What Were The Most Populated Parts Of Europe During The Sixteenth Century?

The population of Europe stood at approximately 105 million by the mid-16th century. The population of some countries actually doubled during the course of a century. In 1450 France, for example, had approximately 10 million inhabitants, but counted over 20 million by 1550. England also experienced a steep rise in its population, from just over 2 million to more than 4 million over the course of a century.

The positive changes in demographics served as a sign that the continent was on the road to recovery after the miserable days of the bubonic plague.

Despite increases in population, there were few large urban centres in Europe at this time. There were only four cities with populations over 100,000, namely Paris, London, Naples and Rome. The more densely populated regions of Europe included, southern England, Ireland, parts of France, the United Netherlands, areas of the Holy Roman Empire, Bohemia, Hungary and the Papal States. During the 1600s, an increasing number of Europeans began migrating from villages and rural areas to the larger towns.