Rapid urbanization

The combination of rapid urbanization and such a decline in population, along with the economic consequences of World War I, has resulted in substantial depopulation in many regions of the country.

And, of course, the rural regions of France suffer the most from all of this. Marseille, Lille, Lyon, and, Paris, the jewel in the crown, are the main economic and cultural hubs. The Empty Diagonal in France includes mostly agricultural land. Agriculture requires fewer and fewer people because technology advances. Consequently, if 1.6 million people were working in agriculture in the country roughly 40 years ago, there are currently about 400 thousand - four times fewer. As a result, fewer jobs available and development opportunities push many young people away from these areas, while richer cities tempt them with their cultural life, career opportunities, and overall development. For certain regions, this includes the spiral effect: the smaller a region's population, the lower its economic activity and the less chance of development. This, in turn, drives even more young people, while the remaining population is mostly older, restricting economic activity even further.