Gap, Hautes-Alpes

Gap
Jean Marcellin Square
Gap
Administration
Country France
Region Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Department Hautes-Alpes
Arrondissement Gap
Mayor Roger Didier
(2008–2014)
Statistics
Elevation 625–2,360 m (2,051–7,740 ft)
(avg. 745 m/2,444 ft)
Land area1 110.43 km2 (42.64 sq mi)
Population2 38,584  (2008)
 - Density 349 /km2 (900 /sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code 05061/ 05000
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Gap (Occitan: Gap) is a commune in southeastern France, the capital of the Hautes-Alpes department.

Contents

Geography

An Alpine crossroads at the intersection of D994 and Route nationale 85 the Route Napoléon, Gap lies 745 metres (2,400 ft) above sea level along the right bank of the Luye River (close to where it joins the Durance River). The region around Gap is known as Gapençais.

History

Originally founded by the Gauls, the Roman emperor Augustus seized the town in 14 BC and renamed it Vapincum. Gap was annexed by the French crown in 1512. The city of Gap has announced their interest in hosting the Winter Olympic Games in 2018.

Napoleon I left Elba in February 1815 and had reached Gap on 15 March with 40 horsemen and 10 grenadiers where he had thousands of copies of his Proclamations printed. The whole population of the city accompanied Napoleon when he left Gap.

Population

Historical population of Gap, Hautes-Alpes
Year 1793 1800 1806 1821 1831 1836 1841 1846 1851 1856
Population 6014 8050 8891 6714 7215 7854 8599 8724 8797 8912
Year 1861 1866 1872 1876 1881 1886 1891 1896 1901
Population 8219 8165 8927 9294 10,765 11,621 10,478 11,376 11,018
Year 1906 1911 1921 1926 1931 1936 1946 1954
Population 10,823 10,647 9859 10,660 11,717 13,600 16,371 17,317
Year 1962 1968 1975 1982 1990 1999 2008
Population 20,478 23,994 28,233 30,676 33,444 36,269 38,584

Personalities

Points of interest

See also

References

External links