Auvergne
| Auvergne | ||
|---|---|---|
| Region of France | ||
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| Country |
 France
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| Prefecture | Clermont-Ferrand | |
| Departments | ||
| Government | ||
| • President | René Souchon (PS) | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 26,013 km2 (10,044 sq mi) | |
| Population (2013-01-01) | ||
| • Total | 1,357,668 | |
| • Density | 52/km2 (140/sq mi) | |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | |
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | |
| ISO 3166 code | FR-C | |
| GDP (2012) | Ranked 19th | |
| Total | €33.8 billion (US$47.29 bn) | |
| Per capita | €24,920 (US$34,868) | |
| NUTS Region | FR7 | |
| Website | auvergne.fr | |
Auvergne (French pronunciation: [ovɛʁɲ]; Auvergnat: Auvèrnhe / Auvèrnha) is a former administrative region of France. Since 1 January 2016, it is part of the new region Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. It comprises four departments: Allier, Puy-de-Dôme, Cantal and Haute-Loire.
The administrative region of Auvergne is larger than the historical province of Auvergne, and includes provinces and areas that historically were not part of Auvergne. The Auvergne region is composed of the following old provinces:
Le Puy-en-Velay, Gévaudan, and Vivarais are often considered to be sub-provinces of the old province of Languedoc. Forez is also often considered to be a sub-province of Lyonnais. Therefore, the modern region of Auvergne is composed of the provinces of Auvergne, major part of Bourbonnais, and parts of Languedoc and Lyonnais.
The region is home to a chain of volcanoes known collectively as the "chaîne des Puys". The last confirmed eruption was around 4040 BCE. The volcanoes began forming some 70,000 years ago, and most have eroded, leaving plugs of hardened magma that form rounded hilltops known as puys.
Auvergne has a surface area of 26,013 square kilometres (10,044 sq mi) equivalent to 4.8% of France's total surface area. Auvergne is one of the smallest regions in France.
Auvergne is known for its mountain ranges and dormant volcanoes. Together the Monts Dore and the Chaîne des Puys include 80 volcanoes. The Puy de Dôme is the tallest volcano in the region, with an altitude of 1,465 metres (4,806 ft). The Sancy Massif in the Monts Dore is the highest point in Auvergne (1,886 metres (6,188 ft)).
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Wikipedia