NORD-PAS-DE-CALAIS

rgion, encompassing the northernmost French dpartements of Nord and Pas-de-Calais. The capital is Lille. The rgion is bounded by the dpartements of Somme and Aisne to the south. The English Channel lies to the northwest and Belgium to the northeast. Flatlands predominate in the north, with much of the land lying below sea level. The hills of Cambrais and Avesnois rise to the southwest and southeast, respectively, but elevations rarely exceed 650 feet (200 m). Nord-Pas-de-Calais is drained by the Canche and Schelde (Escaut) and Sambre rivers. A mild and humid climate prevails. The rgion is densely populated. The population increased by nearly 140 percent between 1801 and 1911, representing one of the few rgions of France to show such a trend during the period; immigrants from Belgium accounted for much of the increase. Later immigrants have come from Poland and southern Europe. Population growth has lagged behind the national average since 1950, reflecting the relative stagnation of industry, and the migratory balance has become negative. Though most of the population is urban, the countryside also is densely populated. The rgion's agriculture is highly mechanized and employs only a small percentage of the workforce. Farmland in the north tends to be enclosed, while that in the south tends to be open. The leading crops are wheat, barley, and potatoes. Industrial crops are also grown and include flax and hops. The rgion is a leading producer of pork. Textiles, whose production centres on Lille, Roubaix, Tourcoing, and Armentires, are the rgion's leading manufactured product. Automation has sharply reduced the workforce employed in weaving. Declining coal production has seriously undermined the rgion's metalworking industries and has been only partially offset by imported natural gas. Area 4,793 square miles (12,413 square km). Pop. (1992 est.) 3,969,300.