Nièvre
Encyclopedia
Nièvre is a department in the centre of France
named after the Nièvre River
.
on March 4, 1790. It was created from the former province
of Nivernais
.
of Burgundy, although historically it was not part of the province of Burgundy
, and it is surrounded by the departments of Yonne
, Côte-d'Or
, Saône-et-Loire
, Allier
, Cher, and Loiret
.
The département is crossed by the Loire river, the longest river in France.
The main cities are : Nevers
, Cosne-sur-Loire, Varennes-Vauzelles
, Marzy
, Decize
, Imphy
and La Charité.
Only three cities reach 10 000 inhabitants. It indicates the characteristic of the département, which is rural.
, which produces wines that are generally crisp, tart, and somewhat grassy.
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...
named after the Nièvre River
Nièvre (Loire)
The Nièvre is a river in central France, a right tributary of the Loire. It flows through the département Nièvre.Its source in Champlemy. It flows generally south, through Guérigny, Urzy, and empties into the Loire in the town centre of Nevers....
.
History
Nièvre is one of the original 83 departments created during the French RevolutionFrench Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
on March 4, 1790. It was created from the former province
Provinces of France
The Kingdom of France was organised into provinces until March 4, 1790, when the establishment of the département system superseded provinces. The provinces of France were roughly equivalent to the historic counties of England...
of Nivernais
Nivernais
Nivernais is former province of France, around the city of Nevers and the département of Nièvre.The raw climate and soils cause the area to be heavily wooded.- References :* Chamber's Encyclopedia Volume 10 page 50...
.
Geography
Nièvre is part of the current regionRégions of France
France is divided into 27 administrative regions , 22 of which are in Metropolitan France, and five of which are overseas. Corsica is a territorial collectivity , but is considered a region in mainstream usage, and is even shown as such on the INSEE website...
of Burgundy, although historically it was not part of the province of Burgundy
Duchy of Burgundy
The Duchy of Burgundy , was heir to an ancient and prestigious reputation and a large division of the lands of the Second Kingdom of Burgundy and in its own right was one of the geographically larger ducal territories in the emergence of Early Modern Europe from Medieval Europe.Even in that...
, and it is surrounded by the departments of Yonne
Yonne
Yonne is a French department named after the Yonne River. It is one of the four constituent departments of Burgundy in eastern France and its prefecture is Auxerre. Its official number is 89....
, Côte-d'Or
Côte-d'Or
Côte-d'Or is a department in the eastern part of France.- History :Côte-d'Or is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was formed from part of the former province of Burgundy.- Geography :...
, Saône-et-Loire
Saône-et-Loire
Saône-et-Loire is a French department, named after the Saône and the Loire rivers between which it lies.-History:When it was formed during the French Revolution, as of March 4, 1790 in fulfillment of the law of December 22, 1789, the new department combined parts of the provinces of southern...
, Allier
Allier
Allier is a department in central France named after the river Allier.- History :Allier is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was created from parts of the former provinces of Auvergne and Bourbonnais.In 1940, the government of Marshal...
, Cher, and Loiret
Loiret
Loiret is a department in north-central FranceThe department is named after the river Loiret, a tributary of the Loire. The Loiret is located wholly within the department.- History :...
.
The département is crossed by the Loire river, the longest river in France.
Demography
Nièvre is a rural department with about 50 inhabitants / km².The main cities are : Nevers
Nevers
Nevers is a commune in – and the administrative capital of – the Nièvre department in the Bourgogne region in central France...
, Cosne-sur-Loire, Varennes-Vauzelles
Varennes-Vauzelles
Varennes-Vauzelles is a commune in the Nièvre department in central France.-Demographics:At the 1999 census, the population was 10,211. On 1 January 2005, the estimate was 9600.-References:*...
, Marzy
Marzy
Marzy is a commune in the Nièvre department in central France.-Demographics:At the 1999 census, the population was 3051. On 1 January 2006, the estimate was 3394.-References:*...
, Decize
Decize
Decize is a commune in the Nièvre department in central France.-Site:The town is situated on a former island in the Loire at the confluent of the Aron river. The right channel of the Loire was dammed up to reclaim land and now remains as an arm stretching upstream to the centre of town...
, Imphy
Imphy
Imphy is a commune in the Nièvre department in Bourgogne, France.-Demographics:At the time of the 1999 census, the population was 4015. On 1 January 2004, the estimate was 3850. The population of Imphy has fallen on account of the decrease in industrial activities in the area. At one time the...
and La Charité.
Only three cities reach 10 000 inhabitants. It indicates the characteristic of the département, which is rural.
Wines
Nièvre is also well known for its white wine, Pouilly Fumé. The vineyards are scattered around villages including Pouilly-Sur-Loire, which lends its name to the appellation, Tracy sur Loire, Boisgibault, Saint Andelain. The word fumé is French for "smoky", and it's said the name comes from the smoky or flinty quality of these wines. The only grape allowed in the Pouilly-Fumé AC is Sauvignon BlancSauvignon blanc
Sauvignon Blanc is a green-skinned grape variety which originates from the Bordeaux region of France. The grape most likely gets its name from the French word sauvage and blanc due to its early origins as an indigenous grape in South West France., a possible descendant of savagnin...
, which produces wines that are generally crisp, tart, and somewhat grassy.
Politics
In common with most French wine producing departments Nièvre is traditionally a left wing department. The results of the second round of voting in presidential elections spell this out consistently.- In the 2007 presidential electionFrench presidential election, 2007The 2007 French presidential election, the ninth of the Fifth French Republic was held to elect the successor to Jacques Chirac as president of France for a five-year term.The winner, decided on 5 and 6 May 2007, was Nicolas Sarkozy...
, Ségolène RoyalSégolène RoyalMarie-Ségolène Royal , known as Ségolène Royal, is a French politician. She is the president of the Poitou-Charentes Regional Council, a former member of the National Assembly, a former government minister, and a prominent member of the French Socialist Party...
received 52.91% of the department's votes, as against a national per centage of just 46.94%. - In the 1995 presidential electionFrench presidential election, 1995Presidential elections took place in France on 23 April and 7 May 1995, to elect the fifth president of the Fifth Republic.The incumbent Socialist president, François Mitterrand, did not stand for a third term. He was 78, had cancer, and his party had lost the previous legislative election in a...
, Lionel JospinLionel JospinLionel Jospin is a French politician, who served as Prime Minister of France from 1997 to 2002.Jospin was the Socialist Party candidate for President of France in the elections of 1995 and 2002. He was narrowly defeated in the final runoff election by Jacques Chirac in 1995...
received 57.07% of the department's votes, as against a national per centage of just 47.36%. - In the 1981 presidential electionFrench presidential election, 1981The French presidential election of 1981 took place on 10 May 1981, giving the presidency of France to François Mitterrand, the first Socialist president of the Fifth Republic....
, François MitterrandFrançois MitterrandFrançois Maurice Adrien Marie Mitterrand was the 21st President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra, serving from 1981 until 1995. He is the longest-serving President of France and, as leader of the Socialist Party, the only figure from the left so far elected President...
received 62.91% of the department's votes, as against a national per centage of 51.76%.
See also
- Cantons of the Nièvre department
- Communes of the Nièvre department
- Arrondissements of the Nièvre department
- Parc naturel régional du Morvan