Gap is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France. It is the préfecture (capital), and main city, of the department.
Gap is the highest prefecture (departmental capital) of France; the city is in a valley whose bottom is at an altitude of about above sea level.
Geography
Gap is in the south central part of the Hautes-Alpes department. The Luye, a tributary of the Durance river, flows through the city.
It has an area of . Its average altitude is ; at the city hall, the altitude is .
The distances from Gap to other cities are: Paris, the national capital - ; Marseille, the regional capital - ; Strasbourg - ; Reims - ; Bordeaux - ; Toulouse - ; Montpellier - ; Lyon - ; Nice - .
The commune of Gap is surrounded by 17 communes: Laye, Saint-Laurent-du-Cros, Forest-Saint-Julien, La Rochette, Rambaud, Jarjayes, Neffes, Châteauvieux, Lettret, Pelleautier, La Roche-des-Arnauds, La Freissinouse, La Fare-en-Champsaur, Poligny, Le Noyer, Le Dévoluy, Rabou
Climate
The climate of Gap, in the Köppen climate classification, is Cfb - Oceanic climate with template summers.
Population
The inhabitants of Gap are known, in French, as Gapençais (women: Gapençaises).
With a population of 40,225, Gap has a population density of inhabitants/km2.
Evolution of the population in Gap
Gap forms with La Rochette the urban area of Gap with a population of 40,700 inhabitants (2014) and an area of . This urban area is the centre of the metropolitan area of Gap, formed by 39 communes, with a population of 62,567 inhabitants (2014) and an area of .
Administration
Gap is the prefecture of the Hautes-Alpes department, the capital of the arrondissement of Gap and the administrative centre () of four cantons: Gap-1 formed by a part of Gap, with 9,895 inhabitants (2014). Gap-2 formed by a part of Gap, with 10,743 inhabitants (2014). Gap-3 formed by a part of Gap, with 10,346 inhabitants (2014). Gap-4 formed by a part of Gap, with 9,241 inhabitants (2014).
It is part of the intercommunality Gap-Tallard-Durance ().
Twin towns
Gap is twinned with:
Pinerolo, Italy, since 1966; Traunstein, Germany, since 1976.