Pyrénées-Atlantiques

The department of Pyrénées- Atlantiques listen? / I [ Pirene ( z) atlɑtik ] (Basque Pirinio Atlantikoak ) is a French department of atomic number 64, it is located in the extreme southwest of the country in the Aquitaine region and to the Atlantic Ocean and the Pyrenees named.

Geography

The department is located in the southern part of the Aquitaine region on the border with Spain. It is bordered to the north by the Landes department, in the north- east by the department of Gers and on the east by the department of Hautes -Pyrénées, both in the Midi -Pyrénées in the south to the Spanish Autonomous Community of Aragon, on the southwest by the Spanish Autonomous Community of Navarre and to the west by the Spanish Autonomous Community of Basque Country and to the Bay of Biscay.

The department takes place in the south to the Pyrenees mountain range, highest peak is 2974 m Pic Palas on the border of the Hautes -Pyrénées and Aragon. Most important rivers are the Gave d' Oloron and the Gave de Pau, run both as the main watercourses from the Pyrenees to the northwest, unite just across the border to the Landes department for gaves Réunis, rather that on the boundary of the two departments in the Adour opens. The Adour is the Territory border to Bayonne and Anglet and finally flows between Tarnos into the Atlantic. The far south of the département is protected as a National Park Pyrenees.

Coat of arms

Description: In gevierten shield is in field 1 in red the golden Navarrakette in gold two blaugehörnte red bulls with blue bell at just colored collar, the third field is split into gold and blue and one shows a red lion a long equal dyed in field 2 staff in his right paw holding and on the other a golden lily, in the lower left box in red a golden lion.

History

The department was formed during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790 the historical provinces of Béarn, Labourd, Soule and belonging to France part of the Kingdom of Navarre ( Niedernavarra, French Basse- Navarre ). While the Béarn is attributable to the historical territory of the Gascon language, include the other three historical territories to the language area of the Basque and form the French Basque country. There the argument was then made ​​that the merging of regions where two completely different languages ​​are spoken at a department would not be meaningful. This was but paid no further attention, as in an official capacity, only the French should be used anyway.

The newly formed department was given the name Basses- Pyrenees. It was subdivided into six districts (French district ), the precursors of the arrondissements. The districts were Mauléon, Oloron, Orthez, Pau, Saint-Palais and Ustaritz. The districts in turn subdivided into cantons. The department had at that time approximately 310,000 (?) Inhabitants. Capital was initially Navarrenx, finally during the year 1790 Pau, 1795 Saint-Palais and 1796 Pau.

The arrondissements of Bayonne, Mauléon, Oloron, Orthez and Pau were established on 17 February in 1800. On September 10, 1926, the arrondissements were dissolved Mauléon ( to Bayonne and Oloron ) and Orthez ( to Oloron and Pau).

On October 10, 1969, the department received its present name.

In recent decades, a division of the department of Pyrénées- Atlantiques and the creation of a separate department for the French Basque country was repeatedly called on the part of national- Basque political groups. Before the elections of 1981, the realization of this demand was even on the election promises of the Socialist Party under François Mitterrand. After the elections, this promise has not been realized because you along ethnic saw a threat to the unity of the republic in a territorial reorganization.

Cities

The most densely populated municipalities of the department of Pyrénées- Atlantiques are:

Administrative divisions

The department of Pyrénées- Atlantiques is divided into three arrondissements, 52 cantons and 547 communes:

• List of cantons in the department of Pyrénées- Atlantiques
• List of municipalities in the department of Pyrénées- Atlantiques

Traffic

The rail network originally had a length of 750 km. There were many different secondary and trams. Today, only a few lines left over from this extensive network.

Climate

The department has no meteorological station near the coast.