Loire

Loire
Missing image Blason_france_Loire_petit.jpg Coat of Arms de la Loire Details
Information
Number	42
Region	Rhône-Alpes
Prefecture	Saint-Étienne
Subprefectures	Montbrison Roanne
Population  - Total (1999)  - Density	Ranked 27th 728,524 152 /km²
Area	4,781 km²
Arrondissements	3
Cantons	40
Communes	327
President of the general council	Pascal Clément
Location

Loire is a département in the east-central part of France occupying the Loire River's upper reaches.

History

Loire was created in 1793 when the original department of Rhône-et-Loire was split.

Its capitals have been the following:

• Feurs from 1793-1795
• Montbrison from 1795-1855
• Saint-Étienne since 1855

Geography

Loire is part of the current region of Rhône-Alpes and is surrounded by the departments of Rhône, Isère, Ardèche, Haute-Loire, Puy-de-Dôme, Allier, and Saône-et-Loire.

The Loire crosses the department from south to north.

Demographics

The inhabitants of the department are called Ligériens.

The industrial city of Saint-Étienne with its suburbs contains some 290,000 of the area's 728,542 inhabitants.

External links

• Prefecture website (http://www.loire.pref.gouv.fr/) (in French)
• Conseil Général website (http://www.cg42.fr/) (in French)
• St. Étienne website (http://www.tourisme-st-etienne.com/site_ang/index.htm) (in English)

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