Niort is a commune in the Deux-Sèvres department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in western France. It is a prefecture of the Deux-Sèvres department. It is also the capital of the arrondissement of Niort.
Geography
Niort is to the southwest of the Deux-Sèvres department on the left side of the Sèvre Niortaise river. The city is the main place to get into the Marais Poitevin, a large area of marshland in western France.
Niort is at about from Parthenay and about from Bressuire, the two subprefectures of the department.
The city is also at about from Bordeaux, from Paris, from Marseille and from Toulouse.
The commune has an area of . Its average altitude is ; at the city hall, the altitude is .
The commune of Niort is surrounded by the communes:
Climate
The climate of Niort is an oceanic climate with template summers, Cfb (Marine West Coast Climate) in the Köppen climate classification.
The average amount of precipitation for the year in Niort is . The month with the most precipitation on average is September with of precipitation. The month with the least precipitation on average is July with an average of .
The average temperature for the year in Niort is . The warmest month, on average, is July with an average temperature of . The coolest month on average is January, with an average temperature of .
Population
The inhabitants of Niort are known, in French, as Niortais (women: Niortaises).
With a population of 58,311, Niort has a population density of inhabitants/km2.
Evolution of the population in Niort
Niort forms, with other 3 communes, the urban area of Niort with a population of 71,127 inhabitants (2013) and an area of . This urban area is the centre of the metropolitan area of Niort, formed by 76 communes with a population of 154,160 inhabitants (2013) and an area of .
Administration
Niort is the prefecture of the Deux-Sèvres department, the capital of the arrondissement of Niort and the administrative centre () of three cantons: Niort-1, with 19,481 inhabitants (2014). Niort-2, with 18,806 inhabitants (2014). Niort-3, with 20,024 inhabitants (2014).
It is part of the intercommunality Le Niortais ().
Twinned and partner towns
Niort is twinned with: Atakpamé, Togo, since 1958 Coburg, Bavaria, Germany, since 1974 Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, England, United Kingdom, since 1977 Springe, Lower Saxony, Germany, since 1979 Tomelloso, Spain, since 1981 Gijón, Asturias, Spain, since 1982 Biała Podlaska, Poland, since 1995