Ardennes (département)

Ardennes
Details
Information
Number	08
Region	Champagne-Ardenne
Prefecture	Charleville-Mézières
Subprefectures	Rethel Sedan Vouziers
Population - Total (1999) - Density	Ranked 75th 290,130 55 /km²
Area	5,229 km²
Arrondissements	4
Cantons	37
Communes	463
President of the general council	XX
Location

Ardennes is a département in the northeast of France named after the Ardennes area.

Contents

1 History

2 Geography

3 Demographics

4 Miscellaneous topics

5 External links

History

The department was one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. It is constituted of parts of the former provinces of Champagne and Argonne, and the principality of Sedan.

The area has been the location of much fighting, both in World War I and in World War II, such as the Battle of the Ardennes and the Battle of the Bulge.

Geography

The department is surrounded by the French departments of Meuse, Marne, and Aisne and by Belgium on the north.

Situated in the Ardennes uplands on the border with Belgium, the department of Ardennes includes many areas of very dense woodland.

The principal river is the Meuse River.

Demographics

The population of Ardennes has been in steady decrease since 1982 due to exodus to the cities. With 1.3 million people and a density of 52/km², it is one of France's least populated regions.

Miscellaneous topics

List of the communes of the Ardennes département