Loire-Atlantique

French department

Loire-Atlantique is a department in France. It is in the Pays de la Loire region. Its capital is Nantes, which is also the region's capital. The department gets its name from the river which goes through it (la Loire), and because it is next to the Atlantic Ocean.

Loire-Atlantique
Liger-Atlantel  (Breton)
Prefecture building in Nantes
Prefecture building in Nantes
Flag of Loire-Atlantique
Coat of arms of Loire-Atlantique
Location of Loire-Atlantique in France
Location of Loire-Atlantique in France
Coordinates: 47°20′N 1°40′W / 47.333°N 1.667°W / 47.333; -1.667
CountryFrance
RegionPays de la Loire
PrefectureNantes
SubprefecturesChâteaubriant
Saint-Nazaire
Government
 • President of the Departmental CouncilMichel Menard[1] (PS)
Area
 • Total6,881 km2 (2,657 sq mi)
Population
 (Jan. 2019)[2]
 • Total1,429,272
 • Rank9th
 • Density210/km2 (540/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Department number44
Arrondissements3
Cantons31
Communes207
^1 French Land Register data, which exclude estuaries, and lakes, ponds, and glaciers larger than 1 km2

History change

Loire Atlantique is one of the first 83 departments of France created in 1790. It used to be called Loire-Inférieure. It got its new name in 1957.

The department was part of Brittany until 1941 when the Vichy Governement separated it. Many people still think it is Brittany's capital. Some want it to be part of Brittany again.

Geography change

Loire-Atlantique is next to 4 departements:

West of it is the Atlantic Ocean.

References change

  1. "Répertoire national des élus: les conseillers départementaux". data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises (in French). 4 May 2022.
  2. "Téléchargement du fichier d'ensemble des populations légales en 2019". The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2020.

Other websites change

  Media related to Loire-Atlantique at Wikimedia Commons