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Tarn (department)

Tarn
Department
Part of the old city of Albi
The old city of Albi and the Tarn river
Flag of Tarn
Flag
Coat of arms
Coat of arms
Location of Tarn in France
Location of Tarn in France
Coordinates: 43°49′N 2°12′E / 43.817°N 2.200°E / 43.817; 2.200Coordinates: 43°49′N 2°12′E / 43.817°N 2.200°E / 43.817; 2.200
Country France
Region Occitanie
Departement Since 4 March 1790
Prefecture Albi
Subprefecture Castres
Government
 • President of the General Council Thierry Carcenac
Area
 • Total 5,757.9 km2 (2,223.1 sq mi)
Population (2013)
 • Total 381,927
 • Rank 62
 • Density 66/km2 (170/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Tarnais
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
ISO 3166 code FR-81
Department number 81
Arrondissements 2
Cantons 23
Communes 320
Website http://www.tarn.fr

Tarn (French pronunciation: ​[ta:ʁ] or [taʁn]; Occitan: Tarn) is a French department located in the Occitanie region in the southwest of France named after the Tarn river. Its prefecture and largest city is Albi.

The inhabitants of Tarn are known, in French, as Tarnais (women: Tarnaises).

Tarn is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790, through application of the Law of 22 December 1789. It was created from part of the former province of Languedoc, and comprised the dioceses of Albi and Castres (which found themselves merged in 1817).

The new department had five districts: Albi, Castres, Lavaur, Gaillac, Lacaune. The capitals (now prefectures) were, alternatively, Albi and Castres but, from 1790 to 1797, the capital was only Albi; in 1797, the capital was moved to Castres.

In 1800, Albi became again the capital of the department and the arrondissements were created; the department had four arrondissements: Albi, Castres, Gaillac and Lavaur. In 1926, the arrondissements of Gaillac and Lavaur were eliminated.

By the law of 28 Pluviôse Year 5, the departments of Hérault and of Tarn exchanged the canton of Anglès (which had been part of the diocese of Saint-Pons, but which has remained in Tarn) for that of Saint-Gervais-sur-Mare (which had been part of the diocese of Castres, but which today remains in Hérault).


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