Finistère
{{short description|Department of France}}
{{Other uses|Finisterre (disambiguation)}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{Expand French|date=February 2010|Finistère|topic=geo}}
{{More citations needed|date=February 2010}}
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{{Infobox settlement
| name = Finistère
| native_name = {{native name|br|Penn-ar-Bed}}
| native_name_lang =
| type = Department
| image_skyline = Prefecture de Kemper ( finistere).JPG
| image_alt =
| image_caption = Prefecture building of the Finistère department, in Quimper
| image_flag = Flag_of_the_Department_of_Finistère.svg
| flag_alt =
| image_shield = Blason département fr Finistère.svg
| shield_alt =
| nickname =
| motto =
| image_map = Finistère-Position.svg
| map_alt =
| map_caption = Location of Finistère in France
| pushpin_map =
| pushpin_label_position =
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption =
| coordinates = {{Coord|48|15|N|04|00|W|region:FR-29_type:adm2nd|display=inline,title}}
| coor_pinpoint =
| coordinates_footnotes =
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = France
| subdivision_type1 = Region
| subdivision_name1 = Brittany
| established_title =
| established_date =
| founder =
| seat_type = Prefecture
| seat = Quimper
| parts_type = Subprefectures
| parts_style = para
| p1 = Brest
Châteaulin
Morlaix
| government_footnotes =
| leader_party = DVD
| leader_title = President of the Departmental Council
| leader_name = Maël de Calan{{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}}
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_magnitude =
| area_footnotes = {{ref|area|1}}
| area_total_km2 = 6733
| 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 = 24th
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym =
| population_note =
| blank_name_sec1 = Department number
| blank_info_sec1 = 29
| blank_name_sec2 = Arrondissements
| blank_info_sec2 = 4
| blank1_name_sec2 = Cantons
| blank1_info_sec2 = 27
| blank2_name_sec2 = Communes
| blank2_info_sec2 = 277
| timezone1 = CET
| utc_offset1 = +1
| timezone1_DST = CEST
| utc_offset1_DST = +2
| postal_code_type =
| postal_code =
| area_code_type =
| area_code =
| iso_code = FR-29
| website =
| footnotes = {{note|area|1}} French Land Register data, which exclude estuaries, and lakes, ponds, and glaciers larger than 1 km2
| blank1_name_sec1 = Largest city
| blank1_info_sec1 = Brest
}}
Finistère ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|f|ɪ|n|ɪ|ˈ|s|t|ɛər}}, {{IPA|fr|finistɛʁ|lang|LL-Q150 (fra)-GrandCelinien-Finistère.wav}}; {{langx|br|Penn-ar-Bed}} {{IPA|br|ˌpɛnarˈbeːt|}}) is a department of France in the extreme west of Brittany. Its prefecture is Quimper and its largest city is Brest. In 2019, it had a population of 915,090.[https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/fichier/6011060/dep29.pdf Populations légales 2019: 29 Finistère], INSEE
History
File:France Pays bretons map.svgThe present department consists of the historical region of Léon and parts of Cornouaille and Trégor, both parts of pre-revolutionary Brittany.
The name Finistère derives from the Latin Finis Terræ, meaning end of the earth. In England, a similar area is called Land's End. The Breton name for Finistère, Penn ar Bed, translates as "Head/End of the World" and is similar to the Cornish name for Land's End, Pedn an Wlas (Head/End of the country), and also Penfro (English: Pembroke) in Wales (pen = end, bro = country). Finistère is not to be confused with Fisterra in Galicia, Spain, which shares the same etymology.
The area of the department was part of the Province of Brittany before 1790.
Geography
The largest population centre in Finistère is Brest. Other large towns in the department include Quimper (the capital), Concarneau, Morlaix, Carhaix, Quimperlé and Douarnenez. Finistère includes the island of Ushant (Eusa in Breton, Ouessant in French).
Finistère is the westernmost department of Metropolitan France and can also claim to be the "most coastal" department in Metropolitan France. Of its 277 communes, 117 are located on the coast. Its total coastline of approximately {{convert|1250|km|2|abbr=on}} accounts for almost a quarter of the entire Brittany coast-line.
The abers, rugged fjord-like inlets on the north coast, are a notable feature of the landscape.
The westernmost point of continental France, known as the Pointe de Corsen, extends from the northwestern tip of Finistère. About 40 kilometres to the south (as the crow flies) is the slightly less westerly, but rugged and isolated, headland of Pointe du Raz.
