Gard

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For the marine insurance company, see Assuranceforeningen Gard.
Gard
Coat of arms of the Gard department
Location
Location of Gard in France
Administration
Department number: 30
Region: Languedoc-Roussillon
Prefecture: Nîmes
Subprefectures: Alès
Le Vigan
Arrondissements: 3
Cantons: 46
Communes: 353
President of the General Council: Damien Alary
PS
Statistics
Population Ranked 34th
 -1999 623,125
Population density: 106/km²
Land area¹: 5853 km²
¹ French Land Register data, which exclude estuaries, and lakes, ponds, and glaciers larger than 1 km².
France

Gard (Occitan: Gard) is a département located in southern France in the Languedoc-Roussillon region. It is named after the river Gardon (or Gard).

Contents

[edit] History

The Gard area was settled by the Romans in classical times. It was crossed by the Via Domitia, which was constructed in 118 BC.

Gard is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. It was created from the ancient province of Languedoc.

[edit] Geography

Gard is part of the region of Languedoc-Roussillon and is surrounded by the department of Hérault, Lozère, Aveyron, Bouches-du-Rhône, Vaucluse, and Ardèche.

The highest point in the department is the Mont Aigoual.

Serious flooding has occurred in the department in recent years.

[edit] Tourism

Gard contains a part of the Cévennes National Park.

There are important Roman architectural remains in Nîmes, as well as the Pont du Gard Roman aqueduct.

Signpost welcoming travellers into the Gard, at Beaucaire.
Signpost welcoming travellers into the Gard, at Beaucaire.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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