Aire urbaine
Encyclopedia
The aire urbaine is a statistical region created by the INSEE
(National statistics bureau of France) that comprises a commuter belt (couronne périurbaine
) surrounding a contiguous urban core (pôle urbain
). As defined, it is similar (though not identical) to the more general term, "metropolitan area
", used in English.
The aire urbaine is a demographic unit that is based on France's nation-wide map of abutting communes (municipalities). It centers on a core of communes (the pôle urbain
) that represents a distinct and unified connurbation, a zone of economically and socially interdependent communities displaying interconnected and unbroken urban growth.
This center forms a "pole of attraction" for a "periurban ring" or "commuter belt" (couronne périurbaine
). Communes having at least 40% of their resident populations commuting back and forth to the pôle urbain
, or commuting to other communes having the same relation to the pôle urbain
, are defined as being part of the aire urbaine commuter belt. The result is a precise demographic map of a center of urban growth and its socio-economic reach into the surrounding area.
Note that there is a slight difference between a pôle urbain
and another commonly used demographic term, the unité urbaine
(the "urban unit"). The unité urbaine
is a contiguous urban area supporting at least five thousand jobs, and the pôle urbain is an urban area
not contained within the couronne périurbaine
(commuter belt) of any other pôle urbain
.
The following is a list of the fifteen largest urban areas of France
, based on population data gathered at the 2006 census. The classification of the population is sometimes different from the INSEE number.
INSEE
INSEE is the French National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies. It collects and publishes information on the French economy and society, carrying out the periodic national census. Located in Paris, it is the French branch of Eurostat, European Statistical System...
(National statistics bureau of France) that comprises a commuter belt (couronne périurbaine
Couronne périurbaine
A couronne périurbaine, a statistical area devised by the French INSEE demographic statistics institution, describes a commuter belt area around an area of dense habitation ....
) surrounding a contiguous urban core (pôle urbain
Pôle urbain
In France, a pôle urbain is a statistical area defined by INSEE for the measurement of contiguously built-up areas...
). As defined, it is similar (though not identical) to the more general term, "metropolitan area
Metropolitan area
The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...
", used in English.
The aire urbaine is a demographic unit that is based on France's nation-wide map of abutting communes (municipalities). It centers on a core of communes (the pôle urbain
Pôle urbain
In France, a pôle urbain is a statistical area defined by INSEE for the measurement of contiguously built-up areas...
) that represents a distinct and unified connurbation, a zone of economically and socially interdependent communities displaying interconnected and unbroken urban growth.
This center forms a "pole of attraction" for a "periurban ring" or "commuter belt" (couronne périurbaine
Couronne périurbaine
A couronne périurbaine, a statistical area devised by the French INSEE demographic statistics institution, describes a commuter belt area around an area of dense habitation ....
). Communes having at least 40% of their resident populations commuting back and forth to the pôle urbain
Pôle urbain
In France, a pôle urbain is a statistical area defined by INSEE for the measurement of contiguously built-up areas...
, or commuting to other communes having the same relation to the pôle urbain
Pôle urbain
In France, a pôle urbain is a statistical area defined by INSEE for the measurement of contiguously built-up areas...
, are defined as being part of the aire urbaine commuter belt. The result is a precise demographic map of a center of urban growth and its socio-economic reach into the surrounding area.
Note that there is a slight difference between a pôle urbain
Pôle urbain
In France, a pôle urbain is a statistical area defined by INSEE for the measurement of contiguously built-up areas...
and another commonly used demographic term, the unité urbaine
Unité urbaine
In France an unité urbaine is a statistical area defined by INSEE, the French national statistics office, for the measurement of contiguously built-up areas...
(the "urban unit"). The unité urbaine
Unité urbaine
In France an unité urbaine is a statistical area defined by INSEE, the French national statistics office, for the measurement of contiguously built-up areas...
is a contiguous urban area supporting at least five thousand jobs, and the pôle urbain is an urban area
Urban area
An urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
not contained within the couronne périurbaine
Couronne périurbaine
A couronne périurbaine, a statistical area devised by the French INSEE demographic statistics institution, describes a commuter belt area around an area of dense habitation ....
