Arrondissement of Paris | |
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Country | France |
Region | Île-de-France |
Department | Paris |
Cantons | 20 |
Communes | 1 |
Préfecture | Paris |
Area¹ | |
• Total | 105 km2 (41 sq mi) |
Population (2009) | |
• Total | 2,234,105 |
• Density | 21,000/km2 (55,000/sq mi) |
¹ French Land Register data, which exclude lakes, ponds, and glaciers larger than 1 km² as well as the estuaries of rivers. |
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The city of Paris is divided into twenty arrondissements municipaux, administrative districts, more simply referred to as arrondissements (pronounced [aʁɔ̃dismɑ̃] in French). These are not to be confused with departmental arrondissements, which subdivide the 101 French départements. The word "arrondissement", when applied to Paris, refers almost always to the municipal arrondissements listed below. The number of the arrondissement is indicated by the last two digits in most Parisian postal codes (75001 up to 75020).
The twenty arrondissements are arranged in the form of a clockwise spiral (often likened to a snail shell), starting from the middle of the city, with the first on the Right Bank (north bank) of the Seine. The French cities of Lyon and Marseille have, more recently, also been subdivided into arrondissements.
In French, notably on street signs, the number is often given in Roman numerals. For example, the Eiffel Tower belongs to the VIIe arrondissement while Gare de l'Est is in the Xe arrondissement.
Notes:
1. With the Bois de Vincennes
2. Without the Bois de Vincennes
3. With the Bois de Boulogne
4. Without the Bois de Boulogne
5. 2005 is the year of the most recent official estimate; population of these arrondissements may still be growing
Each arrondissement is subdivided administratively into four quartiers. Paris thus has eighty quartiers administratifs, each containing a police station. For a table giving the names of the eighty quartiers, see Quarters of Paris.