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Nord-Pas-de-Calais
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Nord-Pas de Calais (French pronunciation: [nɔʁ pa də kalɛ] ( listen); Dutch: Noord-Nauw van Kales), Nord for short, is the northmaist o the 27 regions o Fraunce. It consists o the depairtments o Nord an Pas-de-Calais, in the north an haes a border wi Belgium. Maist o the region wis ance pairt o the Soothren Netherlands, athin the Law Kintras, an gradually became pairt o Fraunce atween 1477 an 1678. The historical provinces nou included in Nord-Pas-de-Calais are Artois, Boulonnais, Calaisis, Cambraisis, French Flanders, French Hainaut an portions o northren Picardy, an the regional nickname Bassin Minier or Meiners-Bassen (Miners' or Minin Basin in the region's twa leids) derived frae historically lairge minin deposits. These provincial designations are still frequently uised bi the indwallers, which affers a sense o civic pride.
Nord-Pas-de-Calais | |
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Kintra | ![]() |
Prefectur | Lille |
Departments | |
Govrenment | |
• Preses | Daniel Percheron (PS) |
Area | |
• Total | 12414 km2 (4,793 sq mi) |
Population (2008-01-01) | |
• Total | 4,022,000 |
• Density | 320/km2 (840/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
NUTS Region | FR3 |
Website | nordpasdecalais.fr |
Wi its 323.7 fowk per km2 on juist ower 12,400 km2, it is a densely populatit region, haein some fower million indwallers—seiven percent o Fraunce's tot population, makkin it the fowert maist muckle region in the kintra—83% o whom live in urban communities. Its admeenistrative centre an lairgest ceety is Lille. The seicont lairgest ceety is Calais, which serves as a major continental economic/transportation hub wi Dover o Great Breetain 42 kilometres (26 mi) away; the White Cliffs o Dover are visible frae Calais on a clear day. Ither major touns include Valenciennes, Lens, Douai, Béthune, Dunkirk, Maubeuge, Boulogne, Arras, Cambrai an Saint-Omer.