Deux-Sèvres

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Deux-Sèvres

Coat of arms of the Deux-Sèvres department
Location

Administration
Department number:	79
Region:	Poitou-Charentes
Prefecture:	Niort
Subprefectures:	Bressuire Parthenay
Arrondissements:	3
Cantons:	33
Communes:	305
President of the General Council:	Jean-Marie Morisset UMP
Statistics
Population	Ranked 64th
-1999	344,392
Population density:	57/km²
Land area¹:	5999 km²

¹ French Land Register data, which exclude estuaries, and lakes, ponds, and glaciers larger than 1 km².

Deux-Sèvres is a French department.

("Deux-Sèvres" is also a name occasionally used for Saint-Porchaire ware, a type of faïence.)

1 Name
2 History
3 Geography & Economics
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] Name

Deux-Sèvres literally means "two Sèvres": the Sèvre Nantaise and the Sèvre Niortaise are two rivers which have their sources in the department.

[edit] History

Deux-Sèvres was one of the 83 original departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790.

[edit] Geography & Economics

The climate is mild, the annual temperature averaging 11 degrees Celsius. Three-quarters of the area consists of arable land. Wheat and oats are the main products grown, as well as potatoes, apples,and walnuts. Niort is the center for growing vegetables and of angelica. Much of the beetroot is grown in distilleries of Melle. Vineyards are numerous in Bressuire in the North, and of Niort and Melle in the south. The department is well known for the breeding of cattle, mules, and horses. Also, dairy products are collected in sizeable quantities. Some coal mines are in operation here, as well as lime extraction operations. Textiles, leather-tanning, and flour milling all are the main industries of Niort. Wool and cotton spinning, hat and shoe making, distilling, oil refining, and food packaging are the major industries outside of the capital.