(commuter belt) of any other pôle urbain
Pôle urbain
In France, a pôle urbain is a statistical area defined by INSEE for the measurement of contiguously built-up areas...
.
The following is a list of the fifteen largest urban areas of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, based on population data gathered at the 2006 census. The classification of the population is sometimes different from the INSEE number.
| Classif. | Insee number (1999) | Urban area | Population (2006) | Yearly percent change (1999–2006) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 001 | Paris Paris Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region... | 12 089 098 | +0.7% |
| 2 | 002 | Lyon Lyon Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais.... | 2 118 132 | +0.8% |
| 3 | 003 | Marseille Marseille Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of... | 1,780,095 | +0.8% |
| 4 | 004 | Lille Lille Lille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium... (figures do not include the part of Lille's metropolitan area which lies on Belgian territory) | 1,264,716 | +0.3% |
| 5 | 005 | Toulouse Toulouse Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea... | 1,256,887 | +1.9% |
| 6 | 007 | Bordeaux Bordeaux Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture... | 1,120,149 | +1.1% |
| 7 | 006 | Nice Nice Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of... | 1,091,903 | +0.9% |
| 8 | 008 | Nantes Nantes Nantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants.... | 763,118 | +1.0% |
| 9 | 009 | Strasbourg Strasbourg Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,... (figures do not include the part of Strasbourg's metropolitan area which lies on German territory, see Strasbourg-Ortenau Strasbourg-Ortenau Strasbourg-Ortenau is a Franco-German eurodistrict, a cross-border administrative entity sharing common institutions, established on 17 October 2005 and definitely functional since 4 February 2010... ) | 638,670 | +0.6% |
| 10 | 010 | Toulon Toulon Toulon is a town in southern France and a large military harbor on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur region, Toulon is the capital of the Var department in the former province of Provence.... | 595,884 | +0.8% |
| 11 | 012 | Rennes Rennes Rennes is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France. Rennes is the capital of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine department.-History:... | 571,753 | +1.3% |
| 12 | 011 | Douai Douai -Main sights:Douai's ornate Gothic style belfry was begun in 1380, on the site of an earlier tower. The 80 m high structure includes an impressive carillon, consisting of 62 bells spanning 5 octaves. The originals, some dating from 1391 were removed in 1917 during World War I by the occupying... -Lens Lens, Pas-de-Calais Lens is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. It is one of France's large Picarde cities along with Lille, Valenciennes, Amiens, Roubaix, Tourcoing, Arras, and Douai.-Metropolitan area:... | 546,723 | –0.2% |
| 13 | 014 | Grenoble Grenoble Grenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère... | 531,440 | +0.5% |
| 14 | 013 | Rouen Rouen Rouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages... | 523,236 | +0.1% |
| 15 | 015 | Montpellier Montpellier -Neighbourhoods:Since 2001, Montpellier has been divided into seven official neighbourhoods, themselves divided into sub-neighbourhoods. Each of them possesses a neighbourhood council.... | 510,391 | +1.5% |
See also
- List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants (1999 census)
- Social situation in the French suburbsSocial situation in the French suburbsOutside of Paris are large blocks of government-built public housing, known as banlieues. The banlieues house hundreds of thousands of individuals of North African descent...
- Demographics of FranceDemographics of FranceThis article is about the demographic features of the population of France, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects....
- List of metropolitan areas in Europe by population
- Larger Urban Zone
- Unité urbaineUnité urbaineIn France an unité urbaine is a statistical area defined by INSEE, the French national statistics office, for the measurement of contiguously built-up areas...
a related concept
External links
- Geopolis: research group,university of Paris-Diderot, France - Population of urban areas of 10,000 or more