Departments

Bas-Rhin

History

Bas-Rhin is one of the original 83 departments created on 4 March 1790, during the French Revolution.

In the mid-1790s, following the French occupation of the entire left bank of the Rhine, the northern boundary of the department was extended north beyond the Lauter to the Queich river to include the areas of Annweiler am Trifels, Landau in der Pfalz, Bad Bergzabern, and Wörth am Rhein. However, upon Napoleon's second defeat in 1815, the Congress of Vienna reassigned the areas north of the Lauter to Bavaria; and those territories are now presently located in the neighboring German state of Rhineland-Palatinate.

The department has twice been incorporated into Germany: from 1871 (after France's defeat in the Franco-Prussian War) until the end of World War I in 1918, and again briefly during World War II (from 1940 to 1945).

Geography

Bas-Rhin covers an area of 1,836 square miles / 4,755 km² (see map).

The Rhine has always been of great historical and economic importance to the area, and it forms the eastern border of Bas-Rhin. The area is also home to some of the foothills of the Vosges.

To the north of Bas-Rhin lies the Palatinate forest (Pfälzerwald) in the German Land of Rhineland-Palatinate, and the Land of Baden-Württemberg lies to the east. To the south lies the department of Haut-Rhin, the town of Colmar and southern Alsace, and to the west the department of Moselle in Lorraine.

Population

According to the official census of 2011, the population of Bas-Rhin department is 1,118,885 – an increase of 22,174 since 2006.

The three largest* cities are Strasbourg (pop. 276,750), Haguenau (pop. 35,252), and Schiltigheim (pop. 31,920). Within its 44 cantons, there are a total of 527 communes in Bas-Rhin.
*Census figures published by INSEE – 18, boulevard Adolphe Pinard, 75014 Paris; Director of publications: Jean-Philippe Cotis (tel. 01.41.17.50.50).

Life Expectancy

• Men: 75.7
• Women: 82.4

Conseil Général du Bas-Rhin
Place du Quartier Blanc, 67964 Strasbourg cedex 9
Phone: 03.88.76.67.67
Web site: www.cg67.fr

Haut-Rhin

Diversity, a wealth of resources, contrasting landscapes, and historical beauty in the heart of Europe... the territory of Haut-Rhin presents a colorful tapestry of the collaboration between nature and mankind. A source of pride, offering an exceptional quality of life, it is said that the Haut-Rhin region truly "nourishes the soul."

Geography, Population

Although Haut-Rhin is one of the smallest departments in France, covering an area of only 1,361 square miles / 3,525 km² (see map), it is also one of the more densely populated – with 520 inhabitants per square mile (201 per km²). According to the official census of 2011, the population of Haut-Rhin department is 769,394 – an increase of 18,501 since 2006.

The three largest* cities are Mulhouse (pop. 112,127), Colmar (pop. 69,013), and Illzach (pop. 14,987). Within its 31 cantons, there are a total of 377 communes in Haut-Rhin – mostly comprising modestly-sized towns, burghs, and charming little villages dotting the landscape.
*Census figures published by INSEE – 18, boulevard Adolphe Pinard, 75014 Paris; Director of publications: Jean-Philippe Cotis (tel. 01.41.17.50.50).

Life Expectancy

• Men: 75.4
• Women: 81.8

Employment (by sector)

• Manufacturing/Industrial: 31.6% (Alsace 28.1%, France 20.7%)
• Construction: 5.5% (Alsace 5.7%, France 5.7%)
• Services: 61.9% (Alsace 65.4%, France 72.2%)
• Agriculture: 1% (Alsace 0.8%, France 1.4%)
• Unemployment rate (July 2001): 4.7% (Alsace 5.2%, France 8.8%)

Conseil Général du Haut-Rhin
100, avenue d'Alsace - BP 20351, 68006 COLMAR Cedex
Phone: 03.89.30.68.68 ; Fax : 03.89.21.72.90
E-mail: communication@cg68.fr
Web site: www.cg68.fr

Tourism Offices

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Comité Régional du Tourisme d'Alsace
20-A, rue Berthe Molly, 68000 Colmar
Phone: 03-89-24-73-50 ; Fax: 03-89-24-73-51
E-mail: [order brochures]
Web site: www.tourisme-alsace.com

Agence de Développement Touristique (ADT) du Bas-Rhin
9, rue du Dôme, BP 53, 67061 Strasbourg cedex
Phone: 03-88-15-45-88 ; Fax: 03-88-75-67-64
E-mail: [contact form]
Web site: www.tourisme67.com

Association Départementale du Tourisme (ADT) du Haut-Rhin
1, rue Schlumberger, BP 60337, 68006 Colmar cedex
Phone: 03-89-20-10-68 ; Fax: 03-89-23-33-91
E-mail: adt@tourisme68.com
Web site: www.tourisme68.com

Colmar

Office de Tourisme de Colmar
4, rue Unterlinden, 68000 Colmar
Phone: 03-89-20-68-92 ; Fax: 03-89-41-34-13
E-mail: info@ot-colmar.fr
Web site: www.ot-colmar.fr

Mulhouse

Office de Tourisme et des Congrès de Mulhouse
(1.) 9, avenue Foch; (2.) Place de la Réunion, 68100 Mulhouse
Phone: (1.) 03-89-35-48-48 (2.) 03-89-66-93-13 ; Fax: 03-89-45-66-16
E-mail: info@tourisme-mulhouse.com
Web site: www.ot.ville-mulhouse.fr

Strasbourg

Office de Tourisme de Strasbourg et sa Région
17, place de la Cathédrale, B.P. 70020, 67082 Strasbourg cedex
Phone: 03-88-52-28-28 ; Fax: 03-88-52-28-29
E-mail: info@ot-strasbourg.fr
Web site: www.ot-strasbourg.fr

Wissembourg

Office de Tourisme de Wissembourg
Place de la République, 67160 Wissembourg
Phone: 03-88-94-10-11 ; Fax: 03-88-94-18-82
E-mail: tourisme.wissembourg@wanadoo.fr
Web site: www.ot-wissembourg.fr

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