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Moselle (Department, France)

by Pascal Vagnat

Administrative data
Flag of the department
- Former flag of the department

See also:

France
France: Metropolitan departments
Clickable map of France (departments)
Moselle (Department, France): Municipal flags
- Bitche
Moselle (Department, France): Yacht clubs

Administrative data

Code: 57
Region: Lorraine
Traditional province: Lorraine
Bordering departments: Meurthe-et-Moselle, Bas-Rhin, Vosges
Bordering countries: Germany (Federal States of Saar and Rhineland-Palatinate), Luxembourg

Area: 6,216 km²Population (1995): 1,015,900 inhabitants

Préfecture: Metz
Sous-préfectures: Boulay-Moselle, Château-Salins, Forbach, Sarrebourg, Sarreguemines, Thionville
Subdivisions: 9 arrondissements, 51 cantons, 718 communes.

The department is named after the river Moselle (550 km), tributary of Rhine.

The weird geographical shape of the department is the consequence of the complicated history of the area. The departement is made of territories which belonged to the duchy of Lorraine and the territory of Trois-Evêchés (Three-Bishoprics), which was independent of the duchy of Lorraine. Among the three bishoprics, Metz was incorporated to Moselle, Verdun to Meuse, and Toul to Meurthe-et-Moselle.

The department was annexed by Germany during 1870-1918.

Flag of the department

The current flag of the department was officially adopted by the General Council in 2000. It features the logo of the General Council.
Blue represents the rivers of the department, including Moselle, and green represents the nature of the departement.
The flag was offered to all the communes, districts and associations of the departement. It is used in the inner courtyard of the General Council, along with the former flag (!).

Source: Pascal Vagnat's website

Ivan Sache, 28 November 2000

Former flag of the department

by Pascal Vagnat

The former flag, probably designed in 1999, features the coat of arms of the depa