Lens, Pas-de-Calais
Encyclopedia : L : LE : LEN : Lens, Pas-de-Calais
| Lens | |
|---|---|
| Country | |
| Région | Nord-Pas-de-Calais |
| Départment | Pas-de-Calais (sous-préfecture) |
| Arrondissement | Lens |
| Canton | Chief town of 3 cantons |
| INSEE | 62498 |
| Postal Code | 62300 |
| Mayor Current Term | Guy Delcourt 2001-2008 |
| Intercommunality | Communaupole de Lens-Liévin |
| Longitude | 02° 50' 00" E |
| Latitude | 50° 25' 56" N |
| Altitudes | average : minimum : 27 m maximum : 71 m |
| Area | 11.57 km² |
| Population without double-counting | 36,823 inhab. (1999) |
| Population Density | 3,182 inhab./km² |
Lens is a commune in northern France, in the Pas-de-Calais département.
Metropolitan area
Lens belongs to the communauté d'agglomération of Lens-Liévin (Communaupole) which gathers 36 communes, with a total population of 250,000 inhabitants.
Lens, along with Douai, forms the metropolitan area (in French: aire urbaine) of Douai-Lens, whose population at the 1999 census was 552,682.
Economy
The city is an industrial and mining centre and has a long history of coal mining. Surrounding the town are many large slag heaps.
Miscellaneous
The city supports a top-level football team, Racing Club de Lens.
Very close from there, the Vimy Memorial, is at Vimy Ridge.
Lens will also be from 2009 the location of the Louvre-Lens.
Famous Lensois
- Émile Basly, trade unionist then mayor of the city, died there in 1928
- Maurice Garin, first winner of Tour de France, died there in 1957
See also
External links
- [Town council website] (in French)
- [Communauté d'Agglomeration of Lens-Liévin]
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