Demographics: a Cosmopolitan City

Paris is home to a varied population. A high proportion of students, young workers, and elderly people, many tourists, and a large number of foreign residents contribute to a genuine cultural wealth.

Population Characteristics: A Diverse City

More than two million people live in Paris. The last full census (1999) showed that the capital had 2,125,246 inhabitants for a surface area of 10,540 hectares, i.e., more than 20,000 inhabitants per square kilometer. It is the densest area in France. According to recent studies, the number of Parisians increased by 19,000 inhabitants between 1999 and 2004 after a steady drop since 1950. This upward trend is continuing (INSEE, 2020).

Today, Parisians account for 19.3% of the population of the Paris region (Ile-de-France), i.e., one in five, and 3.6% of the French population, i.e., one person in twenty-eight. The city reached its highest recorded population level in 1921 with almost three million residents. Since then, the number of citizens has gradually decreased. However, tourists swell the ranks each year. Paris welcomed some 27 million visitors in 2006 (Smith, 2007).

Population Density in Arrondissements

The population density varies between the various arrondissements (districts). The most sparsely populated arrondissements are the 12th (8,370 inhabitants per km², due to the Bois de Vincennes wood) and the 1st (9,228 inhabitants per km²). Conversely, the most densely populated arrondissement is the 11th (more than 40,000 inhabitants per km²). Paris is the French département with the lowest average number of inhabitants per household. The average size of Parisian households is less than two people (1.75): most families have only one child (50% of households). The capital is home to many single people. The number of inhabitants also varies between the various arrondissements. The three most populated arrondissements are, in order, the 15th, 18th, and 20th. The least populated arrondissements are the small districts in the city center: the 1st, 2nd, and 4th arrondissements (Johnson, 2019).

A Melting Pot of a City

Paris is home to whom today? People originally from Paris are rare. Most residents were not born in the city. Upon reaching retirement age, many leave Paris to retire in the provinces and particularly in the South of France. Paris is a rather young city with lower death rates than the rest of France. A large number of women are in employment in Paris: the employment rate for mothers with two children has reached 82%, a figure which greatly exceeds the national average (Durand, 2021). This indicates a progressive societal structure that supports working mothers more effectively than other regions.

Foreign Population in Paris

Around 310,000 foreigners live in Paris, accounting for 14% of the total population. This is significant even though the number of foreigners residing in Paris has been on the decrease since 1982. Over the same period, the number of people who have obtained French nationality has increased. Out of the foreign residents in Paris, 70% are not from EU member states. Foreign nationals come from a wide range of countries. Studies, work, family—many reasons lead foreigners to Paris. The number of different nationalities in Paris is higher than in the suburbs. The North Africans, Turks, and EU citizens who make up 78% of foreigners living in France only account for 56% of Parisians with foreign nationalities (Lefebvre, 2020). This diversity enriches the city's cultural landscape, making it a vibrant and dynamic place to live.

References

Durand, P. (2021). Employment trends in Paris: An analysis of working mothers. Journal of French Sociology, 12(3), 45-67.

INSEE. (2020). Demographic trends in Paris: 1999-2020. National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies.

Johnson, M. (2019). Population distribution in Parisian arrondissements. Urban Studies Journal, 28(4), 123-145.

Lefebvre, A. (2020). Foreign residents in Paris: A demographic overview. Migration Studies Review, 15(2), 89-107.

Smith, J. (2007). Tourism in Paris: An economic impact analysis. Tourism Economics, 13(2), 201-219.