Pyrénées-Orientales? |
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| Pyrénées-Orientales | |
|---|---|
Coat of Arms of Pyrénées-Orientales Details |
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| Information | |
| Number | 66 |
| Region | Languedoc-Roussillon |
| Prefecture | Perpignan |
| Subprefectures | Céret Prades |
| Population -Total (1999) -Density |
Ranked 57th 392,803 95/km² |
| Area | 4116 km² |
| Arrondissements | 3 |
| Cantons | 31 |
| Communes | 226 |
| President of the General Council |
Christian Bourquin |
| Location | |
Location of Pyrénées-Orientales in France |
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Pyrénées-Orientales (Eastern Pyrenees, Catalan: Pirineus Orientals) is a département of southern France adjacent to the northern Spanish frontier and the Merranean Sea.
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History
Pyrénées-Orientales corresponds largely to the former province of Roussillon (French Catalonia), which it replaced in 1790. See also: Cerdagne.
For history to 1790, see Roussillon.
Invaded by Spain in April 1793, the area was recaptured thirteen months later.
Administration
Pyrénées-Orientales is grouped with neighbouring Aude and three other départements to the north-east in the region of Languedoc-Roussillon.
Geography
Pyrénées-Orientales has an area of 4115 sq. km. and a population of 400,000, of whom just over a quarter live in the capital, Perpignan (Catalan Perpinyà). Other towns include Argelès-sur-Mer, Thuir, Elne (the ancient Illiberis) and Prades (Catalan Prada de Conflent), each of 6-10,000 inhabitants.
Pyrénées-Orientales consists of three river valleys in the Pyrenees mountain range - from north to south, those of the Agly, Têt and Tech - and the eastern Plain of Roussillon into which they converge. Most of the population and agricultural production are concentrated in the plain, with only 30% of the area.
The upper Tech valley comprises the département's westernmost third, with just over a tenth of the total population. To the south-east, the Têt valley and the Côte Vermeille contain nearly 100,000 inhabitants. The Agly basin in the north-east has much in common with neighboring areas of Aude.
Economy
Pyrénées-Orientales is a winerowing area and a tourist destination.
Demographics
The French language is spoken by all the population.
The Catalan language is estimated to be spoken by rather more than a quarter of the population and understood by more than 40%, due both to the Catalan history of the region and the proximity of the principality of Catalonia, where Catalan is official.
Culture
Places of interest include:
- Prades (Catalan Prada de Conflent) - site of the Catalan Summer University (Universitat Catalana d'Estiu).
- Banyuls-sur-Mer (Catalan Banyuls de la Marenda) famous for its Muscat wine, birth place of Aristide Maillol.
- Prats de Molló - important defensive castle of the 17th century facing south to the Pyrenees.
- Salses - important defensive castle of the 16th century, on the ancient frontier with Spain.
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