Pyrénées-Orientales

Pyrénées-Orientales (Eastern Pyrenees, Catalan: Pirineus Orientals) is a département of southern France adjacent to the northern Spanish frontier and the Mediterranean Sea.

History

Prior to the signing of the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659 most of the département was ruled by Spain. The majority of it has historically been inhabited by Catalans, and it is still sometimes referred to (mainly by Catalans) as Northern Catalonia. Pyrénées-Orientales also corresponds largely to the former province of Roussillon. See also: French Cerdagne.

Invaded by Spain in April 1793, the area was recaptured thirteen months later.

Administration

Pyrénées-Orientales is grouped with neighbouring Aude and three other départements to the north-east in the region of Languedoc-Roussillon.

Geography

Pyrénées-Orientales has an area of 4115 sq. km. and a population of 400,000, of whom just over a quarter live in the capital, Perpignan (Catalan Perpinyà). Other towns include Argelès-sur-Mer, Thuir, Elne (the ancient Illiberis) and Prades (Catalan Prada de Conflent), each of 6-10,000 inhabitants.

Pyrénées-Orientales consists of three river valleys in the Pyrenees mountain range - from north to south, those of the Agly, Têt and Tech - and the eastern Plain of Roussillon into which they converge. Most of the population and agricultural production are concentrated in the plain, with only 30% of the area.

The upper Tech valley comprises the département's westernmost third, with just over a tenth of the total population. To the south-east, the Têt valley and the Côte Vermeille contain nearly 100,000 inhabitants. The Agly basin in the north-east has much in common with neighboring areas of Aude.

Economy

Pyrénées-Orientales is a wine-growing area and a tourist destination.

Demographics

The French language is spoken by all the population.

The Catalan language is estimated to be spoken by rather more than a quarter of the population and understood by more than 40%, due both to the Catalan history of the region and the proximity of the principality of Catalonia, where Catalan is official.

Culture

Places of interest include:

Prades (Catalan Prada de Conflent) - site of the Catalan Summer University (Universitat Catalana d'Estiu).
Banyuls-sur-Mer (Catalan Banyuls de la Marenda) famous for its Muscat wine, birth place of Aristide Maillol.
Prats de Molló - important defensive castle of the 17th century facing south to the Pyrenees.
Salses - important defensive castle of the 16th century, on the ancient frontier with Spain.

External links

L'Indépendant

Perpignan - tout va bien

Vilaweb Catalunya Nord

Pyrénées-Orientales | Catalonia

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