MARNE, a department of north-eastern France, made up from Champagne-Pouilleuse, Remois, Haute-Champagne, Perthois, Tar denois, Bocage and Brie-Pouilleuse, districts formerly belonging to Champagne, and bounded west by Seine-et-Marne and Aisne, north by Aisne and Ardennes, east by Meuse, and south by Haute-Marne and Aube. Pop. (1931) 412,156. Area 3,167 sq. miles.
The western half of the department is hilly (92o ft. near Reims) with Tertiary rocks of the Paris basin deeply cut by Marne, Vesle and Suippe. From beneath the eastward-facing scarp edge of these rocks the chalk emerges to floor the eastern half of the department (Champagne Pouilleuse), the surface of which rises eastward up the dip slope of the rock to the forested scarp (86o ft.) of the Lower Chalk, again facing east. From beneath this, in turn, emerge the impervious Lower Cretaceous rocks of La Champagne humide, drained by the upper Aisne, which runs northward, parallel to the scarp.
Marne has the temperate climate of the Seine region ; the an nual mean temperature is 50°, the rainfall about 24 in. Oats, wheat, rye and barley, lucerne, sainfoin and clover, and potatoes, mangold-wurzels and sugar-beet are the principal agricultural crops, and choice vegetables are grown. The raising of mixed
merino sheep and of other stock and bees is profitable. The vine yards on the hill slopes of Reims, Epernay and Chalons produce the best Champagne. Pine woods are largely planted in Cham pagne-Pouilleuse. The department produces peat, fire-clay, mill stones and chalk.
Reims has an old-established woollen industry. The manufac ture of wine-cases and other goods for the wine trade is carried on. There are also small metalworks. Besides these there are glass works, whiting and oil works. The chief imports are wool and coal; exports are wine, grain, live-stock, stone, whiting, pit-props and woollen stuffs. Communication is afforded chiefly by the river Marne and by the Eastern railway. There are four arrondisse ments—namely those of Chalons (the capital), Epernay, Reims, and Vitry-le-Francois—with 33 cantons and 662 communes. The department belongs partly to the archbishopric of Reims and partly to the see of Chalons. Chalons is the head quarters of the VI. army corps (Metz). Its educational centre and court of appeal are at Paris. The principal towns are Chalons sur-Marne, Reims, Epernay and Vitry-le-Francois, Ay and Sezanne.