Haute-Garonne (; oc, Nauta Garona, ; en, Upper Garonne) is a
department in the
Occitanie Occitanie may refer to:
*Occitania, a region in southern France called ''Occitanie'' in French
*Occitania (administrative region)
Occitania ( ; french: Occitanie ; oc, Occitània ; ca, Occitània ) is the southernmost administrative region of ...
region
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...
of Southwestern France. Named after the river
Garonne
The Garonne (, also , ; Occitan, Catalan, Basque, and es, Garona, ; la, Garumna
or ) is a river of southwest France and northern Spain. It flows from the central Spanish Pyrenees to the Gironde estuary at the French port of Bordeaux – ...
, which flows through the department. Its
prefecture and main city is
Toulouse
Toulouse ( , ; oc, Tolosa ) is the prefecture of the French department of Haute-Garonne and of the larger region of Occitania. The city is on the banks of the River Garonne, from the Mediterranean Sea, from the Atlantic Ocean and from Par ...
, the country's fourth-largest. In 2019, it had a population of 1,400,039.
[Populations légales 2019: 31 Haute-Garonne]
INSEE
History
Haute-Garonne is one of the original 83 departments created during the
French Revolution
The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are considere ...
on 4 March 1790. It was created from part of the former provinces of
Languedoc
The Province of Languedoc (; , ; oc, Lengadòc ) is a former province of France.
Most of its territory is now contained in the modern-day region of Occitanie in Southern France. Its capital city was Toulouse. It had an area of approximately ...
and
Guyenne
Guyenne or Guienne (, ; oc, Guiana ) was an old French province which corresponded roughly to the Roman province of '' Aquitania Secunda'' and the archdiocese of Bordeaux.
The name "Guyenne" comes from ''Aguyenne'', a popular transformation o ...
/
Gascony.
The department was originally larger. The reduction in its area resulted from an
imperial
Imperial is that which relates to an empire, emperor, or imperialism.
Imperial or The Imperial may also refer to:
Places
United States
* Imperial, California
* Imperial, Missouri
* Imperial, Nebraska
* Imperial, Pennsylvania
* Imperial, Texa ...
decree dated 21 November 1808 and which established the neighbouring department of
Tarn-et-Garonne
Tarn-et-Garonne (; oc, Tarn e Garona ) is a department in the Occitania region in Southern France. It is traversed by the rivers Tarn and Garonne, from which it takes its name. The area was originally part of the former provinces of Quercy and ...
, to the north. The new department, created in response to the pleadings of various locally powerful politicians, took territory from five surrounding departments including Haute-Garonne. The districts lost to Tarn-et-Garonne in 1808 were those of
Montech
Montech (; oc, Montuèg) is a commune in the Tarn-et-Garonne department in the Occitanie region in southern France.
On the Canal de Garonne
Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or river engineering, engineered channel (geo ...
and
Castelsarrasin
Castelsarrasin (; oc, Los Sarrasins) is a commune in the Tarn-et-Garonne department in Occitanie region of France. The inhabitants are called ''Castelsarrasinois''. It is the second most populous commune in Tarn-et-Garonne after Montauban. I ...
.
Geography
![Haute-Garonne](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/00/Haute-Garonne.jpg)
Haute-Garonne is part of the current
region
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...
of
Occitanie Occitanie may refer to:
*Occitania, a region in southern France called ''Occitanie'' in French
*Occitania (administrative region)
Occitania ( ; french: Occitanie ; oc, Occitània ; ca, Occitània ) is the southernmost administrative region of ...
and is surrounded by the departments of
Hautes-Pyrénées,
Gers,
Tarn-et-Garonne
Tarn-et-Garonne (; oc, Tarn e Garona ) is a department in the Occitania region in Southern France. It is traversed by the rivers Tarn and Garonne, from which it takes its name. The area was originally part of the former provinces of Quercy and ...
,
Tarn,
Aude, and
Ariège. It also borders
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
in the south (
province of Lleida and
province of Huesca
Huesca ( an, Uesca, ca, Osca), officially Huesca/Uesca, is a province of northeastern Spain, in northern Aragon. The capital is Huesca.
Positioned just south of the central Pyrenees, Huesca borders France and the French Departments of Haute-G ...
). According to the
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
, the Haute-Garonne department has
Oceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ( ...
,
Subarctic climate and
Polar climate.
The department is crossed by the upper course of the
Garonne
The Garonne (, also , ; Occitan, Catalan, Basque, and es, Garona, ; la, Garumna
or ) is a river of southwest France and northern Spain. It flows from the central Spanish Pyrenees to the Gironde estuary at the French port of Bordeaux – ...
river (hence the name) for nearly . The borders of the department follow the river. The Garonne enters France from Spain at the town of Fos, and goes through
Toulouse
Toulouse ( , ; oc, Tolosa ) is the prefecture of the French department of Haute-Garonne and of the larger region of Occitania. The city is on the banks of the River Garonne, from the Mediterranean Sea, from the Atlantic Ocean and from Par ...
and leaves the department. The extreme south of the department lies in the
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees (; es, Pirineos ; french: Pyrénées ; ca, Pirineu ; eu, Pirinioak ; oc, Pirenèus ; an, Pirineus) is a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. It extends nearly from its union with the Cantabrian Mountains to C ...
mountain range and is very mountainous. The highest elevation is the Peak of Perdiguère, at above sea level.
