French Cerdagne is the northern half of Cerdanya, which came under French control as a result of the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659, while the southern half remained in Spain (as part of Catalonia). Catalonians often refer to French Cerdagne as "High Cerdanya" (Catalan: Alta Cerdanya), although this name is not recognized in France. It is the only French territory in the Iberian Peninsula.
French Cerdagne has no special status inside France, simply forming an area within the département of Pyrénées-Orientales, unlike the Spanish part of Cerdanya, which is officially a Catalan comarca called simply Cerdanya. In France, the French area is referred to as either Cerdagne française (i.e. "French Cerdagne"), or just Cerdagne.
French Cerdagne has a land area of 539.67 km² (208.37 sq. miles). The population, according to the 1999 census, was 12,035, resulting in a density of only 22 people per km² (58 inh. per sq. mile).
French Cerdagne has the most cloud-free days in France, and was therefore chosen as the place to build:
Communes
Population as of 1999 French census.
See also
External links
Coordinates: 42°30′N, 1°58′E
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