- Lozère
Infobox_Department_of_France
department=Lozère|number=48
region=Languedoc-Roussillon
prefecture=Mende
subprefectures=Florac
population=73,509|pop_date=1999|pop_rank=100th|density=14
area=5167|area_scale=9
arrond=2|cantons=25|communes=185
president=Jean-Paul Pourquier |pres_party=
img_coa=blason48.pngLozère (in
Occitan "Losera"), is a department in southeastFrance near theMassif Central .History
Lozère is one of the original 83 departments created during the
French Revolution on March 4, 1790. It was created from part of the former province ofLanguedoc .The
Beast of Gévaudan was a creature that terrorized the general area of the former province ofGévaudan , in today's Lozère, in theMargeride Mountains, in the general timeframe of 1764 to 1767.The cheese of Lozère was praised in
Pliny's Natural History ::The kinds of cheese that are most esteemed at Rome, where the various good things of all nations are to be judged of by comparison, are those which come from the provinces of Nemausus, and more especially the villages there of Lesura and Gabalis; but its excellence is only very short-lived, and it must be eaten while it is fresh.Geography
Lozère is part of the current
Languedoc-Roussillon region and is surrounded by the departments ofCantal ,Haute-Loire ,Ardèche ,Gard , andAveyron .Economy
The main activities are farming and tourism.The department has one of the lowest unemployment rates in France.
Demographics
The inhabitants of the department are called "Lozériens". Lozère is the least populated French department.
The low population density (14 inhabitant/km²) is thought to be due to the region's poor soils and to rural depopulation, which was particularly high in the region between 1850 and 1910.
In recent years, the department's population has increased slightly, as it is thought to offer a good quality of life, and due to improved transport networks. However, the population is older than the national average.
Tourism
Tourist activities include
caving and a variety of sports, such asski ing andkayak ing. Lozère contains a part of theCévennes National Park . Lozère is considered one of the best areas in France for trout fishing. Rivers such as the Lot, Tarn and Truyère are particularly noted for their trout populations.ee also
*
Cantons of the Lozère department
*Communes of the Lozère department
*Arrondissements of the Lozère department External links
* [http://www.lozere-tourisme.com/index.php3?id_gmenu=16026&code_menu=acc&langue=en/ Tourism in Lozère - Official site : Gorges du Tarn, Aubrac, Margeride, Cévennes...]
* [http://www.lozere.pref.gouv.fr/ Prefecture website]
* [http://www.cg48.fr/ Conseil Général website]
* [http://www.netrando.com/4dcgi/us/geoquery/211.htm Lozère on netrando.com]
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