Editing Mayenne

{{short description|Department of France}}
{{other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!-- See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions -->
| name                    = Mayenne
| native_name             =
| native_name_lang        = fr<!-- ISO 639-2 code e.g. "fr" for French. If more than one, use {{lang}} instead -->
| type                    = [[Departments of France|Department]]
| image_skyline           = Préfecture Laval.JPG
| image_alt               =
| image_caption           = [[Prefectures in France|Prefecture]] building of the Mayenne department, in [[Laval (Mayenne)|Laval]]
| image_flag              = Drapeau fr département Mayenne.svg
| flag_alt                =
| image_shield            = Blason département fr Mayenne.svg
| shield_alt              =
| nickname                =
| motto                   =
| image_map               = Mayenne-Position.svg
| map_alt                 =
| map_caption             = Location of Mayenne in France
| pushpin_map             =
| pushpin_label_position  =
| pushpin_map_alt         =
| pushpin_map_caption     =
| coordinates             = {{coord|48|10|N|0|40|W|region:FR_type:adm2nd_scale:2000000_source:frwiki|display=inline,title}}
| coor_pinpoint           =
| coordinates_footnotes   =
| subdivision_type        = Country
| subdivision_name        = France
| subdivision_type1       = [[Regions of France|Region]]
| subdivision_name1       = [[Pays de la Loire]]
| established_title       =
| established_date        =
| founder                 =
| seat_type               = [[Prefectures in France|Prefecture]]
| seat                    = [[Laval, Mayenne|Laval]]
| parts_type              = [[Subprefectures in France|Subprefectures]]
| parts_style             = para
| p1                      = [[Château-Gontier-sur-Mayenne]]<br>[[Mayenne (commune)|Mayenne]]
| government_footnotes    =
| leader_party            =
| leader_title            = [[President of the Departmental Council]]
| leader_name             = [[Olivier Richefou]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Répertoire national des élus: les conseillers départementaux |url=https://www.data.gouv.fr/fr/datasets/r/601ef073-d986-4582-8e1a-ed14dc857fba |website=data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises |date=4 May 2022 |language=fr}}</ref>
| unit_pref               = Metric<!-- or US or UK -->
| area_magnitude          =
| area_footnotes          = {{ref|area|1}}
| area_total_km2          = 5175
| area_note               =
| elevation_footnotes     =
| elevation_m             =
| elevation_min_m         =
| elevation_max_m         =
| population_total        = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_total}}
| population_as_of        = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_as_of}}
| population_footnotes    = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_footnotes2}}
| population_rank         = [[List of French departments by population|75th]]
| population_density_km2  = auto
| population_demonyms     = ''Mayennais, Mayennaise''
| population_note         =
| blank_name_sec1         = [[Departments of France|Department number]]
| blank_info_sec1         = 53
| blank_name_sec2         = [[Arrondissements of France|Arrondissements]]
| blank_info_sec2         = [[arrondissements of the Mayenne department|3]]
| blank1_name_sec2        = [[Cantons in France|Cantons]]
| blank1_info_sec2        = [[cantons of the Mayenne department|17]]
| blank2_name_sec2        = [[Communes in France|Communes]]
| blank2_info_sec2        = [[communes of the Mayenne department|242]]
| timezone1               = [[Central European Time|CET]]
| utc_offset1             = +1
| timezone1_DST           = [[Central European Summer Time|CEST]]
| utc_offset1_DST         = +2
| postal_code_type        =
| postal_code             =
| area_code_type          =
| area_code               =
| iso_code                =
| website                 =
| footnotes               = {{note|area|1}} French Land Register data, which exclude [[estuary|estuaries]], and lakes, ponds, and glaciers larger than 1 km<sup>2</sup>
}}

'''Mayenne''' ({{IPA|fr|majɛn|lang|LL-Q150 (fra)-GrandCelinien-Mayenne.wav}} {{respell|mah|yen}}) is a landlocked [[departments of France|department]] in northwest France named after the river [[Mayenne (river)|Mayenne]]. Mayenne is part of the [[Regions of France|administrative region]] of [[Pays de la Loire]] and is surrounded by the departments of [[Manche]], [[Orne]], [[Sarthe]], [[Maine-et-Loire]], and [[Ille-et-Vilaine]].

