Blacks in France - wikipedia Blacks in France French Black People Total population Approximately 1.8 -- 5 million ( 3 -- 7.5 % of the French population ) ; it is illegal for the French State to collect data on ethnicity and race. Regions with significant populations Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Nantes, Lille, French West Indies, French Guiana, Réunion, Mayotte, New Caledonia Languages French ; various African languages, French Creoles and others Religion Christianity, Islam French Black people or Black people in France ( French : Noirs de France ) are people who are of Black African, Afro - Caribbean, or Melanesian ancestry. Contents 1 Population statistics 2 Religion 3 Notable people 3.1 In French politics 3.1. 1 Afro - French members of the French Parliament or government from overseas France 3.1. 2 Afro - French people elected in metropolitan France 3.1. 3 Political activists 3.2 In sports 3.2. 1 In basketball 3.2. 2 In football 3.3 In entertainment and media 3.4 European / African ( or Afro - Caribbean ) descent 4 See also 5 References Population statistics Although it is illegal for the French state to collect data on ethnicity and race, a law with its origins in the 1789 revolution and reaffirmed in the constitution of 1958, various population estimates exist. One source states that there are 1.5 million black people in France, while another states 1.865 million, equivalent to just under 4 per cent of the population. An article in the New York Times stated that estimates vary between 3 million and 5 million. It is estimated that four out of five black people in France are of African immigrant origin, with the minority being chiefly of Caribbean ancestry. Some organizations, such as the Representative Council of France 's Black Associations ( French : Conseil représentatif des associations noires de France, CRAN ), have argued in favour of the introduction of data collection on minority groups but this has been resisted by other organizations and ruling politicians, often on the grounds that collecting such statistics goes against France 's secular principles and harks back to Vichy - era identity documents. During the 2007 presidential election, however, Nicolas Sarkozy was polled on the issue and stated that he favoured the collection of data on ethnicity. Part of a parliamentary bill which would have permitted the collection of data for the purpose of measuring discrimination was rejected by the Conseil Constitutionnel in November 2007. Religion Afro - French from overseas France are essentially christians, except for the Mahorais, who are 97 % muslims. Afro - French of West African ancestry are mostly muslims and those of Central - African ancestry are mostly christians. Notable people In French Politics Afro - French members of the French parliament or government from overseas France There have been dozens of Afro - Caribbean or Afro - French MPs representing overseas electoral districts at the French National Assembly or at the French Senate, and several government members. Aimé Césaire, mayor of Fort - de-France and deputy from Martinique for the PCF / Martinican Progressive Party. Laura Flessel, she became the Sport Minister in 2017. Serge Letchimy, deputy for Martinique Socialist Party, Letchimy is also of partial Tamil descent. Christiane Taubira, deputy from French Guiana, was the first black candidate to a French presidential election, in 2002. In 2012, she became the Justice Minister until 2016. Rama Yade, politician born in Senegal, she was in Nicolas Sarkozy 's government. Gaston Monnerville, politician and lawyer, he was the president of the Senate from 1958 to 1968. Afro - French people elected in metropolitan France Severiano de Heredia, president of the municipal council of Paris ( 1879 -- 1880 / sort of mayor of Paris ), deputy for Paris ( 1881 -- 1889 ), minister ( 1887 ) Élie Bloncourt ( 1896 -- 1978 ), second Black metropolitan deputy ( 1936 -- 40, 1945 -- 47 ), first Black metropolitan general councillor ( 1934 -- 40, 1945 -- 51 ) Ernest Chénière ( 1945 -- ), former deputy for Oise ( 1993 -- 97 ) Raphaël Élizé ( fr ) ( 1891 -- 1945 ), first Black metropolitan mayor ( 1929 -- 40 ) Hélène Geoffroy, deputy for Rhône, mayor Gaston Monnerville ( 1897 -- 1991 ), first Black metropolitan senator ( 1946 -- 1974 ), president of the French Senate ( 1947 -- 68 ), mayor, president of Lot 's general council George Pau - Langevin, Paris deputy ( 2007 -- 12 ), junior minister ( 2012 -- 2014 ), Minister for Overseas ( 2014 -- ) Arthur Richards ( 1890 -- 1972 ), general councillor in Bordeaux ( 1951 -- 1964 ), deputy for Gironde ( 1958 -- 67 ) Rama Yade, former minister Kofi Yamgnane, former minister, former MP, former mayor, former general councillor in Brittany Political activists Frantz Fanon, Marxist, existentialist and anti-colonial author and activist. Renounced his French