Hauts-de-France, Administrative region in northern France
Hauts-de-France is an administrative unit in northern France that stretches from the Belgian border to the Channel coast. It comprises five departments and connects rural land with dense urban centers.
The area came into being in 2016 by merging two older units following a national reform. It began operating officially on the first day of that year.
The territory carries both French and Flemish traces, visible in facades, festivals and dishes like potjevleesch or waffles from Dunkirk. Local markets today still show this mix, where beers from Lille stand beside products from smaller towns.
Lille functions as the main center and major transport hub within the area. Travelers reach cities in all five departments as well as Belgium and the Channel Tunnel easily from there.
Around six million people live in the territory, making it the third largest in all of France. Annual economic output reaches roughly 162 billion euros.
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