Editing Mayenne (section)

==Economy==
The department is largely rural with about 80% being used for agriculture, 8% being urban area and the remainder forest, heath and plantations.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mayenne.pref.gouv.fr/content/download/6444/41810/file/3_contexte_mayennais.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.mayenne.pref.gouv.fr/content/download/6444/41810/file/3_contexte_mayennais.pdf |archive-date=9 October 2022 |url-status=live |title=Le contexte Meyennais |year=2009 |publisher=Préfecture de la Mayenne |language=fr |access-date=24 September 2015}}</ref> Livestock farming predominates, with the breeding of cattle, horses and pigs, and also bee-keeping being important.<ref name=Everyman/> The soil is generally poor, but it is of better quality around Laval and Château-Gontier. In these parts corn is cultivated and there are plantings of hemp, flax, fruits and vines.
There are many apple orchards and large quantities of [[cider]] are made.<ref name=Dictionary/> The department is rich in mineral resources; iron and coal are mined and there are quarries for [[marble]], [[slate]], building stone, limestone and flint; the white sand deposits are used in the manufacture of glass.<ref name=Dictionary/>

Industries include the manufacture of linen, paper and hemp, and cider-making is traditionally carried on in the department.<ref name=Everyman>{{cite book |title=Everyman's Encyclopaedia: Volume 8 |last=Bozman |first=E.F. |year=1966 |publisher=J.M. Dent and Sons |page=301}}</ref> Office furniture is manufactured in Château-Gontier,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.bastamag.net/En-Mayenne-des-salaries-sauvent |title=En Mayenne, des salariés sauvent leur entreprise de la faillite |author=Weiler, Nolwenn |newspaper=Basta ! |date=25 January 2015 |language=fr |publisher=Basta! |access-date=24 September 2015}}</ref> and Laval is active in the industrial sector, with dairy products, electronics and chemicals in a modern [[science park]].