Demographics
The inhabitants of the department are called ''Haut-Garonnais''. The greatest population concentration is around
Toulouse
Toulouse ( , ; oc, Tolosa ) is the prefecture of the French department of Haute-Garonne and of the larger region of Occitania. The city is on the banks of the River Garonne, from the Mediterranean Sea, from the Atlantic Ocean and from Par ...
. The south of the department is quite sparsely populated. Overall the department had a population of 1.4 million as of the 2019
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
. Young people are well represented with 55% of the population under the age of 40 and of those, 16% are between the ages of 20 and 29. This is in part because Toulouse is an important
university
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...
town. The department has also received significant migration from other parts of the country.
Principal towns
The most populous commune is
Toulouse
Toulouse ( , ; oc, Tolosa ) is the prefecture of the French department of Haute-Garonne and of the larger region of Occitania. The city is on the banks of the River Garonne, from the Mediterranean Sea, from the Atlantic Ocean and from Par ...
, the prefecture. As of 2019, there are 8 communes with more than 15,000 inhabitants:
[
]
Politics
This department was the political base of former Prime Minister Lionel Jospin
Lionel Robert Jospin (; born 12 July 1937) is a French politician who served as Prime Minister of France from 1997 to 2002.
Jospin was First Secretary of the Socialist Party from 1995 to 1997 and the party's candidate for President of France in ...
.
Departmental Council of Haute-Garonne
The Departmental Council of Haute-Garonne comprises 54 seats. In the 2015 departmental elections, the Socialist Party
Socialist Party is the name of many different political parties around the world. All of these parties claim to uphold some form of socialism, though they may have very different interpretations of what "socialism" means. Statistically, most of t ...
(PS) won 48 seats. The Republicans secured the remaining 6 seats. The President of the Departmental Council has been Georges Méric (PS) since 2015.
Members of the National Assembly
Haute-Garonne elected the following members of the National Assembly
In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the rep ...
during the 2017 legislative election:
Tourism
Main sights
Haute-Garonne's main sights include:
File:Toulouse Capitole Night Wikimedia Commons.jpg, The Capitole de Toulouse
300px, The Capitole back side
The Capitole de Toulouse ( oc, Capitòli de Tolosa, link=no; ), commonly known as the ''Capitole'', is the heart of the municipal administration of the French city of Toulouse and its city hall.
__NOTOC__
His ...
at night
Laréole - Le chateau - Façade Nord Ouest.jpg, Château de Laréole
File:Bagnères-de-Luchon vue Pyrénées.JPG, The Pyrenees
The Pyrenees (; es, Pirineos ; french: Pyrénées ; ca, Pirineu ; eu, Pirinioak ; oc, Pirenèus ; an, Pirineus) is a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. It extends nearly from its union with the Cantabrian Mountains to C ...
mountain range seen from Bagnères-de-Luchon
Bagnères-de-Luchon (; oc, Banhèras de Luishon), also referred to as just Luchon, is a commune and spa town in the Haute-Garonne department in the Occitanie region of south-western France.
The inhabitants of the commune are known as ''Lucho ...
File:Lac d'OO-01.jpg, Lac d'Oô
File:Ariane 5 at Cite de l'Espace 2.jpg, Cité de l'espace
The Cité de l'espace ( French for Space City) is a scientific discovery centre in France focused on spaceflight. It was opened in June 1997 and is located on the eastern outskirts of Toulouse. , there had been more than four million visitors.
...
Winter sports
The department has four ski
A ski is a narrow strip of semi-rigid material worn underfoot to glide over snow. Substantially longer than wide and characteristically employed in pairs, skis are attached to ski boots with ski bindings, with either a free, lockable, or partia ...
resorts:
* Peyragudes (1600 m -2450 m), 55 km of slopes
* Luchon-Superbagnères (1440 m - 2260 m), 30 km of slopes
* Le Mourtis (1380 m - 1816 m), 22 km of slopes
* Bourg-d'Oueil (1350 m - 1500 m)
See also
* Cantons of the Haute-Garonne department The following is a list of the 27 cantons of the Haute-Garonne department, in France, following the French canton reorganisation which came into effect in March 2015:
* Auterive
* Bagnères-de-Luchon
* Blagnac
* Castanet-Tolosan
* Castelginest ...
* Communes of the Haute-Garonne department
* Arrondissements of the Haute-Garonne department
The 3 Arrondissements of France, arrondissements of the Haute-Garonne Departments of France, department are:
# Arrondissement of Muret, (Subprefectures in France, subprefecture: Muret) with 126 Communes of France, communes. The population of the a ...
References
External links
*
Departmental Council website
*
Prefecture website
*
Tourism website
*
Photography Panoramics 360° website
{{Authority control
1790 establishments in France
Departments of Occitania (administrative region)
Occitanie region articles needing translation from French Wikipedia
Massif Central
States and territories established in 1790