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Aisne is a department in the northern part of France
France

France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....
 named after the Aisne River
Aisne River

The Aisne is a river in northeastern France, left tributary of the river Oise River. It gave its name to the French d?partement in France Aisne....
.

e is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution
French Revolution

The French Revolution was a period of political and social upheaval and radical change in the history of France, during which the French governmental structure, previously an absolute monarchy with feudalism for the aristocracy and Roman Catholic Church clergy, underwent radical change to forms based on Age of Enlightenment principles of cit...
 on March 4, 1790. It was created from parts of the former provinces of Île-de-France
Île-de-France (province)

?le-de-France is one of the ancient provinces of France, and the one that has been the centre of power during most of History of France. It is centred on Paris....
, Picardie
Picardie

This article is about the modern French region. For other uses, see Picardy .Picardy is one of the 26 regions of France of France. It is located in the northern part of France....
, and Champagne
Champagne, France

Champagne is a historic Provinces of France in the northeast of France, now best known for the Champagne that bears its name. Its western edge is about 100 miles east of Paris....
.

Most of the old-growth forests in the area were destroyed during battles in World War I
World War I

World War I, or the First World War , was a global military conflict which involved the Great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War I and the Central Powers....
. The French offensive against the Chemin des Dames
Chemin des Dames

In France, the Chemin des Dames, literally, the "Ladies' Way", is part of the D18 and runs east and west in the d?partement of Aisne, between in the west, the road N2, and in the east, the D1044 at Corbeny....
 in spring 1917 is sometimes referred to as the Second Battle of the Aisne
Second Battle of the Aisne

The Second Battle of the Aisne , in 1917 was the main action of the French Nivelle Offensive or Chemin des Dames Offensive during World War I. The objective was a prominent, 80 km long, east-west ridge underlain by many quarries that had sheltered the German occupants from the French artillery preparation....
.

e borders the Ardennes
Ardennes

The Ardennes is a region of extensive forests, rolling hills and old mountains formed on the Givetian Ardennes mountains, primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, but stretching into France , and geologically into the Eifel....
 Forest and Belgium
Belgium

* A small German-speaking Community of Belgium exists in eastern Wallonia. Belgium's linguistic diversity and related political and cultural conflicts are reflected in the history of Belgium and a complex Communities and regions of Belgium....
 to the northeast.






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Aisne is a department in the northern part of France
France

France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....
 named after the Aisne River
Aisne River

The Aisne is a river in northeastern France, left tributary of the river Oise River. It gave its name to the French d?partement in France Aisne....
.

History

Aisne is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution
French Revolution

The French Revolution was a period of political and social upheaval and radical change in the history of France, during which the French governmental structure, previously an absolute monarchy with feudalism for the aristocracy and Roman Catholic Church clergy, underwent radical change to forms based on Age of Enlightenment principles of cit...
 on March 4, 1790. It was created from parts of the former provinces of Île-de-France
Île-de-France (province)

?le-de-France is one of the ancient provinces of France, and the one that has been the centre of power during most of History of France. It is centred on Paris....
, Picardie
Picardie

This article is about the modern French region. For other uses, see Picardy .Picardy is one of the 26 regions of France of France. It is located in the northern part of France....
, and Champagne
Champagne, France

Champagne is a historic Provinces of France in the northeast of France, now best known for the Champagne that bears its name. Its western edge is about 100 miles east of Paris....
.

Most of the old-growth forests in the area were destroyed during battles in World War I
World War I

World War I, or the First World War , was a global military conflict which involved the Great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War I and the Central Powers....
. The French offensive against the Chemin des Dames
Chemin des Dames

In France, the Chemin des Dames, literally, the "Ladies' Way", is part of the D18 and runs east and west in the d?partement of Aisne, between in the west, the road N2, and in the east, the D1044 at Corbeny....
 in spring 1917 is sometimes referred to as the Second Battle of the Aisne
Second Battle of the Aisne

The Second Battle of the Aisne , in 1917 was the main action of the French Nivelle Offensive or Chemin des Dames Offensive during World War I. The objective was a prominent, 80 km long, east-west ridge underlain by many quarries that had sheltered the German occupants from the French artillery preparation....
.

