Loire (department) 1.67

Loire is a department in the east-central part of France occupying the River Loire's upper reaches.HistoryLoire was created in 1793 when after just 3½ years the young Rhône-et-Loire department was split into two. This was a response to counter-Revolutionary activities in Lyon which, by population, was the country's second largest city. By splitting Rhône-et-Loire the government sought to protect the French Revolution from the potential power and influence of counter revolutionary activity in the Lyon region.The departmental capitals have been / are as follows : Feurs 1793-1795 Montbrison 1795-1855 Saint-Étienne since 1855GeographyLoire is part of the current administrative region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and is surrounded by the departments of Rhône, Isère, Ardèche, Haute-Loire, Puy-de-Dôme, Allier, and Saône-et-Loire.