Editing Ain (section)

== Economy ==
[[File:CERN Aerial View.jpg|thumb|Aerial view of the [[Large Hadron Collider]] of the [[CERN]].]]

=== General data ===
With an unemployment rate of only 5% (compared to 7% in the [[Rhône-Alpes]] region and 8% in France), a close-knit community of 11,500 small and medium enterprises ([[Small and medium enterprises|SMEs]]) and a fast-growing, export-oriented economy, mainly to Germany, Italy and Spain, Ain is one of the most dynamic regions in France.

=== Industry ===
Despite its rural image, Ain is highly industrialised. In addition to a multitude of SME's, several big enterprises of international reputation are situated in Ain, such as: Roset-Cinna, Grosfillex, Volvo, Carrier, Smoby-Berchet, CIAT, Renault Trucks, Tréfileurope. With more than a third of all employees working in the industrial and public works sector, Ain holds 6th rank of all departments in regards to the degree of industrialisation and is the most industrialised department within the Rhône-Alpes region. The small and medium enterprises contribute most to the industrial development of the department. While enterprises with more than 500 employees represent only 27% of all industrial employment, businesses with less than 100 employees account for 47%.

The '''[[plastics industry]]''', which is located mainly around the city of Oyonnax, is a highly productive branch of the economy and enjoys an excellent reputation. "[[Plastics Valley]]" comprises 10% of France's plastics industry which constitutes the highest concentration of plastics enterprises in Europe. The 349 enterprises which have been established here employ about 11,000 persons, more than a fourth of all employees of the tertiary sector (without public works). In the [[Oyonnax]] basin, three of four employments are directly or indirectly depending on the plastics industry.

The '''agricultural industry''', mainly located in [[Bresse]], accounts for more than 5,000 employees. It represents more than a fifth of the employees in the area of [[Bourg-en-Bresse]] who work in the [[meat industry]] and in tinned food factories. The pillars of the agro-industry are an efficient agriculture providing for a significant number of high quality products as well as the presence of several leading companies of this branch. The emblematic poultry industry in Bresse employs only 350 persons.

In 1992 the city of Bourg-en-Bresse, the department of Ain, and the local Chamber of Industry and Commerce founded the technology platform "Alimentec". Its tasks are, among others, applied research, technical support, technology transfer and the advanced technical education in the agro-industrial sector. The activities of Alimentec focus on three priorities: ventilation systems, plastics packing and applied hygiene.

The industrial fabric of Ain is also a result of its '''metal processing''' (cables, wire drawing, electrical wires) and '''engineering industry''' (automobile industry, France's most important site for truck production) as shown by the presence of several major companies in this sector (Tréfileurope, Alcatel Cables, Renault Trucks). Foundry, metal processing and electrical industry employ approximately 8,200 workers. Due to the diversity of the activities of these industries and their dispersion over the whole department, polarisation effects similar to those in the plastics sector have not yet been observed.

Counting more than 12,900 employees, the '''public works sector''' represents a significant share of the department's economy. About a quarter of all industry employees are working in this sector. The future development of the building sector benefits from the department's economic and demographic growth.

Thanks to its vast forests (more than a third of the department's land area), the '''timber industry''' employed (in September 2007) approximately 4,500 workers.

The '''nuclear industry''' represents another economic factor. The nuclear power plant in [[Bugey]] produces about 4.2% of French electricity, employs more than 1,350 workers and secures moreover numerous employments in the enterprises of the supply chain. Every day between 300 and 1,000 external employees work in the power plant. Its importance for the local economy can not be underestimated.

Ain comprises, finally, several '''industrial parks'''. Apart from the aforementioned Plastics Valley and numerous smaller business parks which have been founded by local initiatives, the large industrial park of the plain of Ain has to be mentioned. With 700&nbsp;ha, this park is forecast to become a centre for heavy industries in the [[Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes]] region.

=== Agriculture ===
[[File:Bleu de Gex.jpg|thumb|[[Bleu de Gex]]]]
The diversified agriculture (cattle and poultry breeding, milk and milk products, cereals, vegetables and viticulture) generates products of national and international reputation. In particular are the Bresse poultries ("volaille de Bresse"), blue cheese ("Bleu") of [[Gex, Ain|Gex]], [[Grièges]] and [[Bresse]], carps and sturgeons of the [[Dombes]] region as well as the wine of [[Bugey]].

