Creuse

**Creuse** () is a department in central France in the region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. It is named after the Creuse river that flows through the department.

## History

Creuse is one of the 83 French departments made during the French revolution, on 4 March 1790. It was created mainly with lands of the old province of County of La Marche.

The new department had seven districts: La Souterraine, Guéret, Boussac, Évaux, Felletin, Bourganeuf and Aubusson. The capital (now prefecture) was Guéret alternating with Aubusson, but soon only Guéret remained as capital.

In 1800, with the creation of the _arrondissements_ in France, the seven districts were changed into four _arrondissements_: Guéret, Aubusson, Bourganeuf and Boussac.

On 10 September 1926, the _arrondissements_ of Bourganeuf et Boussac were eliminated.

## Geography

Creuse is part of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. It has an area of .

The department is surrounded by 6 departments in 3 regions:
- Nouvelle-Aquitaine region
    - Corrèze department
    - Haute-Vienne department
- Centre-Val de Loire region
    - Cher department
    - Indre department
- Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region
    - Allier department
    - Puy-de-Dôme department

The department is in the northwestern part of the Massif Central; the _Millevaches_ plateau is in the southeastern part of the department. The highest point is in _Forêt de Châteauvert_ (), "commune" of Saint-Oradoux-de-Chirouze, southeastern of the department and in northeastern Massif Central; it is   high; the lowest point is in the valley of the Creuse river,  high.

The main river in the department is the Creuse, a tributary of the Vienne river and that gives its name to this the deparment; it flows through the department from the southeast to the northwest.

## Administration

The department is managed by the _Departamental Council of the Creuse_ in Guéret. Creuse is part of the region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine.

### Administrative divisions

There are 2 _arrondissements_ (districts), 15 _cantons_ and 258 _communes_ (municipalities) in Haute-Vienne.
|INSEE code !!Arrondissement !! Capital !! Population <small>(2014)</small> !! width=70px | Area <small>(km²)</small> !! Density <small>(Inh./km²)</small> !! _Communes_|||||||
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
|231|Aubusson|Aubusson|37,123|2,538.8||118|
|232|Guéret|Guéret|83,458|3,026.5||140|

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

- Ahun <small>(2301)</small>
- Aubusson <small>(2302)</small>
- Auzances <small>(2303)</small>
- Bonnat <small>(2304)</small>
- Bourganeuf <small>(2305)</small>
- Boussac <small>(2306)</small>
- Dun-le-Palestel <small>(2307)</small>
- Évaux-les-Bains <small>(2308)</small>
- Felletin <small>(2309)</small>
- Gouzon <small>(2310)</small>
- Le Grand-Bourg <small>(2311)</small>
- Guéret-1 <small>(2312)</small>
- Guéret-2 <small>(2313)</small>
- Saint-Vaury <small>(2314)</small>
- La Souterraine <small>(2315)</small>

## Demographics

The inhabitants of Creuse are known, in French, as _Creusois_ (women: _Creusoises_).

Creuse has a population, in 2014, of 120,581, for a population density of  inhabitants/km<sup>2</sup>. The _arrondissement_ of Guéret, with 83,458 inhabitants, is by far the largest. The other _arrondissement_, Aubusson, has 37,123 inhabitants.

**Evolution of the population in Dordogne**

The main cities in the department are:

|City|Population <small>(2014)</small>|Arrondissement|
| --- | --- | --- |
|Guéret|13,342|Guéret|
|La Souterraine|5,295|Guéret|
|Aubusson|3,591|Aubusson|
|Bourganeuf|2,725|Guéret|
|Sainte-Feyre|2,470|Guéret|
|Saint-Sulpice-le-Guérétois|1,987|Guéret|
|Saint-Vaury|1,791|Guéret|
|Felletin|1,700|Aubusson|
|Gouzon|1,575|Guéret|
|Ahun|1,466|Guéret|

## Related pages

- Arrondissements of the Creuse department

## Other websites

- Departamental Council website
- Prefecture website
- Tourism office of Creuse

## Infobox (settlement)

- **name**: Creuse
- **type**: Departments of France, Department
- **image skyline**: Guéret - Préfecture de la Creuse.jpg
- **image alt**: Prefecture building of the Creuse department, in Guéret
- **image caption**: Prefectures in France, Prefecture building of the Creuse department, in Guéret
- **image flag**: Drapeau fr département Creuse.svg
- **flag alt**: Flag
- **image shield**: Blason Bourbon-La Marche.svg
- **shield size**: 75px
- **shield alt**: Coat of arms
- **image map**: Creuse-Position.svg
- **map caption**: Location of Creuse in France
- **subdivision type**: Country
- **subdivision name**: France
- **subdivision type1**: Regions of France, Region
- **subdivision name1**: Nouvelle-Aquitaine
- **established title**: Département
- **established date**: 4 March 1790
- **seat type**: Prefectures in France, Prefecture
- **seat**: Guéret
- **parts type**: Prefectures in France, Subprefecture
- **parts style**: para
- **p1**: Aubusson, Creuse, Aubusson
- **leader title**: President of the Departmental Council, President
- **leader name**: Valérie Simonet
- **unit pref**: Metric
- **area total km2**: 5565.4
- **population total**: 120581
- **population as of**: 2014
- **population density km2**: auto
- **population demonym**: Creusois
- **blank name sec2**: Arrondissements of France, Arrondissements
- **blank info sec2**: 2
- **blank1 name sec2**: Cantons of France, Cantons
- **blank1 info sec2**: 15
- **blank2 name sec2**: Communes in France, Communes
- **blank2 info sec2**: 258
- **timezone1**: Central European Time, CET
- **utc offset1**: +1
- **timezone1 dst**: Central European Summer Time, CEST
- **utc offset1 dst**: +2
- **iso code**: FR-23
- **website**: [http://www.creuse.fr/ www.creuse.fr]