Editing Sarthe

{{short description|Department of France}}
{{about|the department|the river|Sarthe (river)}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!-- See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions -->
| name                    = Sarthe
| native_name             = 
| native_name_lang        = fr<!-- ISO 639-2 code e.g. "fr" for French. If more than one, use {{lang}} instead -->
| type                    = [[Departments of France|Department]]
| image_skyline           = Abbaye Saint-Pierre de la Couture.JPG
| image_alt               = 
| image_caption           = [[Prefectures in France|Prefecture]] building of the Sarthe department, in Le Mans
| image_flag              = Flag of Maine (province).svg
| flag_alt                = 
| image_shield            = Blason dpt fr Sarthe.svg
| shield_alt              = 
| nickname                = 
| motto                   = 
| image_map               = Sarthe-Position.svg
| map_alt                 = 
| map_caption             = Location of Sarthe in France
| pushpin_map             = 
| pushpin_label_position  = 
| pushpin_map_alt         = 
| pushpin_map_caption     = 
| coordinates             = {{coord|48|17|N|0|13|E|region:FR_type:adm2nd|display=inline,title}}
| coor_pinpoint           = 
| coordinates_footnotes   = 
| subdivision_type        = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name        = [[France]]
| subdivision_type1       = [[Regions of France|Region]]
| subdivision_name1       = [[Pays de la Loire]]
| established_title       = 
| established_date        = 
| founder                 = 
| seat_type               = [[Prefectures in France|Prefecture]]
| seat                    = [[Le Mans]]
| parts_type              = [[Subprefectures in France|Subprefectures]]
| parts_style             = para
| p1                      = [[La Flèche]]<br>[[Mamers]]
| government_footnotes    = 
| leader_party            = 
| leader_title            = [[President of the Departmental Council]]
| leader_name             = [[Dominique Le Mèner]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Répertoire national des élus: les conseillers départementaux|url=https://www.data.gouv.fr/fr/datasets/r/601ef073-d986-4582-8e1a-ed14dc857fba|website=data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises|date=4 May 2022|language=fr}}</ref>
| unit_pref               = Metric<!-- or US or UK -->
| area_magnitude          = 
| area_footnotes          = {{ref|area|1}}
| area_total_km2          = 6206
| area_note               = 
| elevation_footnotes     = 
| elevation_m             = 
| elevation_min_m         = 
| elevation_max_m         = 
| population_total        = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_total}}
| population_as_of        = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_as_of}}
| population_footnotes    = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_footnotes2}}
| population_rank         = [[List of French departments by population|46th]]
| population_density_km2  = auto
| population_demonym      = 
| population_note         = 
| blank_name_sec1         = [[Departments of France|Department number]]
| blank_info_sec1         = 72
| blank_name_sec2         = [[Arrondissements of France|Arrondissements]]
| blank_info_sec2         = [[arrondissements of the Sarthe department|3]]
| blank1_name_sec2        = [[Cantons in France|Cantons]]
| blank1_info_sec2        = [[cantons of the Sarthe department|21]]
| blank2_name_sec2        = [[Communes in France|Communes]]
| blank2_info_sec2        = [[communes of the Sarthe department|354]]
| timezone1               = [[Central European Time|CET]]
| utc_offset1             = +1
| timezone1_DST           = [[Central European Summer Time|CEST]]
| utc_offset1_DST         = +2
| postal_code_type        = 
| postal_code             = 
| area_code_type          = 
| area_code               = 
| iso_code                = 
| website                 = 
| footnotes               = {{note|area|1}} French Land Register data, which exclude [[estuary|estuaries]], and lakes, ponds, and glaciers larger than 1 km<sup>2</sup>
}}
[[Image:ChateauBoisclaireau1.jpg|thumb|250px|The Château de Boisclaireau, residence of the [[Castle of Boisclaireau|Gueroust family]], Counts of Boisclaireau, in Sarthe.]]
'''Sarthe''' ({{IPA|fr|saʁt|-|LL-Q150 (fra)-GrandCelinien-Sarthe.wav}}) is a [[departments of France|department]] of the French region of [[Pays de la Loire]], and the [[Provinces of France|province]] of [[Maine (province)|Maine]], situated in the ''[[Grand-Ouest]]'' of the country. It is named after the river [[Sarthe (river)|Sarthe]], which flows from east of [[Le Mans]] to just north of [[Angers]]. It had a population of 566,412 in 2019.<ref name=pop2019>[https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/fichier/6011060/dep72.pdf Populations légales 2019: 72 Sarthe], INSEE</ref>

== History ==
In the late 18th century, before it was officially Sarthe, the nobility built their mansions and chateaux in this region, as an escape from Paris.

