Arrondissements of the Ardèche department facts for kids
In France, a department is a large area, similar to a state or county. These departments are then split into smaller sections called arrondissements. You can think of an arrondissement as a district or a borough.
Each arrondissement has a main town or city, which is called a subprefecture. This town acts as the capital for that specific district. If the main capital city of the entire department is located within an arrondissement, then that city serves as both the department's capital (prefecture) and the arrondissement's capital (subprefecture).
Arrondissements are further divided into even smaller areas called communes. These are like local towns or villages.
The Ardèche department in France has three main arrondissements. They help organize the region and its people.
Here are the arrondissements in Ardèche:
| INSEE code |
Arrondissement | Capital | Population (2014) |
Area (km²) |
Density (Inh./km²) |
Communes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 071 | Largentière | Largentière | 98,821 | 2,511.3 | 39.4 | 153 |
| 072 | Privas | Privas | 87,774 | 1,159.4 | 75.7 | 66 |
| 073 | Tournon-sur-Rhône | Tournon-sur-Rhône | 135,786 | 1,858.0 | 73.1 | 120 |
Contents
History of Ardèche's Districts
The way the Ardèche department is organized has changed a few times over the years. Here's a quick look at its history:
Early Divisions in 1790
When the Ardèche department was first created in 1790, it was divided into seven districts. These districts were Annonay, Aubenas, L'Argentière, Privas, Tournon, Vernoux, and Villeneuve-de-Berg. The main capital city of the department, called the capital, changed between Privas, Annonay, Aubenas, Le Bourg (which is now Le Bourg-Saint-Andéol), and Tournon.
Later in August of that same year, the number of districts was reduced to just three: Mézenc, Aubenas, and Tanargue. By September, Privas became the only permanent capital for the entire department.
Creation of Arrondissements in 1800
In 1800, the system changed again. The three current arrondissements were created: Privas, L'Argentière, and Tournon. This structure has largely stayed the same since then.
Name Change for Tournon in 1988
Much later, in 1988, the arrondissement of Tournon officially changed its name to Tournon-sur-Rhône. This small change helped to better identify the area by including the name of the nearby Rhône River.
See Also
- Arrondissement of Largentière
- Arrondissement of Privas
- Arrondissement of Tournon-sur-Rhône
- List of arrondissements of France
Images for kids
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Map of arrondissements of the Ardèche department.
