Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Region
Flag Coat of arms
Country	France
Préfecture	Lyon
- coordinates	45°45′35″N 4°50′32″E / 45.75972°N 4.84222°E / 45.75972; 4.84222
Area	69,711.2 km² (26,916 sq mi)
Population	7,820,966 (2014)
Density	112 /km² (290 /sq mi)
Subdivisions	12 departments 39 arrondissements 242 cantons 4,112 communes
President	Laurent Wauquiez
Timezone	CET (UTC+1)
- summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
INSEE code	FR-84

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes is a large area in France. It is a special administrative region that was created on January 1, 2016. This happened when two older regions, Auvergne and Rhône-Alpes, joined together.

You can find this region in the central and eastern parts of southern France. Its main city and capital is Lyon.

Exploring Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Geography

The Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region is the third biggest region in Metropolitan France. It covers about 69,711 square kilometers (26,916 square miles).

It shares borders with five other French regions. These are Bourgogne-Franche-Comté to the north, Centre-Val de Loire to the northwest, Nouvelle-Aquitaine to the west, Occitanie to the southwest, and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur to the southeast.

The region also borders two other countries: Italy to the east and Switzerland to the northeast.

The landscape here is very diverse! You'll find the Massif Central mountain range in the west. To the east, there are the mighty Alps. Between these two mountain ranges, the Rhône river flows through a wide valley. Part of the Ain department is also covered by the Jura Mountains.

The capital city, Lyon, is about 465 kilometers (289 miles) southwest of Paris. Paris is the capital of France.

Major Rivers in the Region

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes has two main river systems. These rivers flow into either the Atlantic Ocean or the Mediterranean Sea.

Highest Mountains

The Mont Blanc is the tallest mountain in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. It is also the highest mountain in France, Italy, and Western Europe. Its peak reaches an amazing 4,810 meters (15,781 feet) high!

Here are the highest points in each of the region's departments:

Departments of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

The Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region is divided into 13 smaller areas called departments. Each department has its own main city, called a Prefecture.

Here is a list of the departments, their main cities, and some facts about them:

Shield	Department	Prefecture	Population (2014)	Area (km²)	Density (people/km²)
	Ain	Bourg-en-Bresse	626,127	5,762.4	108.7
	Allier	Moulins	343,062	7,340.1	46.7
	Ardèche	Privas	322,381	5,528.6	58.3
	Cantal	Aurillac	146,618	5,726.0	25.6
	Drôme	Valence	499,159	6,530.0	76.4
	Isère	Grenoble	1,243,597	7,431.5	167.3
	Loire	Saint-Étienne	757,305	4,780.6	158.4
	Haute-Loire	Le Puy-en-Velay	226,565	4,977.1	45.5
	Puy-de-Dôme	Clermont-Ferrand	644,216	7,969.7	80.8
	Rhône	Lyon	1,801,885	3,249.1	554.6
	Savoie	Chambéry	426,924	6,028.3	70.8
	Haute-Savoie	Annecy	783,127	4,387.8	178.5
Total for the Region			7,820,966	69,711.2	112.2

People and Cities

In 2014, about 7,820,966 people lived in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. This means there were about 112.2 people for every square kilometer. The department with the most people is Rhône.

Here are some of the biggest cities in the region:

Gallery

Related pages

• Auvergne
• Rhône-Alpes
• Regions of France

See also

In Spanish: Auvernia-Ródano-Alpes para niños