Montérégie

Montérégie
Administrative region
Coordinates: 45°23′N 73°06′W / 45.383°N 73.100°WCoordinates: 45°23′N 73°06′W / 45.383°N 73.100°W
Country Canada Canada
Province Quebec Quebec
Regional County
Municipalities (RCM) and Equivalent
Territories (ET)
Area[1]
 • Total 11,851 km2 (4,576 sq mi)
 • Land 11,131.32 km2 (4,297.83 sq mi)
Population (2011)[1]
 • Total 1,442,433
 • Density 129.6/km2 (336/sq mi)
Demonym Montérégien(ne)
Time zone EST (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
Postal code J
Area code 450, 579
Website monteregie.gouv.qc.ca
[1]

Montérégie (French pronunciation: ​[mɔ̃teʁeʒi]) is an administrative region in southwest Québec. It includes the cities of Boucherville, Brossard, Granby, Longueuil, Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Saint-Hyacinthe, Sorel-Tracy, and Vaudreuil-Dorion.

The region has a population of 1,442,433 (2011) and a land area of 11,131.32 square kilometres (4,297.83 sq mi), giving it a population density of 129.6 hab/km² (336/sq mi). It is the most populous region of Quebec after Montréal. The majority of the population lives near the Saint Lawrence River, on the south shore of Montreal.

Montérégie is named for the Monteregian Hills, which are in turn named for Mount Royal. Montérégie was populated by the Iroquois when the Europeans first came here in the beginning of the 17th century. Samuel de Champlain built several forts to protect the colonists against the Iroquois and against the British. Some of the battles which decided the destiny of Canada took place in Montérégie. Originally, the administrative territory of the Montérégie parishes were taken from the territory of the canonical Diocese of Saint-Jean-Longueuil.

Montérégie is known for its vineyards, orchards, spectacular panoramas, delicious products, as well as for the Monteregian Mountains, from which it draws its name. The region is both urban (second in terms of population) and rural. The Montérégie's economy is based on agriculture and the production of goods and services. Tourism also makes up a significant portion of the economy.

Subregions

The Montérégie comprises three administrative subregions, each consisting of its own Regional County Municipalities (RCM) or Equivalent Territories. The territorial administration of the region is ensured by three Regional Conferences of Elected Officers (French: Conférences régionales des élus) (CRE) separate and independent in their territory: Longueuil, Montérégie-Est (eastern RCMs) and Vallée-du-Haut-Saint-Laurent (western RCMs). Each sub-region is organized in the same way as other administrative regions of Quebec.

Regional County Municipalities

There are 14 Regional County Municipalities in Montérégie.

Montérégie Est

There are nine RCMs in Montérégie Est. Its seat is McMasterville, and the president is Arthur Fauteux. Its territory occupies 7,125 square kilometres (2,751 sq mi) and there are 606,444 inhabitants (85.1/km2).

Regional County Municipality (RCM) Population
Canada 2011 Census[2]		 Land Area Density
(pop. per km2)		 Seat of RCM
Acton 15,381 580.73 km2 (224.22 sq mi) 26.5 Acton Vale
Brome-Missisquoi 55,621 1,651.73 km2 (637.74 sq mi) 33.7 Cowansville
La Haute-Yamaska 85,042 636.64 km2 (245.81 sq mi) 133.6 Granby
La Vallée-du-Richelieu 116,773 588.88 km2 (227.37 sq mi) 198.3 McMasterville
Le Haut-Richelieu 114,344 936.26 km2 (361.49 sq mi) 122.1 Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu
Les Maskoutains 84,248 1,301.16 km2 (502.38 sq mi) 64.7 Saint-Hyacinthe
Marguerite-D'Youville
(formerly Lajammerais until January 2011)		 74,416 345.55 km2 (133.42 sq mi) 215.4 Verchères
Pierre-De Saurel
(formerly La Bas-Richelieu until January 2009)		 50,900 598.13 km2 (230.94 sq mi) 85.1 Sorel-Tracy
Rouville 35,690 483.21 km2 (186.57 sq mi) 73.9 Marieville

Vallée-du-Haut-Saint-Laurent

There are five RCMs in Vallée-du-Haut-Saint-Laurent. Its seat is Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, and its president is Yves Daoust. Its territory occupies 3,714 square kilometres (1,434 sq mi) and there are 401,133 inhabitants (108/km2).

Regional County Municipality (RCM) Population
Canada 2011 Census[2]		 Land Area Density
(pop. per km2)		 Seat of RCM
Beauharnois-Salaberry 61,950 470.68 km2 (181.73 sq mi) 131.6 Beauharnois
Le Haut-Saint-Laurent 21,197 1,174.00 km2 (453.28 sq mi) 18.1 Huntingdon
Les Jardins-de-Napierville 26,234 803.31 km2 (310.16 sq mi) 32.7 Napierville
Roussillon 162,187 423.24 km2 (163.41 sq mi) 383.2 Saint-Constant
Vaudreuil-Soulanges 139,353 855.36 km2 (330.26 sq mi) 162.9 Vaudreuil-Dorion

Equivalent territory

Equivalent Territory (ET) Population
Canada 2011 Census[2]		 Land Area Density
(pop. per km2)		 Seat of ET
Agglomeration of Longueuil 399,097 282.43 km2 (109.05 sq mi) 1,413.1 Longueuil

Native Reserves not part of a Regional County Municipality

Major communities

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Montérégie, Quebec (Code 2435) and Quebec (Code 24) (table). Census Profile.". Canada 2011 Census. Ottawa, Ontario: Statistics Canada. 2012-05-29. Retrieved 30 June 2012.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census divisions, 2011 and 2006 censuses". Canada 2011 Census. Statistics Canada. 2012-04-11. Retrieved 14 August 2013.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Montérégie.