden, two of the most active online European countries.
Looking down to Internet democratization, French Internet population is classified ahead of Spain (45% female connected) , Swiss (44% female connected), Germany (41%) or Italy (40%)5.
However, there is still a road ahead until the whole Internet population matches the real population age pyramid as it does already in the USA.
Looking down to pyramid age groups of online use around Europe, France remains with Spain one of the youngest Internet population. However across Europe we notice roughly the same online demographic evolution patterns.
1 Wikipedia www.wikipedia.org
2 Journal du Net www.journaldunet.com
3 Mediametrie - observatoire des Usages Internet www.mediametrie.fr
4 Survey Afjv www.afjv.com - 100 millions d'internautes en Europe
5 Nielsen Netratings www.nielsen-netratings.com
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