Editing Mayenne (section)

==Geography==
Mayenne is a department in northwestern France and is part of the region of [[Pays de la Loire]]. The department does not have a sea coast, but about thirty kilometres to the northwest is [[Mont Saint-Michel Bay]]. The capital and largest town is [[Laval, Mayenne|Laval]] in the centre of the department. To the north lies the department of [[Orne]], to the east lies [[Sarthe]], to the south lies [[Maine-et-Loire]], to the west lies [[Ille-et-Vilaine]] and to the northwest lies [[Manche]]. The department forms a roughly rectangular shape, being {{cvt|90|km|mi}} long by {{convert|77|km|mi|abbr=on}} wide, with a total area of about {{cvt|5175|km2|mi2|0}}. The river [[Mayenne (river)|Mayenne]] flows centrally through it from north to south, passing through the towns of [[Mayenne, Mayenne|Mayenne]], Laval and Château-Gontier. After leaving the department, the river joins the river [[Sarthe (river)|Sarthe]] to form the [[Maine (river)|Maine]] which later joins the [[Loire]].<ref name=Philips>{{cite book |title=Philips' Modern School Atlas |year=1973 |publisher=George Philip and Son, Ltd. |isbn=0-540-05278-7 |pages=42–43}}</ref>

The department is varied in [[topography]]. Much of it is largely flat, but there are also hilly areas, some with steep-sided valleys and ravines. Of the total area of {{convert|1275532|acres|ha|disp=flip}}, some {{convert|875000|acres|ha|disp=flip}} are arable, {{convert|170000|acres|ha|disp=flip}} are grassland, {{convert|65000|acres|ha|disp=flip}} are forests and woodland and {{convert|50000|acres|ha|-2}} are heathland and moorland.<ref name=Dictionary>{{cite book |title=Comprehensive Dictionary of the World |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RTfu1nRKGq4C&pg=PA806 |year=1992 |publisher=Mittal Publications |pages=806–807 |id=GGKEY:RC6C27C4NE1}}</ref> To the north lies the [[Armorican Massif]], a plateau that has been eroded over time, the highest summit of which, the Mont des Avaloirs, is the highest point in the department at {{cvt|417|m|ft|0}} above sea level. A branch range to the south of this plateau forms the ridge that divides the Mayenne Valley from the [[Vilaine]] Valley.<ref name=Dictionary/>

The department is subdivided into three arrondissements: Mayenne, Laval, and Château-Gontier; and is coincident with the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Laval]].

===Principal towns===

The most populous commune is [[Laval, Mayenne|Laval]], the prefecture. As of 2019, there are 5 communes with more than 7,000 inhabitants:<ref name=pop2019/>

{| class=wikitable
! Commune
! Population (2019)
|-
| [[Laval, Mayenne|Laval]]
| style="text-align: center;" | 49,733
|-
| [[Château-Gontier-sur-Mayenne]]
| style="text-align: center;" | 16,950
|-
| [[Mayenne, Mayenne|Mayenne]]
| style="text-align: center;" | 12,823
|-
| [[Évron]]
| style="text-align: center;" | 8,614
|-
| [[Saint-Berthevin]]
| style="text-align: center;" | 7,353
|}