Haute-Loire facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Haute-Loire
Department
Flag Coat of arms
Location of Haute-Loire in France
Country	France
Region	Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Département	4 March 1790
Prefecture	Le Puy-en-Velay
Subprefectures	Brioude, Yssingeaux
Area
• Total	4,977.1 km2 (1,921.7 sq mi)
Population  (2014)
• Total	226,565
• Density	45.5215/km2 (117.9001/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Altiligériens
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
ISO 3166 code	FR-43
Arrondissements	3
Cantons	19
Communes	257
Website	www.hauteloire.fr

Haute-Loire (Occitan: Naut Léger) is a département in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of south-central France. It is named after the Loire river.

History

The department of Haute-Loire was created on 4 March 1790 with three districts: Le Puy, Brioude and Yssingeaux. The capital was Le Puy. The new department was formed with territories of three historic provinces: the Languedoc, the Auvergne and the Lyonnais.

In 1800, with the creation of the arrondissements in France, the three districts were changed into three arrondissements: Le Puy, Brioude and Yssingeaux.

On 10 September 1926, the arrondissement of Yssingeaux was eliminated but became again an arrondissement in 1942.

On 18 March 1988, the name of Le Puy was changed to Le Puy-en-Velay.

Geography

The Haute-Loire is part of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. It has an area of 4,977.1 km² (1,922 sq mi).

The department is surrounded by 5 departments in 2 regions:

• Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region
  • Loire (north)
  • Puy-de-Dôme (north)
  • Ardèche (east)
  • Cantal (west)
• Occitanie region
  • Lozère (south)

	Puy-de-Dôme		Loire
	Cantal		Ardèche
		Haute-Loire
	Lozère	Lozère

The highest point in the department is Mont Mézenc (44°54′40″N 04°11′27″E / 44.91111°N 4.19083°E / 44.91111; 4.19083 (Mont Mézenc)); it is 1,753 m (5,751 ft) high. It is in the southeast of the department, on the border with the Ardèche department.

The main rivers in Haute-Loire are:

• Loire, that flows through the eastern part of the department and ends in the Atlantic Ocean. Its Drainage basin covers two-thirds of the eastern part of the department.
• Allier, a tributary of the Loire that flows through the western part of the department.

Climate

The Köppen climate classification type for the climate at Le Puy-en-Velay is an "Oceanic climate" (also known as Maritime Temperate climate) and of the subtype Cfb.

Administration

Haute-Loire is managed by the Departmental Council of Haute-Loire in Le Puy-en-Velay. The department is part of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.

Administrative divisions

There are 3 arrondissements (districts), 19 cantons and 257 communes (municipalities) in Haute-Loire.

The following is a list of the 19 cantons of the Haute-Loire department (with their INSEE codes), following the French canton reorganisation which came into effect in March 2015:

Demographics

The inhabitants of Haute-Loire are known, in French, as Altiligériens (women: Altiligériennes).

Haute-Loire had a population, in 2014, of 226,565, for a population density of 45.5 inhabitants/km². The arrondissement of Le Puy-en-Velay, with 96,041 inhabitants, is the arrondissement with more inhabitants.

Evolution of the population in Haute-Loire

The communes in the department with more inhabitants are:

Gallery

• 

  Le Puy-en-Velay

• 

  Lavaudieu

• 

  Brioude

• 

  Lavoûte-Chilhac

• 

  Polignac

Related pages

• Arrondissements of the Haute-Loire department
• Communes of the Haute-Loire department

See also

In Spanish: Alto Loira para niños