Deux-Sèvres | ||
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Department | ||
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Location of Deux-Sèvres in France |
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Coordinates: 46°30′N 00°20′E / 46.500°N 0.333°ECoordinates: 46°30′N 00°20′E / 46.500°N 0.333°E | ||
Country | France | |
Region | Nouvelle-Aquitaine | |
Prefecture | Niort | |
Subprefectures |
Bressuire Parthenay |
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Government | ||
• President of the General Council | Eric Gautier (PS) | |
Area | ||
• Total | 5,999 km2 (2,316 sq mi) | |
Population (2013) | ||
• Total | 371,632 | |
• Rank | 65th | |
• Density | 62/km2 (160/sq mi) | |
Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | |
• Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | |
Department number | 79 | |
Arrondissements | 3 | |
Cantons | 17 | |
Communes | 293 | |
^1 French Land Register data, which exclude estuaries, and lakes, ponds, and glaciers larger than 1 km2 |
Deux-Sèvres (French pronunciation: [dø sɛvʁ]) is a French department. Deux-Sèvres literally means "two Sèvres": the Sèvre Nantaise and the Sèvre Niortaise are two rivers which have their sources in the department.
Deux-Sèvres was one of the 83 original départements created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790.
Departmental borders were changed in 1973 when the inhabitants of the little commune of became formally associated with the rapidly growing adjacent commune of Cholet. Cholet is in the neighbouring department of Maine-et-Loire: in order to avoid the associated communes being administered in separate departments, Puy-Saint-Bonnet was transferred into Maine-et-Loire.
The climate is mild, the annual temperature averaging 11 degrees Celsius.
The département remains rural: three-quarters of the area consists of arable land. Wheat and oats are the main products grown, as well as potatoes, apples, and walnuts. Niort is the center for growing vegetables and angelica. Some beetroot is grown in the district of Melle. Vineyards are numerous in the north (Haut-poitou (AOVDQS) ), and there are some in the south. The département is also well known for the breeding of cattle, mules, and horses. The Parthenais breed of cattle is named after the town of Parthenay in the north of the département. Also, dairy products are produced in significant quantities (butter in Échiré and goats' cheese).