Gironde(/ʒɪˈrɒnd/zhi-ROND,[3]USusually/dʒɪˈ-/ji-,[4][5]French:[ʒiʁɔ̃d];Occitan:Gironda,pronounced[dʒiˈɾundo]) is the largestdepartmentin theNouvelle-Aquitaineregionof SouthwesternFrance.Named after theGironde estuary,a major waterway, itsprefectureisBordeaux.In 2019, it had a population of 1,623,749.[6]The famousBordeaux wineregion is in Gironde. It hassix arrondissements,making it one of thedepartmentswith the most arrondissements (Nordalso has six, whilePas-de-Calaishas the most of any department, with seven).
Gironde
Gironda(Occitan) | |
|---|---|
 Prefecturebuilding inBordeaux | |
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
 Location of Gironde in France | |
| Coordinates:44°50′N0°40′W/ 44.833°N 0.667°W | |
| Country | France |
| Region | Nouvelle-Aquitaine |
| Prefecture | Bordeaux |
| Subprefectures | Arcachon Blaye Langon Lesparre-Médoc Libourne |
| Government | |
| •President of the Departmental Council | Jean-Luc Gleyze[1](PS) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 9,975 km2(3,851 sq mi) |
| Population (2021)[2] | |
| • Total | 1,654,970 |
| • Rank | 6th |
| • Density | 170/km2(430/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+1(CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2(CEST) |
| ISO 3166 code | FR-33 |
| Department number | 33 |
| Arrondissements | 6 |
| Cantons | 33 |
| Communes | 535 |
| ^1French Land Register data, which excludes estuaries and lakes, ponds and glaciers larger than 1 km2. | |
History
editGironde is one of the original 83 departments created during theFrench Revolutionon 4 March 1790. It was created from parts of theformer provincesofGuyenneandGascony.
From 1793 to 1795, the department's name was changed toBec-d'Ambèsto avoid the association with theGirondistpolitical party of the French Revolution.
In July 2022, Gironde was affected bylarge wildfires.[7]
Geography
editGironde is part of the current region ofNouvelle-Aquitaineand is surrounded by the departments ofLandes,Lot-et-Garonne,DordogneandCharente-Maritimeand theAtlantic Oceanon the west. With an area of 10,000 km2,Gironde is the largest department inmetropolitan France,and the second-largest in entireFrance.Its size is larger thanLebanonor the province ofBanten.If overseas departments are included, however, Gironde's land area is dwarfed by the 83,846 km2ofFrench Guiana.
Gironde is well known for theCôte d'Argentbeach which is Europe's longest, attracting manysurferstoLacanaueach year. It is also the birthplace ofJacques-Yves Cousteauwho studied the sea and all forms of life in water.
The Great Dune of PylainArcachon Baynear Bordeaux is the tallest sand dune in Europe.[8]
Demographics
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Principal towns
editThe most populous commune isBordeaux,the prefecture. As of 2019, there are 7 communes with more than 30,000 inhabitants:[6]
| Commune | Population (2019) |
|---|---|
| Bordeaux | 260,958 |
| Mérignac | 72,197 |
| Pessac | 65,245 |
| Talence | 43,820 |
| Villenave-d'Ornon | 36,754 |
| Saint-Médard-en-Jalles | 31,808 |
| Bègles | 30,642 |
Politics
editThe President of theDepartmental Councilis Jean-Luc Gleyze of theSocialist Party.
| Party | seats | |
|---|---|---|
| • | Socialist Party | 45 |
| The Republicans | 12 | |
| • | French Communist Party | 3 |
| Miscellaneous Right | 1 | |
| MoDem | 1 | |
| Hunting, Fishing, Nature, Tradition | 1 | |
Current National Assembly Representatives
editTourism
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Château de la Brède,birthplace ofMontesquieu -
TheGironde estuaryseen from the citadel ofBlaye -
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See also
editReferences
edit- ^"Répertoire national des élus: les conseillers départementaux".data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises(in French). 4 May 2022.
- ^"Téléchargement du fichier d'ensemble des populations légales en 2021"(in French).The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies.28 December 2023.
- ^"Gironde".LexicoUK English Dictionary.Oxford University Press.Archived fromthe originalon 2020-08-01.
- ^"Gironde".Collins English Dictionary.HarperCollins.Retrieved28 August2019.
- ^"Gironde".Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary.Merriam-Webster.Retrieved28 August2019.
- ^abPopulations légales 2019: 33 Gironde,INSEE
- ^"Wildfires in Gironde, France, burn through 10,000 hectares".Sky News.Retrieved2022-07-18.
- ^C.G. (14 August 2009). Les Adresses de Mathilde Seigner et Fabien Onteniente.Le Figaro Magazine.(in French)
- ^"Historique de la Gironde".Le SPLAF.
- ^"Évolution et structure de la population en 2016".INSEE.
- ^Nationale, Assemblée."Assemblée nationale ~ Les députés, le vote de la loi, le Parlement français".Assemblée nationale.
External links
edit- (in French)Departmental Council website
- (in French)Prefecture website
- (in English)GirondeatCurlie
- (in English)Tourism Office website