Dordogne Facts for Kids

For other uses, see Dordogne (disambiguation).

Quick facts for kids

Dordogne

Prefecture building of the Dordogne department, in Périgueux

Flag	Coat of arms

Location of Dordogne in France

Country

France

Region

Nouvelle-Aquitaine

Département

4 March 1790

Prefecture

Périgueux

Subprefectures

Bergerac, Nontron, Sarlat-la-Canéda

Area

• Total

9,060 km² (3,500 sq mi)

Population

(2014)

• Total

416,350

• Density

45.955/km² (119.02/sq mi)

Demonym(s)

Dordognots, Périgordins

Time zone

UTC+1 (CET)

• Summer (DST)

UTC+2 (CEST)

FR-24

545

Website

www.dordogne.fr

Dordogne (Occitan: Dordonha) is a special area in the southwest of France. It is called a department. Its name comes from the Dordogne river, which flows right through it.

This department is part of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. It is located between the Loire river valley and the Pyrenees mountains. The main city, or prefecture, of Dordogne is Périgueux.

History of Dordogne: How It Was Formed
Geography of Dordogne: Land and Rivers
- Neighboring Departments: Who Borders Dordogne?
- Rivers and Highest Point in Dordogne
Administration: How Dordogne is Governed
- Administrative Divisions: How Dordogne is Organized
Demographics: People of Dordogne
- Major Cities in Dordogne
Explore Dordogne: A Photo Gallery
More About Dordogne
Images for kids
See also

History of Dordogne: How It Was Formed

Dordogne was created a long time ago, on March 4, 1790. This happened during the French Revolution. It was made from parts of an older area called Périgord.

At first, Dordogne was divided into nine smaller areas called districts. These were Belvès, Bergerac, Excideuil, Montignac, Montpon, Nontron, Périgueux, Ribérac, and Sarlat.

For a while, the main city (capital) of the department changed between Bergerac, Périgueux, and Sarlat-la-Canéda. But later, everyone decided that Périgueux would be the only capital city.

Geography of Dordogne: Land and Rivers

Dordogne is part of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. It is the third largest department in Metropolitan France, which is the part of France in Europe. Only Gironde and Landes are bigger. Dordogne covers a large area of about 9,060 square kilometers (3,498 square miles).

Neighboring Departments: Who Borders Dordogne?

Dordogne shares its borders with seven other departments. These departments are in two different regions:

Nouvelle-Aquitaine region:
Occitanie region:
- Lot

Rivers and Highest Point in Dordogne

The most important river in the department is the Dordogne river. It flows from east to west and gives the department its name. Other important rivers include the Isle and the Vézère. Both of these rivers flow into the Dordogne river.

The highest point in Dordogne is a hill called Forêt de Vieillecour. It is about 475 meters (1,558 feet) high. This spot is in the northwestern part of the Massif Central mountain range, close to the border with the Haute-Vienne department. The lowest point in Dordogne is in the Dordogne river valley, at about 16 meters (52 feet) above sea level.

Administration: How Dordogne is Governed

Dordogne is part of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. It is managed by a group called the Departmental Council of Dordogne. This council is located in Périgueux.

Administrative Divisions: How Dordogne is Organized

Dordogne is divided into smaller parts to help with its management. It has:

4 arrondissements (which are like large districts)
25 cantons (smaller administrative areas)
520 communes (which are like towns or municipalities)

Here are the four arrondissements of Dordogne:

Arrondissement	Capital	Population (2014)	Area (km²)	Communes
Bergerac	Bergerac	111,875	2,182.0	133
Nontron	Nontron	40,508	1,621.0	100
Périgueux	Périgueux	189,301	3,336.5	146
Sarlat-la-Canéda	Sarlat-la-Canéda	74,666	1,920.6	141

Demographics: People of Dordogne

The people who live in Dordogne are called Dordognais (for men) or Dordognaises (for women) in French. They are also known as Périgordins or Périgoudins.

In 2014, Dordogne had a population of 416,350 people. This means there were about 46 people living in each square kilometer. The arrondissement of Périgueux is the largest, with 189,301 people. The other three, Bergerac, Nontron, and Sarlat-la-Canéda, had 111,875, 40,508, and 74,666 people, respectively.

How the population of Dordogne has changed over time

Major Cities in Dordogne

Here are the cities in Dordogne that have more than 5,000 people:

City	Population (2014)	Arrondissement
Périgueux	30,069	Périgueux
Bergerac	27,764	Bergerac
Boulazac Isle Manoire	9,823	Périgueux
Sarlat-la-Canéda	9,127	Sarlat-la-Canéda
Coulounieix-Chamiers	8,089	Périgueux
Trélissac	6,732	Périgueux
Terrasson-Lavilledieu	6,186	Sarlat-la-Canéda
Saint-Astier	5,521	Périgueux
Montpon-Ménestérol	5,480	Périgueux