YVELINES

dpartement, le-de-France rgion, northern France, embracing the western outer suburbs of Paris and the valley of the Seine between the French capital and Normandy. With an area of 882 sq mi (2,284 sq km), the dpartement was created in 1964 from the western part of the former Seine-et-Oise dpartement, which in 1790 was formed from portions of the historic province of le-de-France. It takes its name from the vast forest that once covered the whole region. Extensive woods are still found in the dpartement, including those around Versailles (the departmental capital), the national forests of Marly and Saint-Germain-en-Laye in the Paris region, and the national forest of Rambouillet, which occupies more than 30,000 acres (12,000 hectares) in the southwest. The dpartement extends across a series of hilly plateaus, indented in the north by the meandering Seine River, which flows around the forest of Saint-Germain and past Poissy, Meulan, and the cathedral city of Mantes-la-Jolie, all of which have become satellite towns of Paris. The climate is mild and equable, with moderate rainfall. Wheat and other cereals are grown in the dpartement, particularly in the south and northwest; and market gardening thrives in the valleys, which are less industrialized than those of the eastern outer suburbs of Paris. Residential areas, now encroaching on the countryside, have been made more accessible to Paris by the improvement of roads and suburban railway services. The construction of the regional express rail service has improved local communications, especially between Saint-Germain-en-Laye and Versailles. The dpartement has numerous places of historical interest and relaxation, including the chteaus of Versailles, Rambouillet, Maisons-Laffitte (with a racecourse nearby), and Saint-Germain-en-Laye; and the royal park at Marly. The dpartement has four arrondissements: Versailles, Mantes-la-Jolie, Rambouillet, and Saint-Germain-en-Laye. It is in the educational division of Paris. Pop. (1990 prelim.) 1,306,400.