Hautes-Alpes

**Hautes-Alpes** () is a department in southeastern France, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. It is named after the Alps mountain range and its prefecture (capital) is Gap.

## History

The department of the Hautes-Alpes was one of the 83 original departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790 with the southeastern part of the old province of the Dauphiné.

It was divided in four districts: Briançon, Embrun, Gap and Serres, with Chorges as its capital but during that same year the capital was moved to Gap.

In 1800, with the creation of the _arrondissements_ in France, the four districts were changed into three _arrondissements_: Gap, Briançon and Embrun.

On 10 September 1926, the _arrondissement_ of Embrun was eliminated.

After the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, the department was occupied by troops from Austria and of the Kingdom of Sardinia.

During World War II, the department was occupied by the fascist Italy.

## Geography

Hautes-Alpes is part of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. It has an area of .

The department is surrounded by the Piedmont region (Italy) and four departments in two regions:
- Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region
    - Alpes-de-Haute-Provence (south)
- Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region
    - Isère (north)
    - Savoie (northeast)
    - Drôme (west)

Hautes-Alpes is in the Alps mountain range. The average elevation is over . The third highest commune in all of Europe is the village of Saint-Véran. Gap and Briançon are the highest prefecture and subprefecture in France.

The highest point is  _Barre des Écrins_ (), in the _commune_ of Pelvoux; it is  high. The lowest point is in the valley of the Buëch river, with an altitude of .

The main rivers in Hautes-Alpes are the Durance, a tributary of the Rhône river, Buëch and Drac.

### Climate

The Köppen climate classification type for the climate at Embrun is an "Oceanic climate" (also known as Marine West Coast Climate) and of the subtype "Cfc".

The average amount of precipitation for the year in Embrun is . The month with the most precipitation on average is May with  of precipitation. The month with the least precipitation on average is July with an average of .

The average temperature for the year in Embrun is . The warmest month, on average, is July with an average temperature of . The coolest month on average is January, with an average temperature of .

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## Administration

Hautes-Alpes is managed by the _Departmental Council of Hautes-Alpes_ in Gap. The department is part of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region.

### Administrative divisions

There are 2 _arrondissements_ (districts), 15 _cantons_ and 167 _communes_ (municipalities) in Hautes-Alpes.

|INSEE code !! Arrondissement !! Capital !! Population <small>(2014)</small> !! width="50px" | Area <small>(km²)</small> !! Density <small>(Inh./km²)</small> !! _Communes_|||||||
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
|051|Briançon|Briançon|35,752|2,138.1||37|
|052|Gap|Gap|104,131|3,410.5||130|

The following is a list of the 15 cantons of the **Hautes-Alpes** department (with their INSEE codes), following the French canton reorganisation which came into effect in March 2015:

1. L'Argentière-la-Bessée <small>(0501)</small>
1. Briançon-1 <small>(0502)</small>
1. Briançon-2 <small>(0503)</small>
1. Chorges <small>(0504)</small>
1. Embrun <small>(0505)</small>
1. Gap-1 <small>(0506)</small>
1. Gap-2 <small>(0507)</small>
1. Gap-3 <small>(0508)</small>
1. Gap-4 <small>(0509)</small>
1. Guillestre <small>(0510)</small>
1. Laragne-Montéglin <small>(0511)</small>
1. Saint-Bonnet-en-Champsaur <small>(0512)</small>
1. Serres <small>(0513)</small>
1. Tallard <small>(0514)</small>
1. Veynes <small>(0515)</small>

## Demographics

The inhabitants of Hautes-Alpes are known, in French, as _Haut-Alpins_ (women: _Haut-Alpines_).

Hautes-Alpes had a population, in 2013, of 139,883, for a population density of  inhabitants/km<sup>2</sup>. The _arrondissement_ of Gap, with 104,131 inhabitants, is the _arrondissement_ with more inhabitants.

**Evolution of the population in Hautes-Alpes**

The _communes_ in the department with more inhabitants are:

|City|Population (2014)|Arrondissement|
| --- | --- | --- |
|Gap|40,225|Gap|
|Briançon|12,392|Briançon|
|Embrun|6,150|Gap|
|Laragne-Montéglin|3,480|Gap|
|Veynes|3,151|Gap|
|Chorges|2,791|Gap|
|La Bâtie-Neuve|2,468|Gap|
|Guillestre|2,323|Briançon|
|L'Argentière-la-Bessée|2,317|Briançon|
|Tallard|2,061|Gap|
|Saint-Bonnet-en-Champsaur|2,034|Gap|

## Related pages

- Arrondissements of the Hautes-Alpes department
- Communes of the Hautes-Alpes department

## Other websites

- Departmental Council website
- Prefecture website
- Hautes-Alpes tourism

## Infobox (settlement)

- **name**: Hautes-Alpes
- **type**: Departments of France, Department
- **image skyline**: VilleGap052.jpg
- **image alt**: Prefecture building of the Hautes-Alpes department, in Gap
- **image caption**: Prefectures in France, Prefecture building of the Hautes-Alpes department, in Gap, Hautes-Alpes, Gap
- **image flag**: Flag of Hautes-Alpes.svg
- **flag size**: 125px
- **flag alt**: Flag of Hautes-Alpes
- **image shield**: Blason département fr Hautes-Alpes.svg
- **shield size**: 80px
- **shield alt**: Coat of arms
- **image map**: Hautes-Alpes-Position.svg
- **map alt**: Location of Hautes-Alpes in France
- **map caption**: Location of Hautes-Alpes in France
- **subdivision type**: Country
- **subdivision name**: France
- **subdivision type1**: Regions of France, Region
- **subdivision name1**: Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
- **established title**: Département
- **established date**: 4 March 1790
- **seat type**: Prefectures in France, Prefecture
- **seat**: Gap, Hautes-Alpes, Gap
- **parts type**: Prefectures in France, Subprefectures
- **parts style**: para
- **p1**: Briançon
- **leader title**: President of the Departmental Council, President
- **leader name**: Jean-Marie Bernard
- **unit pref**: Metric
- **area total km2**: 5548.7
- **population total**: 139883
- **population as of**: 2014
- **population density km2**: auto
- **population demonym**: Haut-Alpins
- **blank name sec2**: Arrondissements of France, Arrondissements
- **blank info sec2**: 2
- **blank1 name sec2**: Cantons in France, Cantons
- **blank1 info sec2**: 15
- **blank2 name sec2**: Communes in France, Communes
- **blank2 info sec2**: 167
- **timezone1**: Central European Time, CET
- **utc offset1**: +1
- **timezone1 dst**: Central European Summer Time, CEST
- **utc offset1 dst**: +2
- **iso code**: FR-05
- **website**: [http://www.hautes-alpes.fr/ www.hautes-alpes.fr]