The department was created during the [[French Revolution]] on 4 March 1790, pursuant to the law of 22 December 1789, starting from a part of the [[Provinces of France|province]] of [[Maine (province of France)|Maine]]. The latter was divided into two departments, Sarthe to the east and [[Mayenne]] to the west.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nissan.co.jp/Lemans/environ/region.html|title=The Sarthe region<!-- Bot generated title -->|access-date=2006-05-06|archive-date=2016-07-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160714102110/http://www.nissan.co.jp/Lemans/environ/region.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In Roman times, this province contained the city of [[Le Mans|Mans]], and many of its ruins are still standing. The Roman Thermal Bathhouse attracts many tourists, as does the Theater of [[Aubigné-Racan]], both located on the outskirts of [[Duchy of Anjou|Anjou]], [[Maine (province of France)|Maine]], and [[Touraine]].

[[Marin Mersenne]], perhaps the most important scientific figure in the early 17th century, was born in the vicinity of Sarthe.

== Geography ==
The department of Sarthe is at the north end of the administrative [[regions of France|region]] of [[Pays de la Loire]]. It is south of [[Normandy]] and on the southern edge of the [[Armorican Massif]]. It is bordered by the departments of [[Orne]], [[Eure-et-Loir]], [[Loir-et-Cher]], [[Indre-et-Loire]], [[Maine-et-Loire]] and [[Mayenne]].

The arrival of the [[railways]] in 1854 boosted trade for the local economy. A [[TGV]] connection was constructed in 1989, connecting the community to high-speed transport. In terms of road connections, the [[A11 autoroute]], which was constructed to Le Mans from [[Paris|the east]] in 1978, enhances Sarthe's strategic position as the gateway to the French west.

===Principal towns===

The most populous commune is [[Le Mans]], the prefecture. Approximately 370,000 people, comprising 65% of the department's population, live in the Le Mans [[functional area (France)|urban area]]. The rest of the department retains a rural character, with agriculture as the chief part of the economy. As of 2019, there are 4 communes with more than 10,000 inhabitants:<ref name=pop2019/>

{| class=wikitable
! Commune
! Population (2019)
|-
| [[Le Mans]]
| style="text-align: center;" | 143,847
|-
| [[La Flèche]]
| style="text-align: center;" | 14,858
|-
| [[Sablé-sur-Sarthe]]
| style="text-align: center;" | 12,125
|-
| [[Allonnes, Sarthe|Allonnes]]
| style="text-align: center;" | 11,167
|}

== Demographics ==
Population development since 1801:{{historical populations|cols=2|align=none|percentages=pagr|footnote=source:<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://splaf.free.fr/72his.html|title=Historique de la Sarthe|website=Le SPLAF}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/4176909?geo=DEP-72|title=Évolution et structure de la population en 2016|publisher=INSEE}}</ref>|graph-pos=bottom
|13=1801|14=388,143|15=1806|16=410,380|17=1821|18=428,432|19=1831|20=457,372|21=1841|22=470,535|23=1851|24=473,071|25=1861|26=466,155|27=1872|28=446,603|29=1881|30=438,917|31=1891|32=429,737|33=1901|34=422,699|35=1911|36=419,370|37=1921|38=389,235|39=1931|40=384,619|41=1936|42=388,519|43=1946|44=412,214|45=1954|46=420,393|47=1962|48=443,019|49=1968|50=461,839|51=1975|52=490,385|53=1982|54=504,768|55=1990|56=513,654|57=1999|58=529,851|59=2006|60=553,484|61=2011|62=565,718|63=2016|64=567,561}}

==Politics==

The department was the electoral base of former Prime Minister [[François Fillon]], who since 2012 sits in the [[National Assembly of France]] for a constituency in central Paris. The president of the Departmental Council is [[Dominique Le Mèner]], elected in 2015.

