Limousin (région)
Encyclopedia : L : LI : LIM : Limousin (région)
- This article is about the modern French région of Limousin. For the historical province and cultural area of Limousin, see Limousin (province).
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| Capital | Limoges | ||||
| Ranked_list_of_French_regions#By_area>Land area¹ | 16,942 km² | ||||
| President of the regional council>Regional President | Jean-Paul Denanot (PS) (since 2004) | ||||
| Population - Jan.1, 2005 estimate - March 8, 1999 census - Density | (Ranked 22nd) 724,000 710,939 43/km² (2005) | ||||
| Arrondissement in France>Arrondissements | 8 | ||||
| Canton in France>Cantons | 106 | ||||
| Commune in France>Communes | 747 | ||||
| Département in France>Départements | Corrèze Creuse Haute-Vienne | ||||
| 1 French Land Register data, which exclude lakes, ponds, and glaciers larger than 1 km² (0.386 sq. mi. or 247 acres) as well as the estuaries of rivers | |||||
Formation
The Limousin région is essentially made up of two historical French provinces:- Limousin: the Corrèze département in its entirety and the central and southeastern part of Haute-Vienne. The old province of Limousin is entirely contained inside the modern Limousin région.
- Marche: most of the Creuse département and the north and northeastern part of the Haute-Vienne. The old province of Marche is almost entirely contained inside the current Limousin région, with only a small part of Marche being now in the Centre région.
- Angoumois: extreme south-west of Haute-Vienne
- Poitou: extreme west of Haute-Vienne
- Auvergne: extreme east of Creuse
- Berry: extreme north of Creuse
Population
On the European mainland, Limousin is the least populated French région. There are fewer inhabitants in Limousin than in the city of Marseilles. Limousin is often taken as an example of why French régions are too small and should be merged.The population of Limousin is declining and aging. The Creuse département holds the undesirable record of the département of France with the oldest population. However, between 1999 and 2004 the population of Limousin has slightly increased, reversing its decline for the first time in decades.
Economy
Today, Limousin is an essentially rural région. Famed for some of the best beef farming in the World; herds of Limousin cattle - a distinctive chestnut red - are a common sight in the région. In addition to cattle, the région is also a major timber producing area.The regional capital Limoges was once an industrial power-base world-renowned for its porcelain factories. Today, however, those factories are few in number.
Politics
Politically speaking, Limousin is considered a stronghold of the left, with the industrial city of Limoges, as its political centre. However, in practice, it is the département of Haute-Vienne which most strongly represents the left. Creuse tends towards the left and Corrèze tends towards the right.Geography and climate
The Limousin région is almost entirely an upland area. The lowest land is in the north-west of the région (approximately 250 m above sea level) and the highest land is roughly in the south-east (approximately 1000 m above sea level). However, the greater part of the région is above 350 m.
There are numerous important rivers in the Limousin such as the Dordogne, Vienne, Creuse and Cher. The région is well-known for the high-quality of its water and for offering first rate fishing.
Although summer temperatures often exceed 32 °C – and have even reached 40 °C – the Limousin région has a damper and milder climate than its neighbours. Winters are often long and cold, especially in the higher areas, and snow is not at all uncommon.
See also
External links
- [Limousin regional council website]
- [Art in the Limousin region]
- [History and Geography (Academy of Limoges, institutional website)]
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