Mayenne is one of the original 83 departments created during the [[French Revolution]] on 4 March 1790. The northern two thirds correspond to the western part of the [[provinces of France|former province]] of [[Maine (province)|Maine]]. The southern third of Mayenne corresponds to the northern portion of the old province of [[Duchy of Anjou|Anjou]]. The inhabitants of the department are called ''Mayennais''. It had a population of 307,062 in 2019.<ref name=pop2019>[https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/fichier/6011060/dep53.pdf Populations légales 2019: 53 Mayenne], INSEE</ref>

==History==
Like 82 other departments, Mayenne was created on 4 March 1790 during the early stages of the [[French Revolution]] by order of the [[National Constituent Assembly (France)|National Constituent Assembly]]. The new departments were to be uniformly administered and approximately equal to one another in size and population. The former province of Maine was partitioned into two, Upper Maine, centred on [[Le Mans]], became the new department of Sarthe, and Lower Maine, centred on Laval became the new department of Mayenne. [[Duchy of Anjou|Anjou]], to the south, being too big to form a single department, was reduced in size and became Maine-et-Loire. In this partition, Sarthe received the region of [[La Flèche]], and Mayenne received [[Château-Gontier]] and [[Craon, Mayenne|Craon]]. [[Flax]] was a feature of the Mayenne economy, and the southern limit for the cultivation of flax was used to determine the new border between Mayenne and Maine-et-Loire.

The American first army's 90th Infantry Division were tasked with capturing the town in 1944.<ref>{{cite book |author=Schama, Simon |title=Citizens: A Chronicle of the French Revolution |location=New York |publisher=Knopf |year=1989}}</ref>

==Geography==
Mayenne is a department in northwestern France and is part of the region of [[Pays de la Loire]]. The department does not have a sea coast, but about thirty kilometres to the northwest is [[Mont Saint-Michel Bay]]. The capital and largest town is [[Laval, Mayenne|Laval]] in the centre of the department. To the north lies the department of [[Orne]], to the east lies [[Sarthe]], to the south lies [[Maine-et-Loire]], to the west lies [[Ille-et-Vilaine]] and to the northwest lies [[Manche]]. The department forms a roughly rectangular shape, being {{cvt|90|km|mi}} long by {{convert|77|km|mi|abbr=on}} wide, with a total area of about {{cvt|5175|km2|mi2|0}}. The river [[Mayenne (river)|Mayenne]] flows centrally through it from north to south, passing through the towns of [[Mayenne, Mayenne|Mayenne]], Laval and Château-Gontier. After leaving the department, the river joins the river [[Sarthe (river)|Sarthe]] to form the [[Maine (river)|Maine]] which later joins the [[Loire]].<ref name=Philips>{{cite book |title=Philips' Modern School Atlas |year=1973 |publisher=George Philip and Son, Ltd. |isbn=0-540-05278-7 |pages=42–43}}</ref>

The department is varied in [[topography]]. Much of it is largely flat, but there are also hilly areas, some with steep-sided valleys and ravines. Of the total area of {{convert|1275532|acres|ha|disp=flip}}, some {{convert|875000|acres|ha|disp=flip}} are arable, {{convert|170000|acres|ha|disp=flip}} are grassland, {{convert|65000|acres|ha|disp=flip}} are forests and woodland and {{convert|50000|acres|ha|-2}} are heathland and moorland.<ref name=Dictionary>{{cite book |title=Comprehensive Dictionary of the World |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RTfu1nRKGq4C&pg=PA806 |year=1992 |publisher=Mittal Publications |pages=806–807 |id=GGKEY:RC6C27C4NE1}}</ref> To the north lies the [[Armorican Massif]], a plateau that has been eroded over time, the highest summit of which, the Mont des Avaloirs, is the highest point in the department at {{cvt|417|m|ft|0}} above sea level. A branch range to the south of this plateau forms the ridge that divides the Mayenne Valley from the [[Vilaine]] Valley.<ref name=Dictionary/>

The department is subdivided into three arrondissements: Mayenne, Laval, and Château-Gontier; and is coincident with the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Laval]].

===Principal towns===

The most populous commune is [[Laval, Mayenne|Laval]], the prefecture. As of 2019, there are 5 communes with more than 7,000 inhabitants:<ref name=pop2019/>

{| class=wikitable
! Commune
! Population (2019)
|-
| [[Laval, Mayenne|Laval]]
| style="text-align: center;" | 49,733
|-
| [[Château-Gontier-sur-Mayenne]]
| style="text-align: center;" | 16,950
|-
| [[Mayenne, Mayenne|Mayenne]]
| style="text-align: center;" | 12,823
|-
| [[Évron]]
| style="text-align: center;" | 8,614
|-
| [[Saint-Berthevin]]
| style="text-align: center;" | 7,353
|}

