Angoulême () is a commune in southwestern France in the Charente department, Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, of which it is its prefecture.
It was the capital of the old province of Angoumoi
Geography
The city of Angoulême is in the centre of the Charente department, on a plateau overlooking a meander of the Charente river.
It has an area of . Its average altitude is ; at the city hall, the altitude is .
The city of Angoulême is surrounded by the communes:
Climate
The climate of Angoulême, in the Köppen climate classification, is Cfb - Oceanic climate with template summers.
Population
The inhabitants of this city are known, in French, as Angoumoisins (women: Angoumoisines).
With a population of 41,955, Angoulême has a population density of inhabitants/km2.
Evolution of the population in Angoulême
Angoulême forms, together with other 17 communes, the urban area of Angoulême with a population of 108,624 inhabitants (2013) and an area of . This urban area is the centre of the metropolitan area of Angoulême, formed by 106 communes, with a population of 180,820 inhabitants (2013) and an area of .
Administration
Angoulême is the prefecture of the Charente department, the capital of the arrondissement of Angoulême and the administrative centre () of three cantons: Angoulême-1 formed by the commune Fléac and part of Angoulême, with 18,498 inhabitants (2014). Angoulême-2 formed by the commune L'Isle-d'Espagnac and part of Angoulême, with 18,990 inhabitants (2014). Angoulême-3 formed by the commune Soyaux and part of Angoulême, with 22,883 inhabitants (2014).
It is part of the intercommunality Grand Angoulême ().
Twinned and partner towns
Angoulême is twinned with:
Bury, United Kingdom since 1959. Hildesheim, Germany since 1965. Vitoria Gasteiz, Spain since 1967. Chicoutimi (Saguenay, Quebec), Canada since 1969.
Gelendzhik, Russia since 1977. Ségou, Mali since 1985. Turda, Romania since 1994. Hoffman Estates, United States since 1996.