Geography

Aisne borders the Ardennes
Ardennes

The Ardennes is a region of extensive forests, rolling hills and old mountains formed on the Givetian Ardennes mountains, primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, but stretching into France , and geologically into the Eifel....
 Forest and Belgium
Belgium

* A small German-speaking Community of Belgium exists in eastern Wallonia. Belgium's linguistic diversity and related political and cultural conflicts are reflected in the history of Belgium and a complex Communities and regions of Belgium....
 to the northeast. The Aisne River crosses the area from east to west, where it joins the Oise River
Oise River

The Oise river is a right tributary of the Seine River. Its length is 302 km in Belgium and France. Its source is in the Belgian province Hainaut , south of the town Chimay....
. 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
Laon

Laon is a city in Picardie in northern France, capital of the Aisne Departments of France....
 and the Chemin des Dames
Chemin des Dames

In France, the Chemin des Dames, literally, the "Ladies' Way", is part of the D18 and runs east and west in the d?partement of Aisne, between in the west, the road N2, and in the east, the D1044 at Corbeny....
 ridge.

The principal cities in Aisne are :
  • Laon
    Laon

    Laon is a city in Picardie in northern France, capital of the Aisne Departments of France....
    , pop. 26,000 (capital)
  • Saint-Quentin
    Saint-Quentin, Aisne

    Saint-Quentin is a Communes of France in the Aisne Departments of France in Picardy in northern France. It has been identified as the Augusta Veromanduorum of antiquity....
    , pop. 60,000
  • Soissons
    Soissons

    Soissons is a Communes of the Aisne department in the Aisne Departments of France in Picardie in northern France, located on the Aisne River, about 100 kilometres northeast of Paris....
    , pop. 30,000
  • Château-Thierry
    Château-Thierry

    Ch?teau-Thierry is a Communes of France in northern France about 56 miles east-northeast of Paris. It is a Subprefectures in France of the Aisne Departments of France in Picardie....
    , pop. 15,000
  • Tergnier
    Tergnier

    Tergnier is a Communes of the Aisne department in the Aisne Departments of France in Picardie in northern France....
    , pop. 15,000


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

Climate

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

Economy

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
Saint-Gobain

Saint-Gobain SA is a French multinational corporation, founded in 1665 in Paris and headquartered on the outskirts of Paris at La D?fense. Originally a mirror manufacturer, it now also produces a variety of construction and high-performance materials....
 is known for its production of mirrors, which started in the 17th century. Guise
Guise

Guise is a Communes of the Aisne department in the Aisne Departments of France in Picardie in northern France. The ruins of the medieval castle of Guise, seat of the House of Guise, are located in the commune....
 is the agricultural centre of the northern area of Aisne.

Culture

During World War I
World War I

World War I, or the First World War , was a global military conflict which involved the Great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War I and the Central Powers....
 a number of significant architectural monuments were destroyed. Of the buildings that survived, the medieval churches in Laon, Braine
Braine

Braine may refer to the following places:* Braine, Aisne, a commune in the department of Aisne, France* Braine-l'Alleud, a municipality in the province of Walloon Brabant, Belgium...
, and Urcel
Urcel

Urcel is a Communes of the Aisne department in the Aisne Departments of France in Picardie in northern France....
 are the most significant. The ruined castle of La Ferté-Milon
La Ferté-Milon

La Fert?-Milon is a Communes of France in the Departments of France of Aisne in Picardie in northern FranceIn La Fert?-Milon stand the ruins of an unfinished castle, whose fa?ade was 200 m long and 38 m high....
 escaped further damage during the war. Of castles that survived, some were used as prison; as the Castle of Vadancourt, near Saint-Quentin ( 500 prisoners )

Politics


The President of the General Council is the Socialist
Socialist Party (France)

The Socialist Party is the largest left-wing politics political party in France. It replaced the French Section of the Workers' International in 1969....
 Yves Daudigny
Yves Daudigny

Yves Daudigny is a a member of the Senate of France. He represents the Aisne dpeartment , in the Picardie region, and is a member of the Socialist Party ....
.

See also

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


External links