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Coat of arms of Pyrénées-Atlantiques
Coat of arms
Location of Pyrénées-Atlantiques in France
Location of Pyrénées-Atlantiques in France
Country  France
Region Aquitaine
Prefecture Pau
Subprefectures Bayonne
 • President of the General Council Georges Labazée
 • Total 7,645 km2 (2,952 sq mi)
Population (2008)
 • Total 647,420
 • Rank 37th
 • Density 85/km2 (220/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Department number 64
Arrondissements 3
Cantons 52
Communes 547

Pyrénées-Atlantiques (French pronunciation: ​[pi.ʁɑ̃.tik]; Gascon: Pirenèus-Atlantics; Basque: Pirinio-Atlantiarrak or Pirinio-Atlantikoak) is a department in Aquitaine, southwest of France. It takes its name from the Pyrenees mountains and the Atlantic Ocean. It covers the French Basque Country and the Béarn.


Basses-Pyrénées is one of the original 83 departments of France created during the French Revolution, on 4 March 1790. It was created from the former province of Béarn (Basse-Navarre and Béarn proper) as well as parts of the province of Guyenne and Gascony (Labourd, Soule, and Bayonne).

Labourd, Basse-Navarre and Soule are the three provinces of the French Basque Country. The history of the region, under the Ancien Régime, can be found at those individual regions.



Pyrénées-Atlantiques is part of the Aquitaine region of Southwest France. It is bordered by the Landes, Hautes-Pyrénées, Gers departments and the Bay of Biscay.







The parts of the department that were part of Guyenne and Béarn have a culture heavily influenced by the Basque people.





Blason département fr Pyrénées-Atlantiques.svg


  1. Béarn
  2. Labourd
  3. Lower Navarre
  4. Soule

See also[edit]