Lozère
The department of Lozère [ lozɛ ː ʀ ] is a French department of order number 48 It is in the south of the country in the region of Languedoc -Roussillon and is named in the National Park of the Cevennes after the mountain massif of Mont Lozère.
Geography
With a size of about 5000 km ², the department is located in the northern part of the Languedoc -Roussillon region, bordering the Cantal, Haute -Loire, Ardèche, Gard and the Aveyron. Cross runs through the south-eastern part of the department of the central mountains of the Cevennes, which in large part as a National Park ( National Park of the Cevennes, fr: Parc National des Cévennes) is reported. A special scenic attraction are the Gorges du Tarn ( canyons of the river ) dar.
The Lozere department is divided into four regions, their differences on the geological events based and give four natural scenery images:
- The Margeride: Located in the northeast of the department, it is a heavily forested granite landscape whose relief was during the early days. It formerly belonged to the county of Gevaudan and development is characterized by forests also by vast pastures and heaths. The average altitude is between 1,000 and 1,500 m above sea level The uplands are dotted with large granite blocks. The highest point is the Signal de Randon with 1,551 meters. In the past, the two reservoirs of the Lac de Charpal and the Lac de Naussac were created.
- The Aubrac: The Aubrac is a little wooded basaltic plateau in the northwest of the department, which is crossed by streams (including Bès, Rimeize ) and lakes (Lac de Salhens, Lac de Saint- Andéol etc.). Parts of the landscape extend to the neighboring departments of Cantal and Aveyron, in the northwest to the southwest. The highest point is the Signal de Mailhebiau with 1,469 m above sea level
- The Cevennes: The Cevennes foothills of the southern Massif Central, located in the south east of Lozère and are also in the field of the departments of Gard and Haute -Loire. Geologic dominated by shale, the scenery of the Cevennes by the course of streams and rivers, such as the Tarn and the Gardon, very irregularly shaped. The most important surveys are the Mont Aigoual ( 1,567 m, Gard ) and the Sommet de Finiels ( 1,699 m).
- The landscape Causses: the Grandes Causses are a limestone landscape that extends to far-reaching arid plateaus in the southwest of the department. The scenery is not as high as the Aubrac, but with several surveys with more than 1,000 meters above sea level yet to be counted among the low mountains. The Causses are geographically dominated by the gorges of the Tarn. Numerous caves and karst caves can be found in the Causses.
The Lozere department is considered the department with the highest situated settlement habitable space.
Coat of arms
Description: Blue and Gold split; sown with golden lilies front and rear four red posts.
History
The department goes back to the law of 22 December 1789 and was built on 4 March 1790. The boundaries of the department fall approximately along with those of the diocese of Gévaudan, which has been under the Ancien Régime of the province of Languedoc. The department is known as the home of cryptic beast of Gevaudan.
Population
The Lozere department with 77 156 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2011) The least populated department of France and one of the least populated areas of the European Union. With a population density of 15 inhabitants. / Km ² it is also the least populated department of France with the exception of French Guiana. Since the 19th century the population of that time more than 150,000 inhabitants has dropped to less than half of what can be explained by the highly rural nature, the inaccessible location of the department as well as with the general phenomenon of rural exodus. Since the mid- 90s of the twentieth century, however, a slight upward trend, which is particularly due to the development of the region by modern roads (highway, air traffic ).
Population development: