Loire-Atlantique
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Loire-Atlantique | |
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The Loire-Atlantique coat of arms | |
Location | |
Administration | |
Département number: | 44 |
Région: | Pays-de-la-Loire |
Préfecture: | Nantes |
Sub-Préfectures: | Ancenis Châteaubriant Saint-Nazaire |
Arrondissements: | 4 |
Cantons: | 59 |
Communes: | 221 |
Conseiller Général: | Patrick Mareschal |
Statistics | |
Population | Ranked 13th |
-Jan.1, 2004 estimate -March 8, 1999 census |
1,192,176 1,134,266 |
Population density: | 175/km² |
Land area¹: | 6,815 km² |
¹ French Land Register data, which exclude estuaries, and lakes, ponds, and glaciers larger than 1 km². | |
Loire-Atlantique (formerly Loire-Inférieure) is a département on the west coast of France named after the Loire River and the Atlantic Ocean.
Contents |
[edit] History
Loire-Inférieure was one of the original 83 départements created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. It was renamed in 1957. It was originally part of Brittany, and contains what many people consider to be Brittany's capital, Nantes. There is a popular campaign to have it reintegrated in Brittany.
[edit] Geography
Loire-Atlantique is part of the current region of Pays-de-la-Loire and is surrounded by the départements of Morbihan, Ille-et-Vilaine, Maine-et-Loire, and Vendée, with the Atlantic on the west.
[edit] Culture
The Breton language is an important issue, with many supporting bilingual education.
[edit] See also
- Cantons of the Loire-Atlantique département
- Communes of the Loire-Atlantique département
- Arrondissements of the Loire-Atlantique département
[edit] External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: |
- Prefecture website (in French)
- Conseil Général website (in French)
- Nantes City website (in French)