Executive summary by Darmansjah
The Camargue is the
region located south of Arles, France, between the Mediterranean Sea and the
two arms of the Rhône River delta. The eastern arm is called the Grand Rhône;
the western one is the Petit Rhône.
Administratively it lies within the département of Bouches-du-Rhône,
the appropriately named "Mouths of the Rhône", and covers parts of
the territory of the communes of Arles – the largest commune in Metropolitan
France, Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer – the second largest – and
Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône. A further expanse of marshy plain, the Petite
Camargue (little Camargue), just to the west of the Petit Rhône, is in the
département of Gard.
Camargue was designated a Ramsar site as a "Wetland of
International Importance" on December 1, 1986.
The Camargue is home to more than 400 species of birds and
has been identified as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International.
Its brine ponds provide one of the few European habitats for the greater
flamingo. The marshes are also a prime habitat for many species of insects,
notably (and notoriously) some of the most ferocious mosquitos to be found
anywhere in France. Camargue horses (Camarguais) roam the extensive marshlands,
along with Camargue cattle (see below).
The native flora of the Camargue have adapted to the saline
conditions. Sea lavender and glasswort flourish, along with tamarisks and
reeds.
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