Grand Est
Coordinates: 48°45′16″N 5°51′06″E / 48.7544°N 5.8517°E
Grand Est (French pronunciation: [ɡʁɑ̃t‿ɛst] (
listen); Alsatian: Grossa Oschta; Moselle Franconian/Luxembourgish: Grouss Osten; Rhine Franconian: Groß Oschte; German: Großer Osten [ˈɡʁoːsɐ ˈɔstn̩]; English: Greater East) is an administrative region in northeastern France. It was made from three former administrative regions, Alsace, Champagne-Ardenne, and Lorraine, on 1 January 2016 under the short-lived name of Alsace-Champagne-Ardenne-Lorraine (ACAL or ALCA) because of territorial reform which had been passed by the French law in 2014. The region sits along three water basins (Seine, Meuse and Rhine), spanning an area of 57,433 km2 (22,175 sq mi), the 5th largest in France, and includes two mountain ranges (Vosges and Ardennes). It shares borders with Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, and Switzerland, and stands partly within the European Megalopolis. The administrative capital and largest city, by far, is Strasbourg. The East of France has a interesting culture. It is between the Latin and Germanic areas, so many different languages spoken there (Alsatian, Champenois, Lorraine Franconian etc.). Most of today's Grand Est region was thought to be "Eastern" as early as the 8th century, when it owned the southern part of the Francian territory of Austrasia. The city of Reims , would later play a ceremonial role in French history as the traditional site of the coronation of the kings of France. The Champagne fairs played an important part in the economy of medieval Europe as well. Alsace and Lorraine did well in the influence of the Holy Roman Empire for most of the Middle Ages and Renaissance. The region is home to traditions (the celebration of Saint Nicholas Day, Christmas markets, or traditions involving the Easter hare in Alsace and Lorraine). Alsace-Moselle has to follow local law for historical reasons. With a long industrial history as well and its agriculture and tourism (arts, cuisine, sightseeing etc.), the East of France has one of the largest economic production levels in the country.
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| Country |  France |
| Prefecture | Strasbourg |
| Departments | 10
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| Government | |
| • Body | Regional council of Grand Est |
| • President of the Regional Council | Jean Rottner (The Republicans) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 57,433 km2 (22,175 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 5th |
| Population (2017)[1] | |
| • Total | 5,549,586 |
| • Density | 96.6271/km2 (250.2631/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| ISO 3166 code | FR-GES |
| GDP (2013) | Ranked |
| Total | €150.3 billion (US$207.0 bn) |
| Per capita | €27,085 (US$37,312) |
| NUTS Region | FRF |
| Official languages | French, |
| Recognised languages | Alemannic German and Luxembourgish |
| Website | www |
Alsace-Champagne-Ardenne-Lorraine was the old name for the region.
Grand Est Media
Protesters of the Alsace independence movement holding a banner saying "No to merger" (Non a la fusion), 2014 in Strasbourg.
Inaugural session of the new Regional council on 4 January 2016
West portal of St Theobald's Church of Thann, a masterpiece of late 14th-century sculpture and architecture.
References
- ↑ "Populations légales 2017". insee.fr. Retrieved 2 January 2020.