The Channel area: the busiest maritime thoroughfare in the world

• 1 vessel every 10 minutes enter or leave the Channel. This represents 20% of the world maritime traffic.
• 361 039 179 tons of freight pass through the Channel ports, of which 194 234 179 tons in the French ports and 166 805 000 tons in the British ports, in 2015.
• 6 ferry companies are active in the Channel area in 2017. 20 to 80 daily ferry crossings depending on the season.
• 32 853 750 passengers registered in the Channel ports in 2015, of which 16 629 750 on the French side and 16 224 000 on the British side.
• 21.6 million travellers took the Channel Tunnel in 2018 and 22 million tons of freight passed through it.

Source: CROSS/MRCC, Direction des Affaires Maritimes, Maritime and Coastguard Agency, CCI, Department of Transport, GetLink, IFREMER, Compagnies de ferries, Direction du transport maritime, des ports et du littoral.

The Channel area: population

• In 2019 there were 52 167 988 inhabitants living in the Channel area, of which 24 840 092 on the French side and 27 327 896 on the British side. Altogether this represents 10.2% of the EU population (28 states) or 15.3% of the eurozone (19 states).
• Without Ile-de-France and London Region, there were 31 069 143 inhabitants living in the area in 2019, of which 12 649 328 on the French side and 18 419 815 on the British side. Altogether this represents 6.1% of the EU population (28 states) or 9.1% of the eurozone (19 states).
• The French population of the area represents 38.3% of the total Metropolitan French population (19.5% without Ile-de-France).
• The British population of the area represents 41.1% of the total British population (27.7% without London Region)
• Population density 2019:

343.3 people per sq km for the area

264.1 people per sq km on the French side

142.0 people per sq km on the French side (without Ile-de-France)

535.6 people per sq km on the British side

372.5 people per sq km on the British side (without London Region).

Source: Population estimates INSEE (01.01.2019), ONS (mid-2018).

Demographic issues: population ageing

• 8 052 067 people over 60 years old in 2019 in the area (without Ile-de-France and London regions) representing 25.9% of the population (26.5% on the French side and 25.5% on the British side).
• 11 958 421 people over 60 years old in the area representing 22.9% of the population (23.4% on the French side and 22.5% on the British side).
• Ageing rate 2019:

Under 20 and 65+: 71.5 in the area; 83.8 (without Ile-de-France and London regions).

Under 20 and 60+: 93.3 in the area: 108.7 (without Ile-de-France and London regions).

Source: Population estimates INSEE (01.01.2019), ONS (mid-2018).

Proximity of the two capital cities, London and Paris

• London Region: 8 908 081 inhabitants

5 666.0 people per sq km (mid-2018)

GVA: €491 820 million (2017)

371 110 students (2017/2018)

• Ile-de-France (with Paris): 12 213 364 inhabitants

1 016.7 people per sq km (01.01.2019

GVA: €631 948 million (2017)

706 842 students (2017/2018)

Source: Population estimates INSEE (01.01.2019), ONS (mid-2018), Eurostat, Ministère de l'Éducation Nationale, HESA (Higher Education Statistics Agency).

Economic weight

• GVA of the area: €1 993 519 million in 2017 of which €869 751 million without the Ile-de-France and London Regions.

Source: Eurostat.

Tourism

• 127.2 million of tourists in 2018.
• 89.3 million of tourists in Metropolitan France (86.8 in 2017).
• 37.9 million of tourists in Great-Britain (39.2 in 2017).

Source: DGE (Direction générale des entreprises), ONS, VisitBritain.

Higher Education, R&D, transfer of technology

• 93 universities in the area, of which 59 in France and 64 in England in 2019.
• Without Ile-de-France and London Region, 46 universities in the area, of which 12 in France and 34 in England (17 universities in Ile-de-France and 30 in the London Region).
• 2 083 739 students in 2017/2018, of which 1 167 804 on the French side and 915 935 on the British side*.
• Without Ile-de-France and London Region, 1 005 787 students in 2017/2018, of which 460 962 on the French side and 544 825 on the British side.

*all of East àf England included.

Source: Ministère de l'Éducation Nationale, HESA (Higher Education Statistics Agency).

Maritime safety

• More than 347 million tons of dangerous products were declared at the Casquets TSS in 2017 (330 million en 2015 and 2016).

Source: CROSS Jobourg.