Franche-Comté (French pronunciation: ​[fʁɑ̃ʃ kɔ̃te]; Franc-Comtois: Fraintche-Comtè; Arpitan: Franche-Comtât) the umwhile "Free Coonty" o Burgundy, as destinct frae the neighbourin Duchy, is an admeenistrative region an a traditional province o eastren Fraunce. It is composed o the modren depairtments o Doubs, Jura, Haute-Saône an Territoire de Belfort an haes a population o 1,159,000 (2008).

Franche-Comté
Banner o Franche-Comté
Banner
Official logo of Franche-Comté
Kintra Fraunce
PrefecturBesançon
Departments
Govrenment
 • PresesMarie-Marguerite Dufay (PS)
Area
 • Total16202 km2 (6,256 sq mi)
Population
 (2008-01-01)
 • Total1,159,000
 • Density72/km2 (190/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
ISO 3166 codeFR-I
NUTS RegionFR43
Websitefranche-comte.fr
Royal Saltworks at Arc-et-Senans

The principal ceeties are the caipital Besançon, Belfort, an Montbéliard (Aire Urbaine Belfort-Montbéliard-Héricourt-Delle). Ither important ceeties are Dole (caipital afore the region wis conquered bi Louis XIV in the late 17t century), Vesoul (caipital o Haute-Saône), Arbois (the "wine caipital" o the Jura), an Lons-le-Saunier (caipital o Jura).

Leid eedit

Amang the regional leids o Fraunce the term Franc-Comtois refers tae twa dialects o twa different leids. Franc-Comtois is the name o baith the dialect o Langue d'Oïl spoken bi fowk in the northren pairt o the region an the dialect o Arpitan spoken in its soothren pairt syne as early as the 13t century (the soothren twa-thirds o Jura an the soothren third o Doubs). Baith are recognized as leids o Fraunce.

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Coordinates: 47°00′N 6°00′E / 47.000°N 6.000°E / 47.000; 6.000