Cher (department) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cher
Department
Prefecture building of the Cher department, in Bourges
Flag Coat of arms
Location of Cher in France
Country	France
Region	Centre-Val de Loire
Département	4 March 1790
Prefecture	Bourges
Subprefectures	Saint-Amand-Montrond, Vierzon
Area
• Total	7,235.0 km2 (2,793.4 sq mi)
Population  (2014)
• Total	310,270
• Density	42.8846/km2 (111.0706/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Berrichons
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
ISO 3166 code	FR-18
Arrondissements	3
Cantons	19
Communes	290
Website	Official website: http://www.departement18.fr/

Cher is a department in the centre of France in the Centre-Val de Loire region. It is named after the Cher river, the most important river in the department.

Its prefecture is Bourges.

History

The department is one of the 83 French departments made during the French revolution, on 4 March 1790. The department was created from part of the former province of Berry.

The new department had seven districts: Aubigny, Sancerre, Sancoins, Saint-Amand, Châteaumeillant, Bourges and Vierzon. The capital (now prefecture) was Bourges.

In 1800, with the creation of the arrondissements in France, the seven districts were changed into three arrondissements: Bourges, Saint-Amand-Mont-Rond and Sancerre.

On 10 September 1926, the arrondissement of Sancerre was eliminated. In 1984, a new arrondissement was created: Vierzon.

Geography

Cher is part of the Centre-Val de Loire region. It has an area of 7,235 km² (2,793 sq mi).

The highest point of the department is Le Magnoux (46°25′43″N 2°11′54″E / 46.42861°N 2.19833°E / 46.42861; 2.19833), in the south end of the department in the commune of Préveranges, and that is 501 m (1,644 ft) above sea level.

The department is bordered by 6 departments in 4 regions:

• Centre-Val de Loire region
  • Loir-et-Cher (northwest)
  • Indre (west)
  • Loiret (north)
• Nouvelle-Aquitaine region
  • Creuse (south)
• Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region
  • Allier (southeast)
• Bourgogne-Franche-Comté
  • Nièvre (east)

	Loir-et-Cher	Loiret	Nièvre
	Indre		Nièvre
		Cher
	Indre	Creuse	Allier

The main rivers are:

• Cher, a left tributary of the Loire; it is 367.8 km (228.5 mi) long. The department is named after this river.
• Allier, also a left tributary of the Loire; it is 420.7 km (261.4 mi) long.
• Indre, also a left tributary of the Loire; it is 279.3 km (173.5 mi) long.
• Sauldre, a right tributary of the Cher; it is 183.1 km (113.8 mi) long.

Climate

The Köppen climate classification type for the climate at Bourges is an "Oceanic climate" (also known as Marine West Coast Climate) and of the subtype Cfb.

The average amount of precipitation for the year in Bourges is 665.5 mm (26.2 in). The month with the most precipitation on average is November with 66 mm (2.6 in) of precipitation. The month with the least precipitation on average is February with an average of 45.7 mm (1.8 in).

The average temperature for the year in Bourges is 11.7 °C (53.1 °F). The warmest month, on average, is July with an average temperature of 20.2 °C (68.4 °F). The coolest month on average is January, with an average temperature of 4 °C (39 °F).

Administration

The department is managed by the Departmental Council of the Cher in Bourges. Cher is part of the region of Centre-Val de Loire.

Administrative divisions

There are 3 arrondissements (districts), 19 cantons and 290 communes (municipalities) in Cher.

The following is a list of the 19 cantons of the Cher department, following the French canton reorganisation which came into effect in March 2015:

Demographics

The inhabitants of Cher are known, in French, as Chériens (women: Chériennes) or Berrichons (women: Berrichonnes).

Cher has a population, in 2014, of 310,270, for a population density of 42.9 inhabitants/km². The arrondissement of Bourges, with 173,889 inhabitants, is by far the largest.

Evolution of the population in Cher

The main cities in the department are:

Gallery

• 

  The Saint-Etienne cathedral in Bourges.

• 

  Houses in Bourges.

• 

  Bourges.

• 

  Apremont-sur-Allier.

• 

  Noirlac Abbey.

• 

  Château de Meillant.

Related pages

• Arrondissements of the Cher department
• Communes of the Cher department

See also

In Spanish: Cher (departamento) para niños