Changes

==Society and Population==

==Society and Population==

France in the Ancien Régime covered a territory of around 200,000 square miles, and supported 20 million people in 1700. At least 80% of the population were peasants.<ref>Pierre Goubert, ''The Ancien Regime'' (1973) pp. 2-9. There was no nationwide census before 1789 and therefore these figures are estimates. France lagged behind most of Europe in this regard; [[Spain]] and [[Sweden]] held censuses in 1717 and 1720 respectively.</ref>

[[France]] in the Ancien Régime covered a territory of around 200,000 square miles, and supported 20 million people in 1700. At least 80% of the population were peasants.<ref>Pierre Goubert, ''The Ancien Regime'' (1973) pp. 2-9. There was no nationwide census before 1789 and therefore these figures are estimates. France lagged behind most of Europe in this regard; [[Spain]] and [[Sweden]] held censuses in 1717 and 1720 respectively.</ref>

France had the second largest population in Europe around 1700. [[United Kingdom|Britain]] had five or six million, [[Spain]] had eight million, and the Austrian Habsburgs had around eight million. [[Russia]] was the most populated European country at the time. France's lead slowly faded after 1700, as other countries grew faster.  

France had the second largest population in Europe around 1700. [[United Kingdom|Britain]] had five or six million, [[Spain]] had eight million, and the Austrian Habsburgs had around eight million. [[Russia]] was the most populated European country at the time. France's lead slowly faded after 1700, as other countries grew faster.