HAUTE-GARONNE

dpartement, Midi-Pyrnes rgion, southwestern France, created chiefly from a western part of the historic province of Languedoc and from northeastern Gascony. It embraces the entire basin of the upper Garonne River, which flows through the major townsSaint-Gaudens, Muret, and Toulouse, its capital. Bagnres-de-Luchon, a mountain resort, lies in the Pyrenees on the Spanish frontier. The climate is cold in winter and fresh in summer. The mountainous southern region, where the scenery is magnificent, has a well-developed tourist industry. Other activity in the area includes sheep raising, hydroelectric power generation, and chemical production. Elsewhere, agriculture (cereals, cattle, orchards, market gardening, vines) flourishes, and there are important industries (aircraft, leather, textiles, and food processing), particularly in the Toulouse region. The Concorde supersonic passenger airplane was constructed at local factories. Saint-Marcet is an important source of natural gas. The Midi Canal traverses the dpartement for 32 miles (51 km), joining the lateral canal of the Garonne at Toulouse. Among the places of historical and architectural interest, besides Toulouse, are SaintBertrand-de-Comminges, Valcabrre, and Montrjeau, near Bagnres-de-Luchon. Toulouse, Muret, and Saint-Gaudens give their names to the three arrondissements of the dpartement, which is in the educational division of Toulouse. Area 2,436 square miles (6,309 square km). Pop. (1991 est.) 938,500.