Located between the Paris Basin and the Armorican chain, with five hundred kilometres of Channel coastline, the Basse-Normandie region is extremely varied, both as regards the range of landscapes and the wealth of agricultural production. With a solid history of farming and maritime activities, Basse-Normandie retains the rural and and coastal traditions which constitute its regional identity. Basse-Normandie has not rejected its past and continues to nurture the inheritance which contributed to an undisputed quality of life – but the region is also resolutely facing the future – extending its activities by developing a flourishing, dynamic modern economy with pride of place awarded to research.
Key sectors
The role occupied for centuries by arable and livestock farming and fishing in the region today make the agri-food industry a natural key sector of the Basse-Normandie economy. Agricultural products from the region benefit from their excellent reputation : many even have their own « Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée » (Normandy Camembert, Livarot and Pont-l’Evêque cheeses, Isigny butter and cream, Calvados, Pommeau). The agri-food industry, thanks to its capacity for innovation and adaptation, has succeeded in positive diversification – to become the number one employer in the region.
The industrial sector benefits from the parallel presence of major international groups and dynamic small-to-medium sized enterprises developing in the electronics, car industry, mechanical engineering, pharmaceuticals, refined chemicals, shipbuilding.
Tourism also represents a major regional activity – with the area’s world-famous historical and cutural sites such as the Normandy Landing beaches, Mont-Saint-Michel and countless architectural treasures.
Advantages and distinctive features
1 - The geographical location
Basse-Normandie is a prodominantly maritime and rural region with four major advantages :
The proximity of both the Paris region and Great Britain provides development opportunities for Basse-Normandie. In recent years, a major initiative for improvement of the communications infrastrucrure has been conducted (roads, rail, ferries) in order to bring the region out of the backwaters right to the heart of a European network (North-South axis, the Route des Estuaires). The Region has maintained close links with the County of Hampshire, including a twinning agreement dating from 1989.
2 - The sea
Although fishing remains an important local industry, other maritime activities are being developed : shell-fish farming, market gardening facilited by the mild maritime climate. The long coastline provides a vast potential for the tourist industry.
3 - The quality of the environment
The arrival of new industries has not jeopardised environmental quality. The increasing importance of livestyle in the choice of location of enterprises provides a sound argument for Regional development.
4 - A youthful population
This factor explains why training is one of the Region’s priorities, as is research, offering Basse-Normandie the image of a Region at the leading edge of nuclear technology and contamination control (Cherbourg), agro-food (Saint-Lô) plastics (Alençon), scanning, ICT and nuclear physics (Caen).
Key figures
Surface area : 17,589 km2
Coastline : 450 km
Population : 1,443,000 (2004)
Density : 82 hab / km2
Active population : 546,517 (1999)
GDP/capita : 17,854 (Purchase Power Standard 1999)
Unemployment rate : 9,4 % (2004)
Repartition of the workforce by sector (2008) :
- primary : 6.9 %
- secondary : 25.9 %
- tertiary : 68.2 %
