Hautes-alpes

Hautes-Alpes
Coat of Arms of Hautes-Alpes
Details
Information
Number05
RegionProvence-Alpes-Cte d'Azur
PrefectureGap
SubprefectureBrianon
Population
 - Total (1999)
 - Density
Ranked 98th
121,419
22 /km
Area5,549 km
Arrondissements2
Cantons30
Communes177
President of the
general council
XX
Location
Location of Hautes-Alpes in France
Hautes-Alpes is a dpartement in southeastern France named after the Alp mountain range.

History

Hautes-Alpes was one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. It consists of the southeast of the former province of Dauphin and the north of Provence. Napoleon passed through Gap when he returned to reclaim France after his exile on Elbe.

Geography

The department is surrounded by the following French departments: Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Drme, Isre, and Savoie. Italy borders it on the east. Hautes-Alpes is located in the Alps mountain range. The average elevations is over 1000 m, and the highest elevation is over 4000 m. The only three real towns are Gap, Brianon, and Embrun, which was the subprefecture until 1926. The highest commune in all of Europe is the village of Saint-Veran. Gap and Brianon are the highest prefecture and subprefecture in France. The following rivers flow through the department:
  • Durance
  • Buch
  • Drac
  • Clare
  • Sveraisse
See also: List of the communes of the Hautes-Alpes dpartement

Demographics

The inhabitants of the department are called Haut-Alpins. The extremely mountainous terrain explains the sparse population, which was originally about 120,000. It changed little during the 19th century, but fell to about 85,000 after World War I. Thanks in large part to tourism, the population has risen from 87,436 in 1962 to 121,419 in 1999, principally in the town of Gap.

Tourism

The tourist industry is largely dependent on skiing.

External links

 

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