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Aisne
—  Department  —
Flag Coat of arms
Location of Aisne in France
Coordinates: 49°30′N 3°30′E / 49.5°N 3.5°E / 49.5; 3.5Coordinates: 49°30′N 3°30′E / 49.5°N 3.5°E / 49.5; 3.5
Country	France
Region	Picardie
Prefecture	Laon
Subprefectures	Château-Thierry Saint-Quentin Soissons Vervins
Government
• President of the General Council	Yves Daudigny (PS)
Area1
• Total	7,369 km2 (2,845 sq mi)
Population (1999)
• Total	535,489
• Rank	49th
• Density	73/km2 (190/sq mi)
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Department number	02
Arrondissements	5
Cantons	42
Communes	816
^1 French Land Register data, which exclude estuaries, and lakes, ponds, and glaciers larger than 1 km2

Aisne (French pronunciation: [ɛːn]) is a department in the northern part of France, named after a river.

History[link]

Aisne is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was created from parts of the former provinces of Île-de-France, Picardie, and Champagne.

Most of the old growth forests in the area were destroyed during battles in World War I. The French offensive against the Chemin des Dames in spring 1917 is sometimes referred to as the Second Battle of the Aisne.

Geography[link]

Aisne borders the Ardennes Forest and Belgium to the northeast. The Aisne River crosses the area from east to west, where it joins the Oise River. The Marne forms part of the southern boundary of the department with the department of Seine-et-Marne. The southern part of the department is the geographical region known as la Brie poilleuse, a drier plateau known for its dairy products and Brie cheese.

The landscape is dominated by masses of rock which often have steep flanks. These rocks appear all over the region, but the most impressive examples are at Laon and the Chemin des Dames ridge.

The principal cities in Aisne are :

• Laon, pop. 26,000 (capital)
• Saint-Quentin, pop. 60,000
• Soissons, pop. 30,000
• Château-Thierry, pop. 15,000
• Tergnier, pop. 15,000

See also: List of the communes of the Aisne department and Brie.

Climate[link]

There is an average of 500 to 750 mm precipitation annually.

Economy[link]

Agriculture dominates the economy, especially cereal crops. Beet sugar is one of the most important industrial crops of the area. Silk, cotton, and wool weaving flourish in Saint-Quentin and other towns. Saint-Gobain is known for its production of mirrors, which started in the 17th century. Guise is the agricultural centre of the northern area of Aisne.

Culture[link]

During World War I a number of significant architectural monuments were destroyed. Of the buildings that survived, the medieval churches in Laon, Braine, and Urcel are the most significant. The ruined castle of La Ferté-Milon escaped further damage during the war. Of the castles that survived, some were used as prisons, such as the Castle of Vadancourt, near Saint-Quentin ( 500 prisoners )^[1]

It is thought that the Aisne River was the birthplace of the Trench Warfare seen throughout the First World War. The BEF had initial early successes which drove the Germans back to the Aisne River; the German troops dug in and managed to hold out against both British and French attacks. With this German success, it was to mould the entire face of World War I as both sides began digging in and fortified their positions, thus beginning the stalemate that was to become a significant feature of the First World War.

Politics[link]

The President of the General Council is the Socialist Yves Daudigny.

Celebrity connections[link]

• The artist Henri Matisse spent his childhood at Bohain-en-Vermandois.
• Alexandre Dumas grew up in Aisne
• The fictional character Jean Valjean was born in Faverolles, Aisne

See also[link]

• Cantons of the Aisne department
• Communes of the Aisne department
• Arrondissements of the Aisne department

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Aisne

• (French) Prefecture website
• (French) General Council website
• (English) Set up your business in Aisne
• (French) Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Aisne
• (French) Chamber of Trades of Aisne
• (French) Aisne Chamber of Agriculture
• (English) Aisne Development Agency
• (English) Official Tourist Board
• (French) Maps of Aisne