Gap Between Rich And Poor In France Widens

July 20, 2008 1:35 p.m. EST

Paris, France (AHN) - A study made by the National Institute for Statistics and Economics Studies in France showed that the gap between the rich and the country's poor is growing wider.

The study published recently, showed that France's rich earn 3.41 times as much compared to the country's poor in 2006. The same study adds that the per capita annual disposable incomes of the rich comprised of 10 percent of the country's populations average at least $52,440 in 2006 compared to only $15,357 of the poorest 10 percent of the population.

The ratio of the per capital disposable annual incomes of the rich to the poor stood at 3.41:1 in 2006. In 2004 the ratio was 3.41:1 and in 2005, it was 3.37:1.

According to data collated by the NISES, the number of French people living below the poverty line reached 7.9 million or at least 13.2 of the total population. These segment of the French society has a per capita monthly disposable incomes of less than $1,390.

At least 30.3 percent of people living in poverty were found to be single-parent families.