Haven't seen any report in English language media: The official census figures for the French population were published yesterday:

• By the end of 2006 (so two years ago), the official population figure in France stood at 63,185,925 people, a little short of the previous estimate of 64+ millions - still the second largest European population after Germany. A new census on January 15 and results should be available early next year.

• Population increases have been strongest in Southern and Atlantic coast regions, also in the Rhone-Alpes (including Lyon & Grenoble) and Paris regions. Northern and Northeastern regions have grown much less; one region - Champagne-Ardennes- has even registered a population decrease.

• Since 2000, the population average annual increase rate is slightly higher than during the 1990's.

• The main cause to the population increase is a higher fertility rate: French women have now 2 children on average, making France the only country in Europe to come anywhere close to the US figure (2.1 children per woman).

One interesting point: the number of children seem to be rather well distributed among women of different ethnic groups. Even our own Justice Minister is happily contributing. The availability and affordability of child care and kindergarten are probably playing a big role, allowing women to have children without stopping their work life.

This will do little to stop the recurrent phantasms of Eurabia - a French (and European) population whose increase is only due to runaway immigration with Arab and African people "breeding like rabbits".

Europeans think a hundred miles is a long way. Americans think a hundred years is a long time.