=== Presidential elections 2nd round ===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="2"|Election!!Winning Candidate!!Party!!%!!2nd Place Candidate!!Party!!%
|-
|style="background-color: {{party color|La République En Marche!}}" |
| [[2022 French presidential election|2022]]<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.france24.com/fr/france-2022-election-presidentielle-second-tour-resultats | title=Les résultats du second tour de l'élection présidentielle | date=19 April 2022 }}</ref>
| [[Emmanuel Macron]]
| [[La République En Marche!|LREM]]
| 55.41
| [[Marine Le Pen]]
| [[National Front (France)|FN]]
| 44.59
|-
|style="background-color: {{party color|La République En Marche!}}" |
| [[2017 French presidential election|2017]]<ref name="auto">{{cite web | url=https://www.interieur.gouv.fr/Elections/Les-resultats/Presidentielles | title=Présidentielles }}</ref>
| [[Emmanuel Macron]]
| [[La République En Marche!|LREM]]
| 63.33
| [[Marine Le Pen]]
| [[National Front (France)|FN]]
| 36.67
|-
|style="background-color: {{party color|Socialist Party (France)}}" |
| [[2012 French presidential election|2012]]
| [[François Hollande]]
| [[Socialist Party (France)|PS]]
| 52.67
| [[Nicolas Sarkozy]]
| [[Union for a Popular Movement|UMP]]
| 47.33
|-
|style="background-color: {{party color|Union for a Popular Movement}}" |
| [[2007 French presidential election|2007]]
| [[Nicolas Sarkozy]]
| [[Union for a Popular Movement|UMP]]
| 50.42
| [[Ségolène Royal]]
| [[Socialist Party (France)|PS]]
| 49.58
|-
|style="background-color: {{party color|Rally for the Republic}}" |
| [[2002 French presidential election|2002]]<ref name="auto"/>
| [[Jacques Chirac]]
| [[Rally for the Republic|RPR]]
| 84.43
| [[Jean-Marie Le Pen]]
| [[National Rally|FN]]
| 15.57
|-
|style="background-color: {{party color|Socialist Party (France)}}" |
| [[1995 French presidential election|1995]]<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.politiquemania.com/presidentielles-1995-departement.html | title=Résultats de l'élection présidentielle de 1995 par département - Politiquemania }}</ref>
| [[Lionel Jospin]]
| [[Socialist Party (France)|PS]]
| 50.79
| [[Jacques Chirac]]
| [[Rally for the Republic|RPR]]
| 49.21
|}

===Current National Assembly Representatives===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="2"|Constituency!!Member<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/|title=Assemblée nationale ~ Les députés, le vote de la loi, le Parlement français|first=Assemblée|last=Nationale|website=Assemblée nationale}}</ref>!!Party
|-
|style="background-color: {{party color| Renaissance (French political party)}}" |
| [[Sarthe's 1st constituency]]
| [[Julie Delpech]]
| [[Renaissance (French political party)|Renaissance]]
|-
|style="background-color: {{party color|Socialist Party (France)}}" |
| [[Sarthe's 2nd constituency]]
| [[Marietta Karamanli]]
| [[Socialist Party (France)|Socialist Party]]
|-
|style="background-color: {{party color| Democratic Movement (France)}}" |
| [[Sarthe's 3rd constituency]]
| [[Éric Martineau]]
| [[Democratic Movement (France)|MoDem]]
|-
|style="background-color: {{party color| La France Insoumise}}" |
| [[Sarthe's 4th constituency]]
| [[Élise Leboucher]]
| [[La France Insoumise]]
|-
|style="background-color: {{party color| Renaissance (French political party)}}" |
| [[Sarthe's 5th constituency]]
| [[Jean-Carles Grelier]]
| [[Renaissance (French political party)|Renaissance]]
|}

==Tourism==
<gallery>
File:Le Mans muraille Gallo Romaine nord-est.JPG|[[Roman Gaul|Gallo-Roman]] walls and [[Le Mans Cathedral|Cathedral]] in [[Le Mans]]
File:Le Mans - St Julien SGW (large version).jpg|Stained glass in [[Le Mans Cathedral]]
File:908 lm2008 montagny.jpg|The [[24 Hours of Le Mans]] is the world's oldest continuing [[Sports car racing|sports car race]] in [[Endurance racing (motorsport)|endurance racing]].<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/motoring/weekly-auto-agenda-le-mans-1997970.html | title=Weekly auto agenda: Le Mans | newspaper=[[The Independent]] | date=11 June 2010 | access-date=22 April 2011 }}</ref>
File:La Ferte Bernard - Eglise ND Marais 15.jpg|Church of [[La Ferté-Bernard]]
File:Le Lude castle, aerial view.jpg|[[Château du Lude]]
File:FR-GD-Courtanvaux1.JPG|Château de Courtanvaux
</gallery>

== See also ==
* [[Arrondissements of the Sarthe department]]
* [[Cantons of the Sarthe department]]
* [[Circuit de la Sarthe (cycling)]], an annual road cycling race
* [[Circuit de la Sarthe]], a motor racing track
* [[Communes of the Sarthe department]]
* [[History of Le Lude]]
* [[Gallo-Roman enclosure of Le Mans]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikivoyage|Sarthe}}
* [http://www.sarthe.gouv.fr/ Prefecture] {{in lang|fr}}
* [https://www.sarthe.fr/ Departmental Council] {{in lang|fr}}
* [http://www.sarthe.com/ Sarthe information] {{in lang|fr}}

{{Sarthe}}
{{Departments of France}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Sarthe| ]]
[[Category:1790 establishments in France]]
[[Category:Departments of Pays de la Loire]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1790]]