Angoulême, France
| Angoulême | ||
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| Prefecture and commune | ||
Angoulême, a view from Hirondelle golf course
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 Angoulême
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Location within Nouvelle-Aquitaine region
Angoulême
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| Coordinates: 45°39′N 0°10′E / 45.65°N 0.16°ECoordinates: 45°39′N 0°10′E / 45.65°N 0.16°E | ||
| Country | France | |
| Region | Nouvelle-Aquitaine | |
| Department | Charente | |
| Arrondissement | Angoulême | |
| Canton | Angoulême-1, 2 and 3 | |
| Intercommunality | Grand Angoulême | |
| Government | ||
| • Mayor (2014–2020) | Xavier Bonnefont | |
| Area1 | 21.85 km2 (8.44 sq mi) | |
| Population (2014)2 | 41,955 | |
| • Density | 1,900/km2 (5,000/sq mi) | |
| Demonym(s) | Angoumoisin (m) Angoumoisine (f) |
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| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | |
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | |
| INSEE/Postal code | 16015 /16000 | |
| Elevation | 27–130 m (89–427 ft) (avg. 100 m or 330 ft) |
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1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. 2Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once. |
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1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
Angoulême (French pronunciation: [ɑ̃ɡulɛm]; Occitan: Engoleime (standard) or (locally) Engoulaeme) is a commune, the capital of the Charente department, in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of southwestern France.
The inhabitants of the commune are known as Angoumoisins or Angoumoisines.
Located on a plateau overlooking a meander of the Charente River, the city is nicknamed the "balcony of the southwest". The city proper's population is a little less than 50,000 but it is the centre of an urban area of 110,000 people extending more than fifteen kilometres (9.3 miles) from east to west.
Formerly the capital of Angoumois in the Ancien Régime, Angoulême was a fortified town for a long time, and was highly coveted due to its position at the centre of many roads important to communication, so therefore it suffered many sieges. From its tumultuous past, the city, perched on a rocky spur, inherited a large historical, religious, and urban heritage which attracts a lot of tourists.
Nowadays, Angoulême is at the centre of an agglomeration, which is one of the most industrialised regions between Loire and Garonne (the paper industry was established in the 16th century, a foundry and electromechanical engineering developed more recently). It is also a commercial and administrative city with its own university of technology, and a vibrant cultural life. This life is dominated by the famous Angoulême International Comics Festival that contributes substantially to the international renown of the city.
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