Dordogne facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dordogne
Department
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)
ISO 3166 code	FR-24
Arrondissements	4
Cantons	25
Communes	545
Website	www.dordogne.fr

Dordogne (Occitan: Dordonha) is a department in the southwest of France. It is named after the Dordogne river that runs through the department.

The department is in the region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. It is between the valley of the Loire river and the Pyrenees. Its prefecture (capital) is Périgueux.

History

Dordogne was formed during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790 with parts of the old province of Périgord. It was divided into nine districts: Belvès, Bergerac, Excideuil, Montignac, Montpon, Nontron, Périgueux, Ribérac and Sarlat.

Bergerac, Périgueux and Sarlat-la-Canéda were alternatively the capital of the department but later it was decided that only Périgueux would be the capital.

Geography

Dordogne is part of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. It is the third largest department of Metropolitan France, after Gironde and Landes. It has an area of 9,060 km² (3,498 sq mi).

The department is bordered by seven departments in two regions:

• Nouvelle-Aquitaine region
  • Charente
  • Charente-Maritime
  • Corrèze
  • Gironde
  • Lot-et-Garonne
  • Haute-Vienne
• Occitanie region
  • Lot

	Charente		Haute-Vienne
	Charente-Maritime		Corrèze
		Dordogne
	Gironde	Lot-et-Garonne	Lot

The main river in the department is the Dordogne that gives its name to the department. It runs from east to west through the department. Other rivers are the Isle and the Vézère, both tributaries of the Dordogne.

The highest point in the department is the southwestern summit of the Forêt de Vieillecour (45°34′41″N 1°1′55″E / 45.57806°N 1.03194°E / 45.57806; 1.03194 (Forêt de Vieillecour - Sommet Sud-ouest)), in northwestern Massif Central near the border with the Haute-Vienne department, with an altitude of 475 m (1,558 ft). The lowest point is in the valley of the Dordogne river and is 16 m (52 ft) high.

Administration

Dordogne is part of the region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. It is managed by the Departamental Council of Dordogne in Périgueux.

Administrative divisions

There are 4 arrondissements (districts), 25 cantons and 520 communes (municipalities) in Dordogne.

The following is a list of the 25 cantons of the Dordogne department (with their INSEE codes), following the French canton reorganisation which came into effect in March 2015:

Demographics

The inhabitants of Dordogne are known, in French, as Dordognais (women: Dordognaises). They are also known as Périgordins or Périgoudins.

in 2014, the department of Dordogne had a population of 416,350, for a population density of 46.0 inhabitants/km². The arrondissement of Périgueux, with 189,301 inhabitants, is by far the largest. The other three, Bergerac, Nontron and Sarlat-la-Canéda, have respectively 111,875, 40,508 and 74,666 inhabitants.

Evolution of the population in Dordogne

The cities in the department with more of 5,000 inhabitants are:

Gallery

• 

  The river Isle at Périgueux.

• 

  Bergerac and the Dordogne river.

• 

  Porte des Tours, Domme

• 

  Castle of Nontron.

• 

  8 Mai 1945 square, Sarlat.

Related pages

• Arrondissements of the Dordogne department
• Communes of the Dordogne department

Images for kids

• 

  The river Dordogne near Castelnaud-la-Chapelle

• 

  Périgueux

• 

  Château de Beynac

• 

  Lascaux

• 

  Canoeing on the river Dordogne (river)

• 

  La Roque-Gageac

• 

  Cabanes du Breuil

See also

In Spanish: Dordoña (departamento) para niños