Editing Deux-Sèvres (section)

== Geography and economics==
The climate is mild, the annual temperature averaging 11 degrees Celsius.

The ''département'' remains rural: three-quarters of the area consists of arable land. Wheat and oats are the main products grown, as well as potatoes, apples, and walnuts. [[Niort]] is the center for growing vegetables and [[angelica]]. Some beetroot is grown in the district of [[Melle, Deux-Sèvres|Melle]]. Vineyards are numerous in the north ({{Interlanguage link multi|Haut-poitou (AOVDQS)|fr}}), and there are some in the south.

The ''département'' is also well known for the breeding of cattle, mules, and horses. The [[Parthenais]] breed of cattle is named after the town of [[Parthenay]] in the north of the ''département''. Also, dairy products are produced in significant quantities (butter in [[Échiré]] and goats' cheese.

Some quarries are in operation (in [[Mazières-en-Gâtine]], [[La Peyratte]] or [[Saint-Varent]]), as well as lime extraction operations.

Textiles, leather-tanning, and flour milling were the traditional industries of Niort, the capital and major city. Nowadays, Niort, with 60,000 inhabitants, is an important commercial and administrative center. In particular it is one of the main financial centers in France (fourth in rank after Paris, Lyon and Lille). Niort is the national headquarters of some of the major insurance companies in France ({{Interlanguage link multi|Mutuelle d'assurance des artisans de France|fr}} (MAAF), {{Interlanguage link multi|Mutuelle assurance des commerçants et industriels de France et des cadres et des salariés de l'industrie et du commerce|fr}} (MACIF), {{Interlanguage link multi|Mutuelle d'assurance des instituteurs de France|fr}} (MAIF) and others) and regional headquarters of others such as [[Groupama]]. The regional headquarters of several national banks, including [[Banque Populaire]] and [[Crédit Agricole]], are also located there. The services sector is also heavily represented in Niort, in consulting, accounting, brokerage and software. Chemistry, pharmacy ([[Boiron]]) and aeronautics ([[Zodiac Group]], [[Leach International]])<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.leachintl2.com/french/historyf.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=2013-03-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304044415/http://www.leachintl2.com/french/historyf.html |archive-date=2016-03-04 |url-status=dead }}</ref> are the main industries.

Textiles and shoe making, furnitures, mechanics, automotive ([[Heuliez]] and [[Iveco Bus|Irisbus]]), chemistry ([[Rhodia (company)|Rhodia]] in Melle), food industry and food packaging are the major industries outside of the capital.

The unemployment rate in the ''département'' is very low (less than 5%) especially in the north-west, where many small and medium companies are developing rapidly.

The south-west of the ''département'' attracts tourists with the [[Marais Poitevin]] natural area; the [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic]] coast is close at hand.