citizenship. Kémi Séba, Pan-Africanist political leader, writer, activist and geopolitical analyst for various African television channels Louis - Georges Tin, president of the Representative Council of France 's Black Associations and founder of the International Day Against Homophobia In sports Christine Arron, track and field sprint athlete Laura Flessel, fencer Constantin Henriquez, Olympic rugby union player Gaël Monfils, tennis player Teddy Riner, judoka Francis Ngannou, mixed martial Griedge Mbock Bathy -- woman professional footballer Vanessa James, Olympic figure skater In basketball Rudy Gobert Alexis Ajinça Nicolas Batum Rodrigue Beaubois Boris Diaw Ian Mahinmi Johan Petro Mickaël Piétrus Kevin Séraphin Ronny Turiaf Isabelle Yacoubou Isaia Cordinier Timothé Luwawu - Cabarrot Frank Ntilikina In football Nicolas Anelka Serge Aurier Éric Abidal Jean - Kévin Augustin Jean - Christophe Bahebeck Tiemoué Bakayoko Gaël Clichy Pascal Chimbonda Kingsley Coman, footballer Ousmane Dembélé Vikash Dhorasoo Abou Diaby Lassana Diarra, footballer Marcel Desailly, footballer Alou Diarra Patrice Evra, footballer Odsonne Édouard Nabil Fekir Bafétimbi Gomis William Gallas Josuha Guilavogui, footballer Thierry Henry, footballer Romain Habran Jonathan Ikoné N'Golo Kanté, footballer Geoffrey Kondogbia Layvin Kurzawa Presnel Kimpembe Alexandre Lacazette Steve Mandanda, footballer Yann M'Vila, footballer Blaise Matuidi, footballer Florent Malouda, footballer Eliaquim Mangala, footballer Anthony Martial, footballer Kylian Mbappé, footballer Rio Mavuba Benjamin Mendy Paul - Georges Ntep Christopher Nkunku Hervin Ongenda Paul Pogba, footballer Loïc Rémy Adil Rami Bacary Sagna, footballer Alphousseyni Sane Mamadou Sakho, footballer Moussa Sissoko, footballer Youssouf Sabaly Louis Saha Lilian Thuram, footballer Samuel Umtiti Patrick Vieira William Vainqueur Patrick Vieira, footballer Sylvain Wiltord Kurt Zouma, footballer Darion Williams, footballer In entertainment and media Josephine Baker in 1932 Josephine Baker, dancer and singer Mouss Diouf, actor Miss Dominique, singer Fabe, rapper Hélène and Célia Faussart ( Les Nubians ), singing duo Imany, singer Hubert Kounde, actor Lord Kossity, Dancehall musician Dieudonné M'bala M'bala, comedian and anti-zionist activist Fab Morvan, model and singer, half of Milli Vanilli Audrey Pulvar, newscaster and journalist Firmine Richard, actress Harry Roselmack, newscaster Omar Sy, actor Olivier Coipel, comic book artist Black M, rapper MHD, rapper European / African ( or Afro - Caribbean ) descent Thomas - Alexandre Dumas, general in the French Revolution and father of Alexandre Dumas Thierry Dusautoir, rugby player Chevalier de Saint - Georges, composer, conductor, and violinist Rudy Gobert, basketball player Noémie Lenoir, model Chloé Mortaud, Miss France 2009 Anais Mali, model Yannick Noah, tennis player Tony Parker, basketball player Sonia Rolland, actress, Miss France 2000 Jo - Wilfried Tsonga, tennis player Flora Coquerel, Miss France 2014 Alicia Aylies, Miss France 2017 Willy William, singer and producer See also African immigration to France African Americans in France Cape Verdeans in France Haitians in France References ^ Jump up to : Oppenheimer, David B. ( 2008 ). `` Why France needs to collect data on racial identity... in a French way ''. Hastings International and Comparative Law Review. 31 ( 2 ) : 735 -- 752. SSRN 1236362. Jump up ^ Tagliabue, John ( 2005 - 09 - 21 ). `` French blacks skeptical of race neutrality ''. New York Times. Retrieved 2009 - 10 - 27. Jump up ^ `` First French racism poll released ''. BBC News. 2007 - 01 - 31. Retrieved 2009 - 10 - 27. Jump up ^ Kimmelman, Michael ( 2008 - 06 - 17 ). `` For blacks in France, Obama 's rise is reason to rejoice, and to hope ''. New York Times. Retrieved 2009 - 10 - 27. Jump up ^ Bennhold, Katrin ( 2006 - 08 - 03 ). `` Black anchor fills top spot on French TV ''. International Herald Tribune. p. 2. Retrieved 2009 - 10 - 27. Jump up ^ `` Franceblack ''. Retrieved 2010 - 04 - 06. Jump up ^ Louis - Georges, Tin ( 2008 ). `` Who is afraid of Blacks in France ? The Black question : The name taboo, the number taboo ''. French Politics, Culture & Society. 26 ( 1 ) : 32 -- 44. doi : 10.3167 / fpcs. 2008.260103. Jump up ^ `` Black residents of France say they are discriminated against ''. International Herald Tribune. 2007 - 01 - 31. Retrieved 2009 - 10 - 27. Jump up ^ `` France 's ethnic minorities : To count or not to count ''. The Economist. 390 ( 8624 ) : 62. 