Charente-Maritime - Definition


Charente-Maritime - Definition

Charente-Maritime
Details
Information
Number	17
Region	Poitou-Charentes
Prefecture	La Rochelle
Subprefectures	Jonzac Rochefort Saintes Saint-Jean-d'Ang�ly
Population - Total (1999) - Density	Ranked 39th 557,024 81 /km�
Area	6,864 km�
Arrondissements	5
Cantons	51
Communes	472
President of the general council	Claude BELOT
Location

Charente-Maritime is a d�partement on the west coast of France named after the Charente River.

Contents

History

Charente-Inf�reure was one of the 83 original departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. On September 4, 1941, it was renamed Charente-Maritime.

Geography

The land area is 6848 km².

Charente-Maritime is surrounded by the departments of Gironde, Dordogne, Charente, Deux-S�vres, and Vend�e.

The department includes the islands of Ile de R�, Ile d'Aix, and Ile d'Ol�ron.

The important rivers are the Charente, the S�vre, the Seudre, the Boutonne, the Seugne, the Gironde, and the Garonne.

Climate

The climate is mild and sunny, with less than 900 mm of precipitation per year. Average temperatures vary from 20�C in summer to 5�C in winter.

Economy

The economy of Charente-Maritime is based on three major sectors: tourism, maritime industry, and manufacturing.

During the summer months, families flock from all over Europe to bask in the sun and enjoy the local seafood.

Charente-Maritime is the headquarters of the major oyster producer Marennes-Ol�ron. Oysters cultivated here are shipped across Europe.

Rochefort is the site of shipbulding and a French naval base.

La Rochelle is a seat of major French industry. Just outside the city is a factory for the French engineering giant Alstom, where the TGV, the cars for the Paris and other metros are manufactured.

Demographics

The inhabitants of the department are called Charentais-Maritime.

Tourism

Popular destinations incude, La Rochelle, Rochefort, and Ile d'Ol�ron.

The department is served by the TGV at Surg�res and La Rochelle. It can also be reached by road by the A10 and A837.

External links

Charente Maritime website (http://www.charente-maritime.org/)
Charente Maritime News (http://ubacto.com/)
Zoo de la Palmyre (http://www.zoo-palmyre.fr/)

French d�partements
France \| Administrative divisions \| r�gions \| d�partements \| arrondissements \| cantons \| communes
01 \| 02 \| 03 \| 04 \| 05 \| 06 \| 07 \| 08 \| 09 \| 10 \| 11 \| 12 \| 13 \| 14 \| 15 \| 16 \| 17 \| 18 \| 19 \| 2A \| 2B \| 21 \| 22 \| 23 \| 24 \| 25 \| 26 \| 27 \| 28 \| 29 \| 30 \| 31 \| 32 \| 33 \| 34 \| 35 \| 36 \| 37 \| 38 \| 39 \| 40 \| 41 \| 42 \| 43 \| 44 \| 45 \| 46 \| 47 \| 48 \| 49 \| 50 \| 51 \| 52 \| 53 \| 54 \| 55 \| 56 \| 57 \| 58 \| 59 \| 60 \| 61 \| 62 \| 63 \| 64 \| 65 \| 66 \| 67 \| 68 \| 69 \| 70 \| 71 \| 72 \| 73 \| 74 \| 75 \| 76 \| 77 \| 78 \| 79 \| 80 \| 81 \| 82 \| 83 \| 84 \| 85 \| 86 \| 87 \| 88 \| 89 \| 90 \| 91 \| 92 \| 93 \| 94 \| 95
Les DOM-TOM: 971 \| 972 \| 973 \| 974 \| 975 \| 976 \| 986 \| 987 \| 988 \| French Southern Territories \| �les �parses

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This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Charente-Maritime".