Agen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Agen
Prefecture and commune
Historical center of Agen.
Flag Coat of arms
Agen Location in France Show map of France Agen Location in Nouvelle-Aquitaine Show map of Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Country	France
Region	Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Department	Lot-et-Garonne
Arrondissement	Agen
Canton	Agen-1, 2, 3 and 4
Intercommunality	CA Agen
Area 1	11.49 km2 (4.44 sq mi)
Population  (2014)	34,126
• Density	2,970.1/km2 (7,692/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	47001 /47000
Elevation	37–162 m (121–531 ft) (avg. 100 m or 330 ft)
Website	www.agen.fr
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Agen is a city in southwestern France. It is located in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. Agen is the main city, or prefecture, of the Lot-et-Garonne area, called a department. It is also the capital of its own smaller area, the arrondissement of Agen.

The area around Agen is known as the Agenais. This natural region was once part of the old province of Aquitaine.

Exploring Agen's Location

Agen is found in the southeast part of the Lot-et-Garonne department. It sits on the eastern bank of the Garonne river and is near the Canal de Garonne. The city is about 115 kilometers (71 miles) from Toulouse and 140 kilometers (87 miles) from Bordeaux.

The city covers an area of about 11.5 square kilometers (4.4 square miles). Its average height above sea level is 100 meters (328 feet). At the city hall, it is about 50 meters (164 feet high).

Map of the city of Agen and its surroundings.

Agen is surrounded by several other towns. To the north is Foulayronnes, to the east is Bon-Encontre, and to the south is Boé. To the west, you'll find Le Passage, and to the northwest is Colayrac-Saint-Cirq.

	Colayrac-Saint-Cirq	Foulayronnes	Pont-du-Casse
	Le Passage		Bon-Encontre
		Agen
		Boé

Agen's Weather and Climate

Agen has a Marine West Coast Climate. This means it has mild winters and warm summers. It's classified as Cfb in the Köppen climate classification system.

Agen's Population and People

The people who live in Agen are called Agenais (for men) or Agenaises (for women) in French.

Agen has a population of 34,126 people. This means there are about 2,970 inhabitants per square kilometer.

How Agen's Population Has Changed

Agen is part of a larger urban area that includes 15 other towns. This urban area had a population of 81,110 people in 2013. It covers about 224.1 square kilometers (86.5 square miles). This larger area is the center of the "metropolitan area" of Agen. This even bigger area includes 64 towns and had 112,801 people in 2013.

How Agen is Governed

Agen has been the prefecture (the main city for government) of the Lot-et-Garonne department since 1790. It is also the capital of the arrondissement of Agen. The city is the administrative center for four different areas called cantons:

• Agen-1: This canton includes part of Agen and the towns of Bajamont, Foulayronnes, and Pont-du-Casse. It had 16,720 people in 2014.
• Agen-2: This canton includes another part of Agen and the towns of Boé and Bon-Encontre. It had 13,830 people in 2014.
• Agen-3: This canton is made up of only a part of Agen itself. It had 16,606 people in 2014.
• Agen-4: This canton includes a part of Agen and the town of Le Passage. It had 18,686 people in 2014.

Agen is also part of a group of towns that work together, called the Communauté d'agglomération d'Agen.

Sister Cities Around the World

Agen has special partnerships with several cities in other countries. These are called twin towns or sister cities:

• Tuapse, Russia
• Dinslaken, Germany
• Llanelli, Wales, United Kingdom
• Toledo, Spain
• Corpus Christi, United States

Fun Facts About Agen

Agen is famous for being the "capital of the prune"! Prunes are dried plums. In Agen, you can find them sold as sweet treats, sometimes filled with prune puree. They are also enjoyed as an after-dinner treat, soaked in Armagnac, which is a type of brandy. Every September, Agen hosts a special Prune festival. This festival has rock concerts, circus acts, and, of course, lots of prune tasting!

Gallery

• 

  Saint-Caprais cathedral

• 

  Prefecture of the Lot-et-Garonne department.

• 

  Agen town hall.

• 

  Musée Municipal des Beaux Arts.

• 

  Agen canal bridge.

Related pages

• Arrondissement of Agen
• Communes of the Lot-et-Garonne department

Images for kids

• 

  Alphonse, Count of Poitiers and Count of Toulouse, recognized the autonomy of the commune of Agen. In this illustration he takes an oath before the consuls with his right hand on the town ordinances, while sitting on a pedestal. The consul administering the oath is forced to go on his knees, symbolizing Alphonse's lordship and the town's loyalty.

• 

  Museum of Fine Arts seen from the Place du Dr Esquirol.

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  View of Agen, 1874-1876.

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  1877 - Agen showing the St. Caprais cathedral. Heliochrome (multilayer dichromated pigmented gelatin process). George Eastman House

See also

In Spanish: Agén para niños