Department of the Loire
| Loire | ||
|---|---|---|
| Department | ||
|
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 Location of Loire in France |
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| Coordinates: 45°05′N 04°05′E / 45.083°N 4.083°ECoordinates: 45°05′N 04°05′E / 45.083°N 4.083°E | ||
| Country | France | |
| Region | Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes | |
| Prefecture | Saint-Étienne | |
| Subprefectures |
Montbrison Roanne |
|
| Government | ||
| • President of the General Council | Bernard Bonne (UMP) | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 4,781 km2 (1,846 sq mi) | |
| Population (2013) | ||
| • Total | 756,715 | |
| • Rank | 30th | |
| • Density | 160/km2 (410/sq mi) | |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | |
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | |
| Department number | 42 | |
| Arrondissements | 3 | |
| Cantons | 21 | |
| Communes | 326 | |
| ^1 French Land Register data, which exclude estuaries, and lakes, ponds, and glaciers larger than 1 km2 | ||
Loire (French pronunciation: [lwaʁ]; Arpitan: Lêre; Occitan: Léger) is a department in the east-central part of France occupying the River Loire's upper reaches.
Loire was created in 1793 when after just 3½ years the young Rhône-et-Loire department was split into two. This was a response to counter-Revolutionary activities in Lyon which, by population, was the country's second largest city. By splitting Rhône-et-Loire the government sought to protect the French Revolution from the potential power and influence of counter revolutionary activity in the Lyon region.
The departmental capitals have been / are as follows:
Loire is part of the current administrative region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and is surrounded by the departments of Rhône, Isère, Ardèche, Haute-Loire, Puy-de-Dôme, Allier, and Saône-et-Loire.
The River Loire traverses the department from south to north.
The Loire department is split into three arrondissements :
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