== Demographics ==
Population development since 1801:{{historical populations|cols=2|align=none|percentages=pagr|footnote=Sources:<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://splaf.free.fr/53his.html |title=Historique de la Mayenne |website=Le SPLAF}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/4176909?geo=DEP-53 |title=Évolution et structure de la population en 2016 |publisher=INSEE}}</ref>|graph-pos=bottom
|13=1801|14=305,654|15=1806|16=332,253|17=1821|18=343,819|19=1831|20=352,586|21=1841|22=361,392|23=1851|24=374,566|25=1861|26=375,163|27=1872|28=350,637|29=1881|30=344,881|31=1891|32=332,387|33=1901|34=313,103|35=1911|36=297,732|37=1921|38=262,447|39=1931|40=254,479|41=1936|42=251,348|43=1946|44=256,317|45=1954|46=251,522|47=1962|48=250,030|49=1968|50=252,762|51=1975|52=261,789|53=1982|54=271,784|55=1990|56=278,037|57=1999|58=285,338|59=2006|60=299,000|61=2011|62=307,031|63=2016|64=307,688}}

==Politics==

The president of the Departmental Council is Olivier Richefou, elected in 2014.

=== Presidential elections 2nd round ===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="2"|Election!!Winning Candidate!!Party!!%!!2nd Place Candidate!!Party!!%
|-
|style="background-color: {{party color|La République En Marche!}}" |
| [[2022 French presidential election|2022]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.france24.com/fr/france-2022-election-presidentielle-second-tour-resultats |title=Les résultats du second tour de l'élection présidentielle |date=19 April 2022}}</ref>
| [[Emmanuel Macron]]
| [[La République En Marche!|LREM]]
| 64.21
| [[Marine Le Pen]]
| [[National Front (France)|FN]]
| 35.79
|-
|style="background-color: {{party color|La République En Marche!}}" |
| [[2017 French presidential election|2017]]<ref name="auto">{{Cite web |url=https://www.interieur.gouv.fr/Elections/Les-resultats/Presidentielles |title=Présidentielles}}</ref>
| [[Emmanuel Macron]]
| [[La République En Marche!|LREM]]
| 72.02
| [[Marine Le Pen]]
| [[National Front (France)|FN]]
| 27.98
|-
|style="background-color: {{party color|Union for a Popular Movement}}" |
| [[2012 French presidential election|2012]]
| [[Nicolas Sarkozy]]
| [[Union for a Popular Movement|UMP]]
| 53.07
| [[François Hollande]]
| [[Socialist Party (France)|PS]]
| 46.93
|-
|style="background-color: {{party color|Union for a Popular Movement}}" |
| [[2007 French presidential election|2007]]
| [[Nicolas Sarkozy]]
| [[Union for a Popular Movement|UMP]]
| 55.45
| [[Ségolène Royal]]
| [[Socialist Party (France)|PS]]
| 44.55
|-
|style="background-color: {{party color|Rally for the Republic}}" |
| [[2002 French presidential election|2002]]<ref name="auto"/>
| [[Jacques Chirac]]
| [[Rally for the Republic|RPR]]
| 88.59
| [[Jean-Marie Le Pen]]
| [[National Rally|FN]]
| 11.41
|-
|style="background-color: {{party color|Rally for the Republic}}" |
| [[1995 French presidential election|1995]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.politiquemania.com/presidentielles-1995-departement.html |title=Résultats de l'élection présidentielle de 1995 par département - Politiquemania}}</ref>
| [[Jacques Chirac]]
| [[Rally for the Republic|RPR]]
| 59.49
| [[Lionel Jospin]]
| [[Socialist Party (France)|PS]]
| 40.51
|}

===Current National Assembly Representatives===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="2"|Constituency!!Member<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/ |title=Assemblée nationale ~ Les députés, le vote de la loi, le Parlement français |first=Assemblée |last=Nationale |website=Assemblée nationale}}</ref>!!Party
|-
|style="background-color: {{party color|Socialist Party (France)}}" |
| [[Mayenne's 1st constituency]]
| [[Guillaume Garot]]
| [[Socialist Party (France)|Socialist Party]]
|-
|style="background-color: {{party color|Democratic Movement (France)}}" |
| [[Mayenne's 2nd constituency]]
| [[Géraldine Bannier]]
| [[Democratic Movement (France)|MoDem]]
|-
|style="background-color: {{party color| Horizons (political party)}}" |
| [[Mayenne's 3rd constituency]]
| [[Yannick Favennec Becot]]
| [[Horizons (political party)|Horizons]]
|}

==Flora and fauna==
Mayenne has a diversity of habitat types such as forest, heathland, bog and farmland. Some 1445 species of plants, 63 species of mammals, 280 species of birds, 16 species of amphibians and 11 species of reptiles have been recorded, as well as thousands of species of invertebrates. The peat-lands and bogs are often fringed with woodlands of alder and ash, and in some places carnivorous plants such as [[sundew]] and [[butterwort]] flourish, [[Fritillaria meleagris|fritillaries]], [[Comarum palustre|marsh cinquefoil]] and [[Eriophorum angustifolium|cottongrass]] grow and butterflies, dragonflies and spiders abound.<ref name=Exposition>{{cite web |url=http://www.mayennenatureenvironnement.fr/exposition.html |title=Exposition: "La Biodiversité en Mayenne" |language=fr |publisher=Mayenne Nature Environnement |access-date=17 October 2015}}</ref>

