Pas-de-Calais

Pas-de-Calais is a dpartement in northern France France

France, officially the French Republic, is a country [i] whose metropolitan territory [i] ...

named after the strait which it borders Strait of Dover

The Strait of Dover or Dover Strait is the strait [i] at the narrowest part of the English Channel [i] ...

.

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Encyclopedia

Pas-de-Calais is a département in northern France France

France, officially the French Republic, is a country [i] whose metropolitan territory [i] ...

named after the strait which it borders Strait of Dover

The Strait of Dover or Dover Strait is the strait [i] at the narrowest part of the English Channel [i] ...

.

History

Pas-de-Calais was one of the original 83 départements created during the French Revolution French Revolution

The French Revolution was a pivotal period in the history of French, Europe [i]an and Western [i] ...

on March 4, 1790. It was created from parts of the former provinces Provinces of France

The Kingdom of France [i] was organized into province [i]s until March 4 [i], 1790 [i], when the establishment ...

of Boulonnais, Ponthieu and Artois Artois

Artois is a former province [i] of northern France [i]. ...

.

Some of the costliest battles of World War I World War I

World War I, also known as the First World War, the Great War and "The War to End All War...

were fought here. The Vimy Memorial Vimy Memorial

The Canadian National Vimy Memorial is one of Canada [i]'s most important overseas war memorial [i]s to ...

commemorates the Battle of Vimy Ridge Battle of Vimy Ridge

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was one of the opening battles in a larger British campaign known as the Battle of Arras [i] ...

and is Canada Canada

Canada is the world's second-largest [i] country by total area, occupying most ...

's most important memorial to its fallen soldiers.

The Pas-de-Calais was also the target of Operation Fortitude during World War II World War II

World War II, or the Second World War, was a worldwide [i] conflict [i] fought betwe ...

, which was an Allied plan to deceive the Germans Oberkommando der Wehrmacht

Oberkommando der Wehrmacht or OKW was part of the command structure of the German [i]...

that the invasion of Europe Battle of Normandy

The Battle of Normandy was fought in 1944 [i] between Nazi Germany [i] in Western Europe [i] and the in ...

was to occur here, rather than in Normandy Normandy

Normandy is a geographical region in northern France [i]. ...

.

Geography

Pas-de-Calais is in the current région of Nord-Pas-de-Calais and is surrounded by the départments of Nord and Somme and the English Channel English Channel

The English Channel is the part of the Atlantic Ocean [i] that separates the island [i] of Great Britain [i] ...

and the North Sea North Sea

he North Sea is a sea [i] of the Atlantic Ocean [i], located between Norway [i] and Denmark [i] in the ...

.

Its principal towns are, on the coast, Calais and Boulogne-sur-Mer, and in Artois, Lens Lens, Pas-de-Calais

Lens is a commune [i] in northern France [i], in the Pas-de-Calais [i] dpartement [i] ...

, Liévin Liévin

Livin is a town and commune [i] in northern France [i], in the dpartement [i] ...

, Arras Arras

Arras is a town and commune [i] in northern France [i], prfecture [i] of the Pas-de-Calais [i] ...

, and Saint-Omer Saint-Omer

Saint-Omer, a town and commune [i] of Artois [i] in northern France [i], sous-prfecture [i] ...

.

The principal rivers are the following:

Authie
Canche Canche

The River Canche is one of the small chalk streams which flow from the plateau of the southern Boulonnais [i] ...
Temoise
Liane
Sensée
Scarpe
Deûle
Lys Lys River

The Lys or Leie is a river [i] originating in France [i], entering Belgium [i] and flowing through...
Aa

Economy

The economy of the département was long dependent on mining Mining

Mining is the extraction of valuable [i] mineral [i]s or other geological [i] materials f ...

, primarily the coal mine Coal mining

Coal mining is the extraction of coal [i] from the earth [i] for use as fuel [i]. ...

s. However, since World War II World War II

World War II, or the Second World War, was a worldwide [i] conflict [i] fought betwe ...

, the economy has become more diversified.

Demographics

The inhabitants of the département are called Pas-de-Calaisiens.

Pas-de-Calais is one of the most heavily populated départements of France, and yet it has no large cities. Calais Calais

Calais is a town in northern France [i], located at 5057N 152E. ...

has only just over 100,000 inhabitants, followed closely by Boulogne-sur-Mer and St.-Omer. The remaining population is primarily concentrated along the border with the département of Nord in the mining district, where a string of small towns constitutes an urban area with a population of about 1.2 million. The center and south of the département are more rural, but still quite heavily populated, with many villages and small towns.

Although the department saw some of the heaviest fighting of World War I, its population rebounded quickly after both world wars. However, many of the mining towns have seen dramatic decreases in population, some up to half of their population.

Culture

Although the Pas-de-Calais is one of the most populous département of France, it had no university until 1992.