Pyrenées-Orientales (Eastern Pyrenees) is a département of southern France adjacent to the northern Spanish frontier and the Mediterranean Sea.
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 |
2 Administration 3 Geography 4 Economy 5 Demographics 6 Culture 7 Miscellaneous topics 8 External links |
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.
Pyrenées-Orientales is grouped with neighbouring Aude and three other départements to the north-east in the region of Languedoc-Roussillon.
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.
Pyrénées-Orientales is a wine-growing area and a tourist destination.
The Catalan language is estimated to be spoken by rather more than a quarter of the population and understood by more than 40%.
Places of interest include:
History
Administration
Geography
Economy
Demographics
Culture
Miscellaneous topics