The woodlands are mostly small with the deciduous trees dominated by [[oak]]. Here [[roe deer]], [[European badger|badger]], [[fire salamander]], [[Aesculapian snake]], [[middle spotted woodpecker]], [[little owl]] and [[Limenitis camilla|white admiral]] can be found and uncommon plants present including [[Aquilegia vulgaris|European columbine]] and wild [[russet apple]].<ref name=Exposition/>

The dry grasslands, which cover the limestone and sandstone soils, are also rich in fauna and flora. They house the snake ''[[Vipera aspis]]'', the [[Large blue]] butterfly, the [[Oedipoda caerulescens|blue-winged grasshopper]] and the [[bee orchid]]. The heathland in the north of Mayenne is populated by [[Ulex minor|dwarf gorse]] and [[Erica tetralix|cross-leaved heath]] and there are plenty of spiders, [[European nightjar|nightjars]] and [[warbler]]s. The old quarries are the refuge of bats, amphibians, the [[Geranium lucidum|shining cranesbill]] and [[Platanthera chlorantha|greater butterfly orchid]]. Rivers and ponds are home to eel, [[northern crested newt]], [[European otter]], [[common kingfisher|kingfisher]], [[grass snake]], [[common moorhen]] and plants such as [[Ranunculus|spearwort]], [[Iris pseudacorus|yellow flag]], [[Sagittaria sagittifolia|arrowhead]] and ''[[Isopyrum thalictroides]]'', a small poisonous plant.<ref name=Exposition/>

==Economy==
The department is largely rural with about 80% being used for agriculture, 8% being urban area and the remainder forest, heath and plantations.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mayenne.pref.gouv.fr/content/download/6444/41810/file/3_contexte_mayennais.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.mayenne.pref.gouv.fr/content/download/6444/41810/file/3_contexte_mayennais.pdf |archive-date=9 October 2022 |url-status=live |title=Le contexte Meyennais |year=2009 |publisher=Préfecture de la Mayenne |language=fr |access-date=24 September 2015}}</ref> Livestock farming predominates, with the breeding of cattle, horses and pigs, and also bee-keeping being important.<ref name=Everyman/> The soil is generally poor, but it is of better quality around Laval and Château-Gontier. In these parts corn is cultivated and there are plantings of hemp, flax, fruits and vines.
There are many apple orchards and large quantities of [[cider]] are made.<ref name=Dictionary/> The department is rich in mineral resources; iron and coal are mined and there are quarries for [[marble]], [[slate]], building stone, limestone and flint; the white sand deposits are used in the manufacture of glass.<ref name=Dictionary/>

Industries include the manufacture of linen, paper and hemp, and cider-making is traditionally carried on in the department.<ref name=Everyman>{{cite book |title=Everyman's Encyclopaedia: Volume 8 |last=Bozman |first=E.F. |year=1966 |publisher=J.M. Dent and Sons |page=301}}</ref> Office furniture is manufactured in Château-Gontier,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.bastamag.net/En-Mayenne-des-salaries-sauvent |title=En Mayenne, des salariés sauvent leur entreprise de la faillite |author=Weiler, Nolwenn |newspaper=Basta ! |date=25 January 2015 |language=fr |publisher=Basta! |access-date=24 September 2015}}</ref> and Laval is active in the industrial sector, with dairy products, electronics and chemicals in a modern [[science park]].

==Tourism==
<gallery>
File:Château de Laval 43.JPG|[[Laval, Mayenne|Laval]]
File:Paysage Coëvrons.JPG|View from the [[Armorican Massif]]
File:Couvent des Ursulines - Château-Gontier 15.JPG|Abbey in [[Château-Gontier]]
File:Chateau Ste-Suzanne 53.jpg|Château de [[Sainte-Suzanne, Mayenne|Sainte-Suzanne]]
File:Château de Lassay 13.JPG|[[Lassay-les-Châteaux|Chateau de Lassay]]
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[Cantons of the Mayenne department]]
* [[Communes of the Mayenne department]]
* [[Arrondissements of the Mayenne department]]
* [[Duke of Mayenne]]
* [[Departmental Council of Mayenne]]
* [[Jublains archeological site]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons|Mayenne}}
* {{in lang|fr}} [https://www.mayenne.gouv.fr/ Prefecture website]
* {{in lang|fr}} [https://www.lamayenne.fr/ Departmental council website]

{{Departments of France|state=collapsed}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Mayenne| ]]
[[Category:1790 establishments in France]]
[[Category:Departments of Pays de la Loire]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1790]]