Auvergne (region)

Auvergne (; ) is ane o the 27 admeenistrative regions o Fraunce. It comprises the 4 depairtments o Allier, Puy de Dome, Cantal an Haute Loire.

The current admeenistrative region o Auvergne is lairger than the historical province o Auvergne, an includes provinces an auries that historically wur no pairt o Auvergne. The Auvergne region is componed o the follaein auld provinces:

 Auvergne: depairtments o Puy-de-Dôme, Cantal, north-wast o Haute-Loire, an extreme sooth o Allier. The province o Auvergne is entirely contained inside the Auvergne region.
 Bourbonnais: depairtment o Allier. A sma pairt o Bourbonnais is an aw contained inside the Centre region (sooth o the depairtment o Cher).
 Velay: centre an sootheast o depairtment o Haute-Loire. Velay is entirely contained inside the Auvergne region.
 a sma pairt o Gévaudan: extreme soothwast o Haute-Loire. Gévaudan is essentially inside the Languedoc-Roussillon region.
 a sma pairt o Vivarais: extreme sootheast o Haute-Loire. Vivarais is essentially inside the Rhône-Alpes region.
 a sma pairt o Forez: extreme northeast o Haute-Loire. Forez is essentially inside the Rhône-Alpes region.

Velay, Gévaudan, an Vivarais are aften considered tae be sub-provinces o the auld Languedoc province. Forez is an aw aften considered tae be a sub-province o Lyonnais province. Therefore, the modren region o Auvergne is componed o the provinces o Auvergne, major pairt o Bourbonnais, an pairts o Languedoc an Lyonnais.

The 2002 awaird-winnin film, To Be and to Have (Être et avoir), documents ane year in the life o a ane-teacher schuil in rural Saint-Étienne-sur-Usson, Puy-de-Dôme, Auvergne.IMDB retrieved April 22, 2008

The region contains mony volcanoes, awtho the last confirmit eruption wis aroond 6,000 year ago. Thay began formin some 70,000 year ago, an maist hae erodit awa leavin plugs o uneruptit hardened magma that form roondit hilltops kent as puys.

Geography
In the region surroondin Clermont-Ferrand, the heichest muntain is 1,885m (6,180 ft). Frae north tae sooth, wi a sma ascent aroond the Plateau de Millevaches (978m/3,200 ft) the terrain becomes flatter an rockier. The Auvergne is 25 per cent woodland, 45 per cent grassland, 20 per cent arable land an 10 per cent ither uises (includin urban auries).

Climate
The average annual temperatur is 12 degrees C (53 degrees F), an the region receives 510 tae 1,020 mm (20 to 40 in) o rainfaw annually.

Demographics
Auvergne is ane o the least populated regions in Europe, let alane Fraunce. The département o Cantal wad be amaist completely depopulated if it werena for the toun o Aurillac. Major communities in the region include the caipital Clermont-Ferrand, Montluçon, Aurillac an Vichy.

Major communities
Aurillac
Chamalières
Clermont-Ferrand
Cournon-d'Auvergne
Issoire
Le Puy-en-Velay
Montluçon
Moulins, Allier
Riom
Vichy

References

Freemit airtins
Auvergne regional council website  


Auvergne Web Tourist and general information aboot the Auvergne region.  and 
  Regordane Info Independent portal for the Regordane Way or St Gilles Trail. The Regordane Way starts in Auvergne  and 
Auvergne-tourism  

!
Category:Umwhile provinces o Fraunce
Category:Umwhile regions o Fraunce