Hauts-de-France

Coordinates: 49°55′14″N 2°42′11″E / 49.9206°N 2.7030°E / 49.9206; 2.7030
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Template:Infobox French region Hauts-de-France[1] (French pronunciation: [o d(ə) fʁɑ̃s], translates to "Upper France" in English; Picard: Heuts-d'Franche) is a region of France created by the territorial reform of French Regions in 2014, from a merger of Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Picardy. The new region came into existence on 1 January 2016, after the regional elections in December 2015.[2] France's Conseil d'État approved Hauts-de-France as the name of the region on 28 September 2016, effective 30 September 2016.[3]

The region covers an area of more than 31,813 km2 (12,283 sq mi), and has a population of 5,973,098.[4] It borders Normandy, Grand Est, Île-de-France, Belgium (Flemish Region and Wallonia) and the United Kingdom via the English Channel.

Toponymy

The region's interim name Nord-Pas-de-Calais-Picardie was a hyphenated placename, created by hyphenating the merged regions' names—Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Picardie—in alphabetical order.[5]

On 14 March 2016, well ahead of the 1 July deadline, the Regional council decided on Hauts-de-France as the region's permanent name.[1][5] The provisional name of the region was retired on 30 September 2016, when the new name of the region, Hauts-de-France, took effect.[3]

Geography

Map of the new region with its five départements, colored according to the historical provinces as they existed until 1790.
  Artois
  Cambrai [fr]
  Other

The region borders Belgium (Flanders and Wallonia) to the northeast, the English Channel to the northwest, as well as the French regions of Grand Est to the southeast, Île-de-France to the south, and Normandy to the southwest. It is connected to the United Kingdom (England) via the Channel Tunnel.

Departments

Hauts-de-France comprises five departments: Aisne, Nord, Oise, Pas-de-Calais, and Somme.

Major communities

Lille
Amiens
View of England from Cap Gris Nez, France
  1. Lille (227,560; region prefecture)
  2. Amiens (133,448)
  3. Roubaix (94,713)
  4. Tourcoing (91,923)
  5. Dunkirk (90,995)
  6. Calais (72,589)
  7. Villeneuve-d'Ascq (62,308)
  8. Saint-Quentin (55,978)
  9. Beauvais (54,289)
  10. Valenciennes (42,691)

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "La Région a voté et s'appelle désormais Hauts-de-France" [The region has voted and is now called Hauts-de-France]. La Voix du Nord (in French). Lille. 15 March 2016. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  2. ^ "La carte à 13 régions définitivement adoptée" [The 13-region map finally adopted]. Le Monde (in French). Agence France-Presse. 17 December 2014. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  3. ^ a b Décret n° 2016-1265 du 28 septembre 2016 portant fixation du nom et du chef-lieu de la région Hauts-de-France (in French)
  4. ^ "Populations légales 2012 - Populations légales des régions". Insee. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
  5. ^ a b Loi n° 2015-29 du 16 janvier 2015 relative à la délimitation des régions, aux élections régionales et départementales et modifiant le calendrier électoral (in French)

External links

49°55′14″N 2°42′11″E / 49.9206°N 2.7030°E / 49.9206; 2.7030