Jura (department)

Last updated
Jura
Department of France
Le lac de Vouglans.jpg
Iura Frantsiia, derevnia v doline.jpg
Panorama Croix du Dan.JPG
Lac de Bonlieu, vu dubelvedere.jpg
Abbaye en Grandvaux Grande Riviere Jura Vue 13.jpg
Fontaine des Tufs (Les Planches-pres-Arbois) (05).jpg
Pont de Chancia02 2015-05-10.jpg
Flag of Jura (department).svg
Flag
Blason departement fr Jura.svg
Coat of arms
Jura-Position.svg
Location of Jura in France
Coordinates: 46°40′31″N5°33′16″E / 46.67528°N 5.55444°E / 46.67528; 5.55444
Country France
Region Bourgogne-Franche-Comté
Prefecture Lons-le-Saunier
Subprefectures Dole
Saint-Claude
Government
 •  President of the Departmental Council Gérôme Fassenet [1] (LR)
Area
1
 • Total
4,999 km2 (1,930 sq mi)
Highest elevation
1,200 m (3,900 ft)
Lowest elevation
200 m (660 ft)
Population
 (2022) [2]
 • Total
258,405
 • Rank 83rd
 • Density51.69/km2 (133.9/sq mi)
Time zone UTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+2 (CEST)
Department number 39
Arrondissements 3
Cantons 17
Communes 494
^1 French Land Register data, which exclude estuaries and lakes, ponds and glaciers larger than 1 km2

Jura ( /ˈ(d)ʒʊərə/ JOOR-ə, ZHOOR-ə; French: [ʒyʁa] ⓘ ) is a department in the northeastern French region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. [3] The department takes its name from the Jura Mountains. [4] Its prefecture is Lons-le-Saunier; subprefectures are Dole and Saint-Claude. In 2019, Jura had a population of 259,199. [5] It has a short portion of the border of Switzerland.

Contents

History

Historically, Jura belonged to the Free County of Burgundy, known in French as the Franche-Comté. [6] Dole was the capital until the region was conquered by Louis XIV and the capital was moved to Besançon. Dole is now a sous-préfecture, or sub-prefecture, of Jura.

As early as the 13th century, inhabitants of the southern two-thirds of Jura spoke a dialect of Arpitan language. It continued to be spoken in rural areas into the 20th century.

Jura is one of the original 83 French departments, created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was established from part of the former province of Franche-Comté. The prefecture is Lons-le-Saunier.

Demographics

Population development since 1801:

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1801288,151—    
1806300,050+0.81%
1821301,768+0.04%
1831312,504+0.35%
1841316,884+0.14%
1851313,299−0.11%
1861298,053−0.50%
1872287,634−0.32%
1881285,263−0.09%
1891273,028−0.44%
1901261,288−0.44%
1911252,713−0.33%
1921229,062−0.98%
1931229,109+0.00%
YearPop.±% p.a.
1936220,797−0.74%
1946216,386−0.20%
1954220,202+0.22%
1962225,682+0.31%
1968233,547+0.57%
1975238,856+0.32%
1982242,925+0.24%
1990248,759+0.30%
1999250,857+0.09%
2006257,399+0.37%
2011261,294+0.30%
2016260,517−0.06%
2022258,405−0.14%
Sources: [7] [8]

Principal towns

The most populous commune is Dole; the prefecture Lons-le-Saunier is the second-most populous. As of 2019, there are five communes with more than 5,000 inhabitants: [5]

CommunePopulation (2019)
Dole 23,711
Lons-le-Saunier 17,189
Saint-Claude 8,985
Champagnole 8,014
Hauts de Bienne 5,275

Geography

Jura is one of eight départements of the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region and is surrounded by the French départements of Doubs, Haute-Saône, Côte-d'Or, Saône-et-Loire, and Ain, as well as the Swiss canton of Vaud on the east.

The Jura mountains are wooded and rolling, not craggy and rocky like the Alps. [9]

Many lakes can be found throughout the Jura, the largest natural lake being Lac de Chalain, measuring 3 km long and 1 km wide. Lac de Vouglans was formed after the building of a hydro-electric dam. It is one of the largest man-made lakes in France.

Politics

Departmental politics

The President of the Departmental Council has been Clément Pernot (miscellaneous right) since 2015.

PartySeats
• Union for a Popular Movement 15
Socialist Party 8
Miscellaneous left 6
French Communist Party 3
• Miscellaneous right 2

Members of the National Assembly

In the 2024 legislative election, Jura elected the following representatives to the National Assembly:

ConstituencyMember [10] Party
Jura's 1st constituency Danielle Brulebois La République En Marche!
Jura's 2nd constituency Marie-Christine Dalloz The Republicans
Jura's 3rd constituency Justine Gruet The Republicans

Climate

The climate of the Jura varies greatly by elevation. The lower valleys are temperate and pleasant, but the high mountain valleys have bitterly cold winters.

Economy

Jura is a wine-growing region. [11] The Jura wines are very distinctive and unusual wines, such as vin jaune, which is made by a similar process to sherry, developing under a flor of yeast. This is made from the local Savagnin grape variety. Other grape varieties include Poulsard, Trousseau, and Chardonnay. [12]

The département contains no industrial cities: the few towns function as administrative and commercial centres serving Jura's rural economy. In the absence of large-scale industrial enterprises, small artisanal businesses play an important role. The Jura CFA (Centre for apprenticeship and training) recently recorded 752 current apprenticeships in trades such as building, baking, butchery, hair dressing, car repairing, sales and other non-factory based occupations.

Tourism

The Jura mountains provide ample opportunities for hiking, skiing, as well as other winter sports. [13] [14]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Répertoire national des élus: les conseillers départementaux". data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises (in French). 4 May 2022.
  2. ↑ "Populations de référence 2022" (in French). National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 19 December 2024.
  3. ↑ In the Jura by Kimberley Lovato, December 23, 2019, National Geographic
  4. ↑ Jura Mountains, France
  5. 1 2 Populations légales 2019: 39 Jura, INSEE
  6. ↑ Travel A Guide to Jura, the Tiny French Wine Region to Visit Right Now By Sue Williamson August 6, 2024, Vogue Magazine
  7. ↑ "Historique du Jura". Le SPLAF.
  8. ↑ "Évolution et structure de la population en 2016". INSEE.
  9. ↑ Jura Mountains, France
  10. ↑ "Assemblée nationale ~ Les députés, le vote de la loi, le Parlement français". Assemblée nationale (in French). Retrieved 2021-03-09.
  11. ↑ In the Jura by Kimberley Lovato, December 23, 2019, National Geographic
  12. ↑ Travel A Guide to Jura, the Tiny French Wine Region to Visit Right Now By Sue Williamson August 6, 2024, Vogue Magazine
  13. ↑ In the Jura by Kimberley Lovato, December 23, 2019, National Geographic
  14. ↑ Travel A Guide to Jura, the Tiny French Wine Region to Visit Right Now By Sue Williamson August 6, 2024, Vogue Magazine
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