Allier
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{{Infobox_Department_of_France
| department = Allier
| number = 03
| region = [[Auvergne (region)|Auvergne]]
| prefecture = [[Moulins, Allier|Moulins]]
| subprefectures = [[Montluçon]]<br>[[Vichy]]
| population = 344,721
| pop_date = 1999
| pop_rank = 63rd
| density = 47
| area = 7340
| area_scale = 9
| arrond = 3
| cantons = 35
| communes = 320
| president = [[Jean-Paul Dufregne]]
| pres_party = [[French Communist Party|PCF]]
| img_coa = Blason_dpt_fr_Allier.svg
}}
'''Allier''' ([[Occitan]]: ''Alèir'') is a [[departments of France|department]] in south-central [[France]] named after the [[Allier River]].
== History ==
[[Image:Château de Billy.jpg|left|300px]]
Allier is one of the original 83 departments created during the [[French Revolution]] on [[March 4]], [[1790]]. It was created from parts of the former [[Provinces of France|provinces]] of [[Auvergne (province)|Auvergne]] and [[Bourbonnais]].
In 1940, the government of Marshal [[Philippe Pétain]] chose the town of [[Vichy]] as its capital.
== Geography ==
The department belongs to the [[regions of France|region]] [[Auvergne (region)|Auvergne]] and is surrounded by the following French departments: [[Cher (département)|Cher]], [[Nièvre]], [[Saône-et-Loire]], [[Loire]], [[Puy-de-Dôme]], and [[Creuse]].
The following rivers run through Allier:
*[[Allier River|Allier]]
*[[Loire River|Loire]]
*[[Cher River|Cher]]
*[[Besbre]]
*[[Sioule]]
*[[Aumance]]
== Economy ==
Allier is the most productive agricultural area of the [[Auvergne (region)|Auvergne]]. Vichy has long been known for its water, which is exported worldwide.
== Demographics ==
[[Montluçon]], [[Vichy]], and [[Moulins, Allier|Moulins]] are the principal cities. The rest of the department consists of smaller towns, mostly along the rivers. In general, the department is sparsely populated. The population increased until the end of the 19th century because of the growth of industry in Montluçon and Moulins and development of the thermal resources at Vichy. At that time the department had over 420,000 inhabitants. After the losses of [[World War I]], the population stagnated, with a small increase in the 1960s. Since then, it has decreased slightly from 386,533 in 1968 to 344,721 in 1999.
==See also==
* [[Communes of the Allier department]]
* [[Cantons of the Allier department]]
* [[Arrondissements of the Allier department]]
==External links==
* {{fr icon}} [http://www.allier.pref.gouv.fr/ Prefecture website]
* {{fr icon}} [http://www.cg03.fr/ General council website]
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* {{en icon}} {{ODP|Regional/Europe/France/Regions/Auvergne/Allier|Allier}}
{{Departments of France}}
{{Commons|Allier}}
[[Category:1790 establishments]]
[[Category:Massif Central]]
[[Category:Allier|*]]
[[an:Alier]]
[[frp:Aliér (dèpartement)]]
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[[bg:Алие (департамент)]]
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[[cv:Алье (департамент)]]
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[[la:Elaver (praefectura Franciae)]]
[[lb:Departement Allier]]
[[lt:Aljė]]
[[nl:Allier (departement)]]
[[ja:アリエ県]]
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[[nn:Allier]]
[[oc:Alèir (departament)]]
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[[pt:Allier (departamento)]]
[[ro:Allier]]
[[ru:Алье]]
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[[sr:Алије (департман)]]
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[[tg:Департаменти Але]]
[[uk:Альє]]
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[[zh:阿列省]]