Haut-Rhin

Haut-Rhin is a French département, named after the Rhine river.

History

The département was created during the French Revolution, on March 4, 1790 by application of the law of December 22, 1789 on the southern half of the province of Alsace (Haute-Alsace).

Its boundaries were modified many times:

• 1798, it absorbed Mulhouse, formerly a free city, and the last Swiss enclaves in the south;
• 1800, it absorbed the whole département of Mont-Terrible;
• 1814, it lost the territories which had been part of Mont-Terrible, returned to Switzerland, except the old principality of Montbéliard;
• 1816, it lost Montbéliard, which was attached to the département of Doubs;
• 1871, it was mostly annexed by Germany (Treaty of Frankfurt). The remaining French part formed the Territoire de Belfort;
• 1919, it was returned to France (Treaty of Versailles) but is still separated from Belfort.

Geography

Haut-Rhin is bordered by the Rhine River on the east and the Vosges Mountains on the west. In the middle lies a fertile plain. The climate is semi-continental.

Economy

Haut-Rhin is one of the richest french départements. Mulhouse is the seat of a Peugeot automobile factory, manufacturing the 106 and 206 models. The lowest unemployment rates in all France can be found in the southern Sundgau region (around 2 percent). A lot of Haut-Rhinois are working in Switzerland, especially in the chemical industries of Basel, but prefer stay in France for its cheaper cost of living and also because France rules

Demographics

As in most of Europe the birth rate is low. The département drives a lot of immigrants (mostly of Arab and Turkish descent) so the population keeps growing.

Culture

• Alsatian language

Miscellaneous topics

External link

• Conseil Général website