The Landes, a département in XL format
Located in south-west France, the département of the Landes is the 2nd largest département in mainland France
Bordered by the départements of Gironde, Lot-et-Garonne, Gers and Pyrénées-Atlantiques, the Landes is one of the five départements comprising the Aquitaine region. Washed by the Atlantic Ocean in the west along the sandy “Côte d'Argent” coast stretching some 106 km (over 65 miles) and bordered by high dunes, the Landes boasts the second longest coastline on the mainland.
The forest in the Landes is the largest in Western Europe covering an area of almost one million hectares. Mainly in private hands, there are also some public areas close to the coastline.
Enjoying a mild climate in winter and hot weather in summer, the département of the Landes has an oceanic climate.
- Administrative centre of the département: Mont-de-Marsan
- Administrative centre of the arrondissement: Dax
- Number of arrondissements : 2
- Number of cantons: 30
- Number of communes: 331
- Area: 9,243 km²
- Population: 392,592 (census as at 1 Jan. 2012)
- Name of inhabitants: Landais
- The département falls under the auspices of the Académie of Bordeaux, the Court of Appeal of Pau and the South-West defence zone.