Montérégie

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Montérégie is an administrative region in the southwestern corner of Quebec. It includes the cities of Boucherville, Brossard, Granby, Longueuil, Sorel-Tracy, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, and Saint-Hyacinthe.

The majority of the population lives near the Saint Lawrence River, on the south shore of Montreal.

The region has a population of 1,403,360 (2007 estimates) on 11,127.74 km² (4,296.44 sq mi) of land, giving a population density of 126.1 hab/km² (326.6 hab/sq mi). In August 2004, unemployment was 7.9%.

Montérégie is named for the Monteregian Hills, which are in turn named for Mount Royal.

The Monteregie region was populated by the Iroquois when the Europeans first came here in the beginning of the VII century. Samuel de Champlain built here a few forts to do protect the colonists against the Iroquois and against the British. Some of the battles which decided the destiny of Canada, took place in Monteregie.

Monteregie is also well-known for its vineyards, orchards, spectacular panoramas, delicious products, and, of course, for the Monteregian Mountains or Hills, which gave this land its name.