Pyrénées-Atlantiques
Encyclopedia : P : PY : PYR : Pyrénées-Atlantiques
| Pyrénées-Atlantiques | |
|---|---|
|
Details | |
| Information | |
| Number | 64 |
| Region | Aquitaine |
| Prefecture | Pau |
| Subprefectures | Bayonne Oloron-Sainte-Marie |
| -1999 -Population density>Density | Ranked 37th 600,018 78/km² |
| Area | 7645 km² |
| Arrondissements | 3 |
| Cantons | 52 |
| Communes | 547 |
| President of the General Council | Jean-Jacques Lasserre |
| Location | |
| |
Pyrénées-Atlantiques (Gascon: Pirenèus-Atlantics; Basque: Pirinio-Atlantiarrak or Pirinio-Atlantikoak) is a département in the southwest of France which takes its name from the Pyrenees mountains and the Atlantic Ocean.
History
Basses-Pyrénées was one of the original 83 départements created during the French Revolution, on March 4, 1790. It was created from parts of the former provinces of Guyenne, Béarn, and Gascony and included the three traditional provinces of the northern Basque Country: Labourd, Soule and Basse-Navarre.
The previous history of the region, under the Ancien Régime, can be found at those individual articles.
On October 10, 1969, Basses-Pyrénées was renamed Pyrénées-Atlantiques.
Geography
Pyrénées-Atlantiques is part of the Aquitaine région of Southwest France. It is bordered by the Landes, Hautes-Pyrénées , Gers département and the Atlantic Ocean .
Principal settlements include Pau, Biarritz, Bayonne, Anglet and St-Jean-de-Luz.
Economy
Demographics
Culture
The parts of the department that were part of Guyenne and Béarn have a culture heavily influenced by the Basques.Both the Gascon language and the Basque language are indigenous languages.
See also
- Cantons of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques département
- Communes of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques département
- Arrondissements of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques département
External links
- [Prefecture website] (in French)
- [Conseil Général website] (In French)
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