Loire (département)

Loire is département number 42 in the central-eastern region of Rhône-Alpes in France, with an area of 4781 sq km, occupying the Loire river's upper reaches.

This département is named after the Loire River and it is located to the east of the Loire Valley region.

The industrial city of Saint-Étienne with its suburbs contains some 290,000 of the area's 725,000 inhabitants. It is the préfecture (capital) of the département.

Sous-préfectures: Montbrison, Roanne.

See also: List of Communes of the Loire département of France