Alos-Sibas-Abense
Alos-Sibas-Abense () is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in southwestern France. It is located in the former province of Soule. The inhabitants of the commune are known as "Aloztar-Ziboztar-Oniztar" Geography. "Alos-Sibas-Abense" is located some 90 km south-east of Bayonne and 80m km west of Lourdes. The D918 road runs down the eastern border of the commune, but does not enter. Access to the commune is on road D247 from Alcay-Alcabehety-Sunharette in the southwest which runs through the heart of the commune  to the village. It then continues to the southeast linking with the D918 at Tardets-Sorholus. Most of the commune is farmland with some forest and it has a network of country roads covering most of the commune. Hydrography. Located in the Drainage basin of the Adour, the Saison river passes along and forms the eastern border of the commune parallel with the D918 road. The Aphoura stream (18 km), which is fed by the Ardounc, the Batasse (10.1 km), the Laritolle, the Jaga, and the Uthurrotche erreka, flows near the village and to the Saisson. Toponymy. The commune name  in Basque is "Aloze-Ziboze-Onizegaine". The Basque form of "Sibas" can be "Ziboz(e)" or "Ziborotz(e)". Jean-Baptiste Orpustan suggested that "Abense" came from a Roman phonetic change to the Basque "Oniz" > "onise" > "oénse" > "auénse" > "abense". The base of the name is the oronym "ona", also present in "Bayonne" and "Oneix". The modern Basque form ("Onizegañia", "Onizegañe" or "Omiz(e)") are equivalent to "Upper" ("gain(e)a" > "gañia"). Brigitte Jobbé-Duval suggests that "Oniz" is the name of a noble Basque family. The following table details the origins of the commune name and other names in the commune . Sources: Origins: History. Sibas merged with Alos on 23 October 1843 to form Alos-Sibas. On 16 April 1859, following the annexation of part of the territory of Abense-de-Haut, the commune took the name of Alos-Sibas-Abense. On the same day the commune of Abense-de-Haut disappeared, its territory being divided between Alos-Sibas and Tardets. Administration. Lists of Successive Mayors of Alos-Sibas-Abense Intercommunality. The town is part of six intercommunal structures: Demography. In 2017 the commune had 319 inhabitants. The population data given in the table and graph below for 1836 and earlier  refer to the former commune of Alos, and for 1841-1851 to the former commune of Alos-Sibas. Economy. Economic activity is mainly focused on agriculture (livestock and pasture). The town is part of the Appellation d'origine contrôlée zone of Ossau-iraty. Culture and heritage. Religious heritage. The Church of Abense contains a Processional Cross (15th century) which is registered as an historical object. Environmental heritage. The common practices Controlled burns for prevention of forest fires. Facilities. The town has an early childhood hub (Child care centre and a creche) and an "Ikastola".