Geography of the Low-Rhine

The department of the Low-Rhine belongs to the Région Alsace. It is bordering on the departments of the Haut-Rhin in the south, the the Vosges and Meurthe-et-Moselle in south-west, of the the Moselle in the west, as well as Germany, in the east along the the Rhine and in north. The Low-Rhine is irrigated by the the Rhine like by a multitude of river of lower importance. Vast a Ground water covers the whole of the departmental territory.

The department of the Low-Rhine extends on 4.798 km ² (77ème French department by its surface - 0,87% of the national territory). It counts 1.026.120 inhabitants and is organized administratively in:

7 District S
44 canton S
526 common S

A distribution of the territory balanced

The use of territory (479 880 ha) is distributed in the following way:

useful agricultural Surface of the exploitations: 199.298 ha are 41% of which:

Vine S AOC: 6.038 ha
surfaces always out of grass: 51.000 ha
Fallow S: 11.540 ha

wooded Surfaces: 172.010 ha are 36%
nonagricultural Territoire: 108.572 ha, are 23%

(Source: Rural 2000)

Natural areas and agricultural Countries of the Low-Rhine

The Low-Rhine is characterized by diversities of its natural conditions, the diversity of its soils and the multiplicity of its agricultural productions. During centuries, it forged agrarian traditions which drew its landscapes and nourished the reputation of quality of its agricultural productions, its agribusiness industry and its Gastronomie.

The department is bordered in the west by the Vosgean Massif, whose altitude increases north in the south gradually. The bed rock is there of sandy origin in north, crystalline in the south; it gave rise to poor and acid grounds, from where importance of the forest in this zone and agro-tourism.

The under-Vosgean hills are leant with the mountain. They are slopes limestones favourable with the culture of the Vigne.

The Plaine of Alsace extends between the under-Vosgean hills and the the Rhine. This long trough fault, of an average width of 25 km, has a high proportion of fertile grounds made up of deposits of Lœss favourable with the culture of the Céréale S and special cultures (Tabac, Betterave, Houblon, Fruit S, Légume S…).

These great natural areas can be divided into 9 agricultural countries:

the Ried S, primarily dedicated to the field crops, market gardenings, natural meadows.
the Plain of Erstein where an intensive mixed-farming containing special cultures such as the Tabac is practiced, the sugar Betterave, the Chou with Choucroute.
the Plain, area of mixed-farming containing Hop, Asparagus S.
Ackerland Kochersberg, agricultural country par excellence with special cultures such as the Hop, the sugar Beet.
the Country of Wissembourg: area cattle-rearing, culture of vegetables, beets, and of arboriculture.
the Country of Hanau: where is practiced breeding, intensive mixed-farming and fruit-bearing culture.
the Vosgean Mountain is the field of the forest and of the exploitation herbagère
the Alsatian part of the Lorraine Plate or Alsace Bossue is a cattle-rearing area
the Hills and Under-Vosgean Piedmont has the role natural to accommodate the Vigne

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