The 4th arrondissement of Paris (IVe arrondissement) is one of the twenty arrondissements of the capital city of France. In spoken French, this arrondissement is referred to as quatrième. Along with the 1st, 2nd and 3rd arrondissements, it is in the first sector of Paris, which maintains a single local government rather than four separate ones.
The 4th arrondissement is known for its little streets, cafés, and shops but is often regarded by Parisians as expensive and congested.[citation needed] It has old buildings and a mix of many cultures.
Geography
With a land area of 1.601 km2 (0.618 sq.miles, or 396 acres), the 4th arrondissement is the third smallest arrondissement in the city.
It is bordered to the west by the 1st arrondissement, to the north by the 3rd, to the east by the 11th and 12th, and to the south by the Seine and the 5th.
Demographics
The peak of population of the 4th arrondissement occurred before 1861, though the arrondissement was defined in its current shape only since the re-organization of Paris in 1860. In 1999, the population was 30,675, and the arrondissement hosted 41,424 jobs.
Historical population
Year (of French censuses)
Population
Density (inh. per km2)
1861 (peak of population)¹
108,520
67,783
1872
95,003
59,377
1954
70,944
41,638
1962
61,670
38,520
1968
54,029
33,747
1975
40,466
25,275
1982
33,990
21,230
1990
32,226
20,129
1999
30,675
19,160
2009
28,192
17,620
¹The peak of population in this area occurred before 1861, but the arrondissement was created in 1860, so there are not accurate figures before 1861.
Immigration
Place of birth of residents of the 4th arrondissement in 1999
1 This group is made up largely of former French settlers, such as Pieds-Noirs in Northwest Africa, followed by former colonial citizens who had French citizenship at birth (such as was often the case for the native elite in French colonies), as well as to a lesser extent foreign-born children of French expatriates. A foreign country is understood as a country not part of France in 1999, so a person born for example in 1950 in Algeria, when Algeria was an integral part of France, is nonetheless listed as a person born in a foreign country in French statistics.
2 An immigrant is a person born in a foreign country not having French citizenship at birth. An immigrant may have acquired French citizenship since moving to France, but is still considered an immigrant in French statistics. On the other hand, persons born in France with foreign citizenship (the children of immigrants) are not listed as immigrants.
The Île de la Cité has been inhabited since the 1st century BC, when it was occupied by the Parisii tribe of the Gauls. The Right Bank was first settled in the 5th century.
Since the end of the 19th century, le Marais has been populated by a significant Jewish population, the Rue des Rosiers being at the heart of its community. There are a handful of kosher restaurants, and Jewish institutions. Since the 1990s, gay culture has influenced the arrondissement, with new residents opening a number of bars and cafés in the area by the town hall.