=Principal towns=
The most populous commune is Brest; the prefecture Quimper is the second-most populous. As of 2019, there are 5 communes with more than 15,000 inhabitants:
| class=wikitable
! Commune ! Population (2019) |
| Brest
| style="text-align: center;" | 139,926 |
| Quimper
| style="text-align: center;" | 63,283 |
| Concarneau
| style="text-align: center;" | 19,816 |
| Landerneau
| style="text-align: center;" | 15,918 |
| Guipavas
| style="text-align: center;" | 15,050 |
Demographics
{{historical populations|align=none|cols=2|percentages=pagr|footnote=source:{{Cite web|url=http://splaf.free.fr/29his.html|title=Historique du Finistère|website=Le SPLAF}}{{cite web|url=https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/4176909?geo=DEP-29|title=Évolution et structure de la population en 2016|publisher=INSEE}}|graph-pos=bottom
|15=1801|16=439,046|17=1821|18=483,095|19=1831|20=524,396|21=1841|22=576,068|23=1851|24=617,710|25=1861|26=627,304|27=1876|28=666,106|29=1881|30=681,564|31=1891|32=727,012|33=1901|34=773,014|35=1921|36=752,514|37=1936|38=757,000|39=1946|40=724,735|41=1954|42=727,847|43=1962|44=749,558|45=1968|46=769,000|47=1975|48=804,088|49=1982|50=829,865|51=1990|52=838,366|53=1999|54=852,273|55=2006|56=879,497|57=2011|58=899,870|59=2016|60=908,249}}
Economy
Agriculture, fisheries, food processing and various related industries occupy an important place in Finistère's economy.
The military presence in Finistère (Île Longue nuclear submarine base and the Naval Air base of Lanvéoc-Poulmic), as well as military-related industries, such as the Brest headquarters of DCNS, employ a significant number of the département's population.
The port of Roscoff links Brittany by ferry with Ireland and Great Britain.
Politics
{{See also|Departmental Council of Finistère}}
=Current National Assembly Representatives=
| class="wikitable" | ||
| colspan="2"|Constituency | Member{{Cite web |url=http://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/ |title=Assemblée nationale ~ les députés, le vote de la loi, le Parlement français |access-date=2018-12-13 |archive-date=2006-03-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060318233956/http://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/ |url-status=live }} | Party |
|---|---|---|
| style="background-color: {{party color|En Marche!}}" | | ||
| style="background-color: {{party color|En Marche!}}" | | ||
| style="background-color: {{party color|En Marche!}}" | | ||
| style="background-color: {{party color|En Marche!}}" | | ||
| style="background-color: {{party color|En Marche!}}" | | ||
| style="background-color: {{party color|Socialist Party (France)}}" | | ||
| style="background-color: {{party color|En Marche!}}" | | ||
| style="background-color: {{party color|En Marche!}}" | |
Culture
Finistère is the area where Breton survives most strongly as a spoken language. Breton-speaking schools are called Diwan, Divyezh and Dihun.
The Festival de Cornouaille, which takes place in Quimper, is a celebration of Breton music and traditions. One of the highlights of summer in Finistère is the "Festival des Vieilles Charrues" held in Carhaix-Plouguer. Major international stars attract tens of thousands of spectators.[http://www.vieillescharrues.asso.fr/ "Vieilles Charrues Festival"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110203023647/http://www.vieillescharrues.asso.fr/ |date=2011-02-03 }}, official website
The painter Raymond Wintz (1884–1956) featured many locations around Finistère.
Roland Doré was a sculptor who executed many of the calvaries in Finistère.
Tourism
File:Quimper2011.png|Quimper
File:Ouessant DSC02641.jpg|Granite rocks in Ouessant
File:Phare de Pontusval 4490.jpg|Pontusval lighthouse near Brignogan-Plages
File:ND de Tronoën Chapelle et calvaire 2.jpg|Calvary in Saint-Jean-Trolimon
File:29 - Locronan.jpg|Locronan
File:Concarneau - la ville close à marée basse.jpg|Concarneau
File:Finis Terrae Finistère.jpg|Pointe du Chateau, Plougrescant
File:20110824 Pointe de Pen-Hir (10).jpg|Pointe de Pen-Hir
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons}}
{{EB1911 poster|Finistère}}
- {{in lang|fr}} [https://www.finistere.fr/ Departmental Council website]
- {{in lang|fr}} [https://www.finistere.gouv.fr/ Prefecture website]
- {{in lang|fr}} [http://www.finisteretourisme.com/ Finistère Tourisme, agence de développement touristique du Finistère]
{{Departments of France}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Finistere}}
Category:Departments of Brittany
Category:Brittany region articles needing translation from French Wikipedia