- Gironde
Infobox_Department_of_France
department=Gironde|number=33
region=Aquitaine
prefecture=Bordeaux
subprefectures=Arcachon Blaye
LangonLesparre-Médoc Libourne
population=1,386,996
1,287,334|pop_date=Jan.1, 2006 estimate
-March 8, 1999 census|pop_rank=9th|density=139
area=10,000|area_scale=10
arrond=6|cantons=63|communes=542
president=Philippe Madrelle |pres_party=
img_coa=blason33.pngGironde ( _oc. Gironda) is a common name for the
Gironde Estuary - sound where merge the mouths of theGaronne river and of theDordogne river - and for a department in theAquitaine region situated in southwestFrance .History
Gironde is one of the original 83 departments created during the
French Revolution on March 4, 1790. It was created from parts of the former provinces ofGuyenne andGascogne .From 1793 to 1795, the department's name was changed to Bec-d'Ambès to avoid the association with the revolutionary party, the
Girondists .Geography
Gironde is part of the current region of
Aquitaine and is surrounded by the departments of Landes,Lot-et-Garonne ,Dordogne andCharente-Maritime and theAtlantic Ocean on the west. With 10,000 km², Gironde is the largestdepartment of metropolitan France.It is well known for the
Côte d'Argent beach which is Europe's longest, and attracts manysurfer s toLacanau each year.ee also
*
Cantons of the Gironde department
*Communes of the Gironde department
*Arrondissements of the Gironde department
*Bordeaux wine regions External links
* [http://www.cg33.fr/ General Council website]
* [http://www.gironde.pref.gouv.fr/ Prefecture website]
* ODP|Regional/Europe/France/Regions/Aquitaine/Gironde|Gironde
* [http://www.tourisme-gironde.cg33.fr/ Tourism Office website]
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