Arrondissements of the Gard department facts for kids
There are 3 arrondissements in the Gard department. The French departments, and in other countries, are divided into arrondissements, which may be translated into English as districts (in some cases, as boroughs). The capital of an arrondissement is called a subprefecture.
If the prefecture (capital) of the department is in an arrondissement, that prefecture is the capital of the arrondissement, acting both as a prefecture and as a subprefecture.
Arrondissements are further divided into communes.
The arrondissements of Gard are:
INSEE code |
Arrondissement | Capital | Population (2014) |
Area (km²) |
Density (Inh./km²) |
Communes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
301 | Alès | Alès | 151,823 | 1,321.6 | 114.9 | 101 |
302 | Nîmes | Nîmes | 547,598 | 3,132.8 | 174.8 | 177 |
303 | Le Vigan | Le Vigan | 36,608 | 1,398.5 | 26.2 | 75 |
History
Gard is one of the 83 French departments made during the French revolution, on 4 March 1790. it was divided in 8 districts: Alais, Beaucaire, Nîmes, Pont-Saint-Esprit, Saint-Hippolyte, Sommières, Uzès and Le Vigan. The capital was Nîmes alternating with Alais and Uzès. In 1794, Nîmes became the only capital.
With the creation of the arrondissements, the 8 districts became four arrondissements: Nîmes, Alais, Uzès and Le Vigan. In 1926, the arrondissement of Uzès was eliminated.