Aquitaine

Aquitaine
Aquitània (Occitan)
Akitania (Basque)
Coordinates: 44°36′N 0°00′E / 44.6°N 00.0°E / 44.6; 00.0
CountryFrance
DissolvedJanuary 1, 2016 (2016-01-01)
PrefectureBordeaux
Departments
Government
 • PresidentAlain Rousset (PS)
Area
 • Total
41,308 km2 (15,949 sq mi)
Population
 (2012)INSEE
 • Total
3,285,970
 • Density79.548/km2 (206.03/sq mi)
GDP
 • Total€114.743 billion
 • Per capita€33,400
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
ISO 3166 codeFR-B
NUTS RegionFR61
Websitewww.aquitaine.fr

Aquitaine (UK: /ˌækwɪˈtn/, US: /ˈækwɪtn/; French: [akitɛn] ; Occitan: Aquitània [akiˈtanjɔ]; Basque: Akitania; Poitevin-Saintongeais: Aguiéne), archaic Guyenne or Guienne (Occitan: Guiana), is a historical region of southwestern France and a former administrative region. Since 1 January 2016 it has been part of the administrative region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. It is situated in the southwest corner of metropolitan France, along the Atlantic Ocean and the Pyrenees mountain range on the border with Spain. It is composed of five departments: Dordogne, Lot-et-Garonne, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Landes, and Gironde. The Romans established Gallia Aquitania as a province. In the Middle Ages, Aquitaine was a kingdom and a duchy whose boundaries fluctuated considerably. For most of Aquitaine's written history, Bordeaux has been a vital port and administrative centre.