Geography of the Ile-de-France

The geography of the Ile-de-France is marked, on the physical level, by its situation in the center of a sedimentary Bassin, the Paris basin, with the relatively flat relief, irrigated by a navigable river, the the Seine whose principal affluents converge precisely in this area, by a moderate Climat and very fertile agricultural grounds, and on the economic plan, by the presence in its center of Paris, Capitale and principal urban center of the France.

With a surface of 12.072 km ², the Île-de-France is one of smallest the French areas, (smallest of the Metropolitan France after Corsica and Alsace), but by far most important by its population (11 million inhabitants, is approximately 19% of the French population) and by its Gross domestic product: 28,6% of the total GDP of the Metropolitan France (source: INSEE).

Concentrating the capacities economic, administrative and policy of a very centralized country, it is in the center of a communication network which ramifies out of star around Paris.

Geology

Apart from the areas built-up along the rivers, the exploitable careers and rock zones are still numerous in the area

One finds Gypse in North (Cormeilles-in-Parisis, ridges of Montmorency, mounts of Goële, etc), much of Sablons in particular in the Gâtinais and them loops of the Marne, the Argile around the town of Provins (Seine-et-Marne) and in the Mantois as well as Calcaire in extreme cases champardennoises and along the Loing.

source: Collective of Natural spaces and rural services of IDF

Relief

The culminating point of the area of Ile-de-France, at the administrative direction, is located at Neuilly-in-Vexin (Valley of Oise) on the hillock of Rône and culminates to 217 Mr. the point low is to 11 m with Port-Villez (Yvelines). Average altitude is of 33 m (altitude of the town hall of Paris).

The point highest of the historical area, which includes/understands grounds out of the current administrative area (in particular in current the Département of Oise), is the Pagnotte mount, which culminates to 221 m in the north of Senlis.

The hill of Élancourt (in the past hill of Revenge) is higher with its 231 meters, but it is about a partly artificial hill, high with the embankments of construction of the new city of Saint-Quentin-in-Yvelines: its top is not natural origin.

Hydrography

The principal “drain” of the Ile-de-France is the the Seine. Almost all the rivers are affluents of those or other rivers throwing itself later in the river. The presence of forests (Saint-Germain-in-Bush hammer, Fontainebleau) but also the few natural heights scattered deforms the course of the rivers in many typical loops of the Ile-de-France.

The altitude of the completely random ground (always oscillating between 0 and 200 m) left, often with the accesses of the loops, the lakes and the ponds now arranged in bases of leisures (Harvest-Mousseaux, Cergy-Neuville, Villeneuve-Saint-Georges, etc).

In the west, the the Eure timidly drains in its valley the south of the Yvelines (rivers of Perray, of Guéville, etc), and the country Houdanais.

Climate

The Île-de-France area profits from a moderated climate, moderated by oceanic influences. The average temperature rises with 11 °C and average precipitations with 600 Misters.

Occupation of the grounds

In spite of its strong urbanization, the Ile-de-France is mainly rural: on its 12.070 km ², 45% are devoted to the Agriculture (one of most productive of France) and 23% with the Forêt. Among the most important forests of the area, one can quote those of Fontainebleau, Montmorency, Saint-Germain-in-Bush hammer and Sénart. However, progression of the continuous urbanization, year after year, to nibble the agricultural surface which lost 1.000 km ² during the 50 last years vis-a-vis urban spreading out and with the developments of the infrastructures.

Small natural areas

Regional natural parks

  • High valley of Chevreuse
  • French Gâtinais
  • French Vexin
  • Oise-Country of France

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