Pyrenées-Orientales (Eastern Pyrenees) is a département of southern France adjacent to the northern Spanish frontier and the Mediterranean Sea.

Pyrénées-Orientales
Region Languedoc-Roussillon
Number 66
Préfecture Perpignan
Sous-préfectures Céret, Prades
Area
 - Total
 - % water

xx,xxx km²
xx%
Population
 - Total (Year)
 - Density

xxx,xxx
xxx/km²

Table of contents
1 History
2 Administration
3 Geography
4 Economy
5 Demographics
6 Culture
7 Miscellaneous topics
8 External links

History

Pyrénées-Orientales corresponds largely to the former province of Roussillon (French Catalonia), which it replaced in 1790. See also: Cerdanya.

For history to 1790, see Roussillon.

Invaded by Spain in April 1793, the area was recaptured thirteen months later.

Administration

Pyrenées-Orientales is grouped with neighbouring Aude and three other départements to the north-east in the region of Languedoc-Roussillon.

Geography

Pyrénées-Orientales has an area of 4115 sq. km. and a population of 400,000, of whom just over a quarter live in the capital, Perpignan (Catalan Perpinyà). Other towns include Argelès-sur-Mer, Thuir, Elne (the ancient Illiberis) and Prades (Catalan Prada de Conflent), each of 6-10,000 inhabitants.

Pyrenées-Orientales consists of three river valleys in the Pyrenees mountain range - from north to south, those of the Agly, Têt and Tech - and the eastern Plain of Roussillon into which they converge. Most of the population and agricultural production are concentrated in the plain, with only 30% of the area.

The upper Tech valley comprises the département's westernmost third, with just over a tenth of the total population. To the south-east, the Têt valley and the Côte Vermeille contain nearly 100,000 inhabitants. The Agly basin in the north-east has much in common with neighboring areas of Aude.

Economy

Pyrénées-Orientales is a wine-growing area and a tourist destination.

Demographics

The Catalan language is estimated to be spoken by rather more than a quarter of the population and understood by more than 40%.

Culture

Places of interest include:

Miscellaneous topics

External links