Normandy...you're welcome!

Normandie (France: Normandie, Norman: Normaundie) est une région géographique correspond à l'ancien duché de Normandie. Elle est située le long de la côte sud de la France de la Manche entre la Bretagne (à l'ouest) et la Picardie (à l'est) et comprend le territoire du nord de la France et les îles de la Manche. Le territoire est divisé entre le français et la souveraineté britannique. Le territoire continental sous souveraineté française couvre 30.627 km ² [1] et constitue la partie prépondérante de la Normandie et environ 5% du territoire de la France. Il est divisé à des fins administratives en deux régions: la Basse-Normandie et Haute-Normandie. The Channel Islands (dénommé Îles Anglo-Normandes en français), couvre 194 km ² [2] et comprend deux bailliages: Guernesey et Jersey, à la fois sous domination britannique.

The name of Normandy is derived from the settlement and conquest of the territory by Vikings ("Northmen") from the 9th century, and confirmed by treaty in the 10th century. For a century and a half following the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, Normandy and England were linked by Norman rulers, but following 1204 the continental territory was ultimately held by France.

During the Battle of Normandy in World War II, Normandy became the landing site for the invasion and liberation of Europe from Nazi Germany.

The population of Normandy is around 3.45 million. The continental population of 3.26 million accounts for 5.5% of the population of France (in 2005).

Basse-Normandie is predominantly agricultural in character, with cattle breeding the most important sector (although in decline from the peak levels of the 1970s and 1980s). The bocage is a patchwork of small fields with high hedges, typical of western areas. Haute-Normandie contains a higher concentration of industry. Normandy is a significant cider-producing region, and also produces calvados, a distilled cider or apple brandy. Other activities of economic importance are dairy produce, flax (60% of production in France), horse breeding (including two French national stud farms), fishing, seafood, and tourism. The region contains three French nuclear power stations.