Centre-Val de Loire

French admeenistrative region
(Reguidit frae Centre (French region))

Centre-Val de Loire (French pronunciation: ​[sɑ̃tʁ(ə) val də lwaʁ]; Scots: Centre-Loire Valley) is ane o the 18 admeenistrative regions o Fraunce, locatit towards the northwest o the actual centre o the kintra, aroond the Loire Valley, the Val-de-Loire. Its caipital is Orléans, although its lairgest ceety is Tours.

Centre-Val de Loire
Banner o Centre-Val de Loire
Banner
Kintra Fraunce
PrefecturOrléans
Departments
Govrenment
 • PresesFrançois Bonneau (PS)
Area
 • Total39151 km2 (15,116 sq mi)
Population
 (2008-01-01)
 • Total2,538,000
 • Density65/km2 (170/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
GDP (2006)[1]Rankit {{{GDP_rank}}}
Tot€63 billion (US${{{GDP_US$}}} bn)
Per capita€25,200 (US${{{GDP_per_capita_US$}}})
NUTS RegionFR2
Websiteregioncentre.fr

Features eedit

The main featur o Centre is the Loire Valley. It includes the rich, fertile valleys o the Loire River an its tributaries: Cher, Indre, Loiret, etc. Centre contains the famous châteaux o the Loire Valley, which attract mony tourists tae the region. The climate o the region is essentially oceanic.

Name eedit

 
Forest in Eure-et-Loir, Centre

The name Centre wis chosen bi the French central govrenment based purely on geography, as Centre is composed o ower mony historical provinces tae uise a historical name. Housomeivver, Centre is no in the geographical centre o Fraunce, an the name haes been criticized as being owerly dull an nondescript.

It haes been proposed tae rename the region Val de Loire (i.e. "Valley o the Loire") or an aw "Coeur de Loire" (i.e. "Hert o Loire), which wad give mair character tae the name o the region. Val de Loire is a name associatit wi positive images o the Loire Valley, such as the chateaux, the gentle an refined lifestyle, wine, the mild an temperate climate. The name chynge haes been adoptit.

Major communities eedit

 
Pont Wilson, Tours

References eedit

  1. "GDP per inhabitant in 2006 ranged from 25% of the EU27 average in Nord-Est in Romania to 336% in Inner London" (PDF). Eurostat.

See an aw eedit

Freemit airtins eedit

  Media relatit tae Centre at Wikimedia Commons

Template:Prefecturs o Centre-Val de Loire

Coordinates: 47°30′N 1°45′E / 47.500°N 1.750°E / 47.500; 1.750