2009 - 03 - 28. Jump up ^ Chrisafis, Angelique ( 2007 - 02 - 24 ). `` French presidential candidates divided over race census ''. The Guardian. p. 25. Retrieved 2009 - 10 - 27. Jump up ^ Pierre - Yves Lambert, `` Conseillers généraux d'origine non-européenne Archived July 15, 2012, at Archive.is '', Suffrage Universel Jump up ^ Pierre - Yves Lambert, `` Maires métropolitains d'origine non-européenne Archived July 14, 2012, at Archive.is '', Suffrage Universel Immigration to France From Europe Belgians Britons Bulgarians Czech Germans Greeks Italians Macedonians Poles Portuguese Romanians Russians Chechens Serbs Spaniards Swiss From North America Americans African Americans Canadians Cubans Haitians Mexicans From South America Argentines Brazilians Chileans Colombians Ecuadorians Peruvians Uruguayans From Asia By ethnicity Arabs Azerbaijanis Assyrians Kurds Tamils By country Armenians Azerbaijanis Cambodians Chinese Filipinos Georgians Indians Iranians Japanese Koreans Laotians Lebanese Pakistanis Sri Lankans Syrians Turks Vietnamese From Africa By ethnicity Arabs Berbers Black Africans By country Algerians Angolans Beninese Bissau - Guineans Cameroonians Cape Verdeans Comorians Congolese Gabonese Ghanaians Guineans Ivorians Malagasy Malians Mauritanians Mauritians Moroccans Senegalese Togolese Tunisians See also Demographics of France Migration to France from Africa By ethnicity Arabs Berbers Black Africans Paris Jews North Africa Algerians Pied - Noir Harki Moroccans Tunisians East Africa Mauritians Central Africa Congolese Cameroonians Cape Verdeans Gabonese West Africa Ivoirians Ghanaians Beninese Bissau - Guineans Guineans Malians Mauritanians Senegalese Togolese Southern Africa Angolans Comorians Malagasy African diaspora By geography Americas Anglophone Antigua and Barbuda Bahamas Barbados Belize British dependencies Anguilla Bermuda Cayman Islands Turks and Caicos Canada Nova Scotia Dominica Grenada Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Black Carib Guyana Jamaica Coromantee Jamaican Maroons Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Trinidad and Tobago Dougla United States Black Hispanic Black Indians Black Seminoles Creoles of Color Gullah Multiracial Americans Francophone Canada French Guiana Aluku Ndyuka Saramaka Haiti Marron Marabou Hispanophone Argentina Bolivia Colombia ( Raizal ) Chile Costa Rica Cuba Arará Lucumí Dominican Republic Samaná Americans Cocolo Ecuador El Salvador Guatemala Honduras Mexico Mascogos Nicaragua Panama Cimarrón Paraguay Peru Puerto Rico Arará Uruguay Venezuela Lusophone Brazil Kalunga Quilombola Batavophone Aruba Curaçao Suriname Kwinti Ndyuka Paramaccan Saramaka Europe Abkhazia Belgium France Paris Germany Ireland Italy Netherlands Portugal Romania Russia Spain Ukraine United Kingdom Liverpool Scotland Middle East Iran Iraq Israel Jordan Syria Turkey West Bank Yemen Asia and Oceania Australia China Guangzhou Hong Kong India and Pakistan Siddi Karnataka Malaysia New Zealand Sri Lanka Kaffirs Atlantic Saint Helena Secondary Afro - American diaspora Settlement in Africa Ghana African - Americans Afro Brazilians Liberia Afro - Americans Nigeria Saro Afro - Brazilian Sierra Leone Afro - Americans Settlement in Europe France African Americans and Haitians United Kingdom Afro - Caribbeans Wide issues Yoruba people Igbo people Afro - American religion Garifuna people in the United States Maroons Black Power Civil rights movement An Afro - Latin American is any person from Latin America with origins in Africa. They can be Afro - South Americans, Afro - Central Americans, or Afro - Mexicans. An Afro - Caribbean is any person from the Caribbean with origins in Africa. Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Blacks_in_France&oldid=829907036 '' Categories : African diaspora in France Caribbean French French people of Senegalese descent French people of Malian descent French people of Cameroonian descent French people of Ivorian descent French people of Togolese descent French people of Guadeloupean descent French people of Martiniquais descent French people of French Guianan descent French people of Guinean descent French people of Malagasy descent French people of Cape Verdean descent French people of Gabonese descent French people of Beninese descent French people of Comorian descent French people of Ghanaian descent French people of Burkinabé descent French people of Angolan descent French people of Kenyan descent French people of Rwandan descent French people of Mauritian descent French people of Seychellois descent French people of Haitian descent People of African descent Ethnic groups in France French people of Republic of the Congo descent French people of Democratic Republic of the Congo descent Hidden categories : Webarchive template archiveis links Articles using infobox ethnic group with image parameters Articles containing French - language text Pages using div col without cols and colwidth parameters Pages using Columns - list with deprecated parameters Talk Contents About Wikipedia Languages Català Français 日本 語 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 11 March 2018, at 15 : 18. 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Question: what percentage of the french population is black
Answer: 3–7.5%