Basse-Normandie
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| Missing image Basse-Normandie_map.png Location of Basse-Normandie | |||||
| Capital | Caen | ||||
| Area | 17,589 km² | ||||
| Regional President | Philippe Duron (PS) (since 2004) | ||||
| Population - 2004 estimate - 1999 census - Density | (Ranked 17th) 1,443,000 1,422,193 82/km² (2004) | ||||
| Arrondissements | 11 | ||||
| Cantons | 141 | ||||
| Communes | 1,812 | ||||
| Départements | Calvados Manche Orne | ||||
| Notes: 1 This is the flag of Normandy, which is also used by the Upper Normandy région. | |||||
Basse-Normandie (Lower Normandy) is a region of France. It was created in 1956, when the Normandy region was divided into Basse-Normandie and Haute-Normandie. The region includes three départements, Calvados, Manche and Orne. It covers 10,857 square miles, 3.2 percent of the surface area of France (Northcutt, 1996, p. 181).
The region's economy is heavily agricultural, with livestock and dairy farming, textiles and fruit production among its major industries. Iron ore is mined near Caen. Tourism is also a major industry. The region has direct ferry links to England (via the port of Cherbourg) and the beaches of Calvados were the site of the D-Day landings in June 1944. Basse-Normandie suffered badly during World War II, with many of the region's towns and villages being destroyed during the Battle of Normandy.
References
Northcutt, Wayne; The Regions of France, A Reference Guide to History and Culture; 1996; Greenwood Press; ISBN 031329223X
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