Doubs

Doubs (/duː/, DOO; French: [du] (listen); Arpitan: Dubs) is a department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in Eastern France. Named after the river Doubs, it had a population of 543,974 in 2019.[3] Its prefecture is Besançon and subprefectures are Montbéliard and Pontarlier.

Doubs
Dubs (Arpitan)
Department of France
Prefecture building in Besançon
Flag
Coat of arms
Location of Doubs in France
Coordinates: 47°10′N 06°25′E
CountryFrance
RegionBourgogne-Franche-Comté
PrefectureBesançon
SubprefecturesMontbéliard
Pontarlier
Government
 • President of the Departmental CouncilChristine Bouquin[1] (DVD)
Area
1
 • Total5,232.6 km2 (2,020.3 sq mi)
Population
 (Jan. 2019)[2]
 • Total543,974
 • Rank49th
 • Density100/km2 (270/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Department number25
Arrondissements3
Cantons19
Communes571
^1 French Land Register data, which exclude estuaries and lakes, ponds and glaciers larger than 1 km2

History
Main article: Franche-Comté

As early as the 13th century, inhabitants of the northern two-thirds of Doubs spoke Franc-Comtois, a dialect of the langues d'oïl. Residents of the southern third of Doubs spoke a dialect of the Arpitan language. Both languages co-existed with French, the official language of law and commerce, and continued to be spoken frequently in rural areas into the 20th century. They are both still spoken today but not on a daily basis.

Doubs was important as a portal to Switzerland through the pass at Cluse de Pontarlier. Many famous people, including Mirabeau, Toussaint Louverture and Heinrich von Kleist, were imprisoned in the Château de Joux.

Doubs is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was created from part of the former province of Franche-Comté. The prefecture (capital) is Besançon.

In 1793, the republic of Mandeure was annexed by France and incorporated into the department. This district was passed between various territories and departments in the ensuing administrative reorganisations and wars, but was restored to Doubs in 1816 when the former principality of Montbéliard was also added to the department.

However, the commune of Le Cerneux-Péquignot was annexed by the Canton of Neuchâtel under the terms of the 1814 Treaty of Paris, and since remained Swiss territory.

Between the defeat of France at the Battle of Waterloo and November 1818, Doubs was included in the area occupied by Austrian troops.

Victor Hugo, Gustave Courbet, Armand Peugeot, Auguste and Louis Lumière and Frank Darabont are among the famous people born in Doubs.

Geography

Doubs is part of the current region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté and is surrounded by the French departments of Jura, Haute-Saône, and Territoire de Belfort, and the Swiss cantons of Vaud, Neuchâtel, and Jura.

The department is dominated by the Jura mountains, which rise east of Besançon.

Principal towns

The most populous commune is Besançon, the prefecture. As of 2019, there are 5 communes with more than 10,000 inhabitants:[3]

Commune Population (2019)
Besançon 117,912
Montbéliard 25,806
Pontarlier 17,542
Audincourt 13,341
Valentigney 11,272

Demographics

The inhabitants of the department are called Doubiens.

Population development since 1791:

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1791219,642—    
1801216,226−0.16%
1806226,040+0.89%
1821242,663+0.47%
1831265,535+0.90%
1841286,236+0.75%
1851296,679+0.36%
1861296,280−0.01%
1872291,251−0.16%
1881310,827+0.73%
1891303,081−0.25%
1901298,864−0.14%
1911299,935+0.04%
1921285,022−0.51%
YearPop.±% p.a.
1931305,500+0.70%
1936304,812−0.05%
1946298,255−0.22%
1954327,187+1.16%
1962384,881+2.05%
1968426,363+1.72%
1975471,082+1.44%
1982477,163+0.18%
1990484,770+0.20%
1999499,062+0.32%
2006516,823+0.50%
2011529,103+0.47%
2016538,549+0.35%
source:[4][5]

Politics

The President of the Departmental Council is Christine Bouquin (DVD).

Partyseats
• The Republicans24
Socialist Party14

National Assembly Representatives
ConstituencyMember[6]Party
Doubs's 1st constituency Fannette Charvier La République En Marche!
Doubs's 2nd constituency Éric Alauzet La République En Marche!
Doubs's 3rd constituency Denis Sommer La République En Marche!
Doubs's 4th constituency Frédéric Barbier La République En Marche!
Doubs's 5th constituency Annie Genevard The Republicans

Economy

The Doubs department is at the same time the greenest and the most industrialized in France.

It is the birthplace of the automotive manufacturer Peugeot.

Tourism

The castle of Joux and Besançon are important tourist destinations.

Notable people
  • Paul-Claude Racamier (1924–1996), psychiatrist and psychoanalyst
  • The citadel and the old town of Besançon in a meander of the Doubs
  • Royal Saltworks at Arc-et-Senans
  • Montbéliard
  • Fort de Joux
  • Lods, one of the most beautiful villages of France

See also
  • Arrondissements of the Doubs department
  • Cantons of the Doubs department
  • Communes of the Doubs department

Bibliography
Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article "Doubs (department)".
  • Hoffmann, Michael, Die französischen Konservativen in der katholischen Provinz Parteigenese und politische Kultur im Doubs (1900–1930) (Frankfurt am Main u.a., Peter Lang, 2008) (Moderne Geschichte und Politik, 22).

References
  1. "Répertoire national des élus: les conseillers départementaux". data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises (in French). 4 May 2022.
  2. "Téléchargement du fichier d'ensemble des populations légales en 2019". The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 29 December 2021.
  3. Populations légales 2019: 25 Doubs, INSEE
  4. "Historique du Doubs". Le SPLAF.
  5. "Évolution et structure de la population en 2016". INSEE.
  6. Nationale, Assemblée. "Assemblée nationale ~ Les députés, le vote de la loi, le Parlement français". Assemblée nationale.
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