The total number of farms in the department amounts to 5,170, including 2,750 full-time farms. Over the previous 25 years{{when|date=November 2021}} the number of farms has steadily diminished. While there were 14,600 farms in 1979, only 11,320 were counted in 1988 and 6,320 in 2000. The total farm land of the department amounts to 268,361&nbsp;ha, containing 150,917&nbsp;ha arable farm land and 118,000 plant cultures (range land, viticulture, fruit meadows, tree nurseries). The value of the department's agricultural production reached €545&nbsp;million. 52% of this amount (€274&nbsp;million) is allotted to animal products (cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry, carp, milk) and 44% (€240&nbsp;million) concern crop (cereals, oil plants, wine, vegetables, flowers).

=== Commerce ===
The commercial sector comprises 5,861 enterprises including 717 wholesalers and distributors (12.2%), 539 automobile dealers and garages as well as 1,643 retailers and repair businesses (28%) (source: Chamber of Industry and Commerce of Ain, 2006).

With a total of 22,973 employees and 9,000 self-employed persons, the commercial sector contributes significantly to overall employment in the department (source: Chamber of Industry and Commerce of Ain, 2006).

More than three-thirds{{clarify|date=November 2021}} of the expenses of the private households amounting to €4.4&nbsp;billion per year are feeding the commercial businesses inside the department which stand their ground vis-à-vis external competition.

=== Services ===
The strongly expanding services sector represents 46.6% of all enterprises and about 55,000 employees (source: Chamber of Industry and Commerce of Ain, 2006). Since 2003, the services branch has employed more people than any other economic sector. Within the sector, services for enterprises represent 32.2% of the employees. Consulting and IT services are of growing importance. Educational services as well as health and social services are also sought after. They represent about a quarter of all employees in the services sector.

=== Handcraft ===
More than 9,000 handcraft businesses in Ain highlight the particular economic importance of this sector. The handcraft, which employs approximately 29,000 persons, has always been an essential element of the local economy. Within the sector, the production is of particular importance, followed by the construction, the services and the alimentary sector.

=== Tourism ===
In economic terms, tourism in Ain means €300&nbsp;million of business volume and 10,000 direct jobs as well as another 10,000 indirect employments. In December 2006, 2.9% of the department's employment was related to the tourist sector (source: Committee for Tourism in the Department of Ain, 2006).

In 2006, 700,000 tourists visited sites of interest in the department (museums, castles, religious monuments, gardens and caves). During the winter of 2006/2007, winter sports activity was strongly restrained by the lack of snow. The number of daily skiing tourists amounted to 238,000 (180,500 for alpine skiing and 57,000 for cross-country skiing). The previous average amounted to 465,000 daily tourists per winter.

Angling and cycling tourism (27 circuits with altogether more than 1,500&nbsp;km) attracts numerous visitors each year. The hotel and hospitality sector counts about 1,100 establishments (hotels, camping grounds, bed and breakfast (so-called "[[gîte]]s"), holiday apartments, guest rooms etc.). Their joined capacity amounts to 40,850 beds. During the 2006 season, 2.5&nbsp;million nights were spent in the department compared to 2.7&nbsp;million in 2002 (source: Committee for Tourism in the Department of Ain, 2006). 15,000 hunters are registered in the department, 3,000 to 4,000 of whom hunt in [[Dombes]], one of the best hunting regions for water birds in France.

<gallery>
File:200606 - Eglise de Brou - arrière 1.JPG|The [[Royal Monastery of Brou]] in [[Bourg-en-Bresse]]
File:Fort l'Ecluse 6.jpg|[[Fort l'Écluse]]
File:Musée - Ferme bressane - Saint-Trivier-de-Courtes.jpg|Medieval farm of [[Saint-Trivier-de-Courtes]]
File:Perouge 016.JPG|[[Pérouges]], one of [[Les Plus Beaux Villages de France|the most beautiful villages of France]]
File:Evosges Decollage Parapente.jpg|Paragliding in Ain
</gallery>