NIEVRE, a department of France, formed from the old province of Nivernais with a small part of the Orleanais. It is bounded north-west by Loiret, north by Yonne, east by COte d'Or, east and south-east by SaOne-et-Loire, south by Allier and west by Cher. Pop. (1931) 255,195. Area 2,658 sq. miles. Nievre falls into three regions. In the east are the granitic mountains of the Morvan, one of the most picturesque parts of France, containing Mont Prenelay (2,789 ft.) and several lesser heights.
The north and centre are occupied by plateaux of Jurassic lime stone with a maximum elevation of 1,400 feet. The west and south-western part of the department is a district of plains, com posed mainly of Tertiary formations with alluvial deposits, and comprising the valleys of the Loire and the Allier. The lowest level of the department is 446 ft., at the exit of the Loire. Eastern Nievre belongs to the upper basin of the Yonne, a tributary of the Seine, followed by the southern part of the Nivernais canal; western Nievre drains towards the Loire, which crosses its south western corner and then forms its western boundary.
The principal cereals are oats and wheat ; potatoes and various kinds of forage are also largely grown. On the extensive pastures much cattle is fattened. The Nivernais and Charolais are the chief breeds. The rearing of sheep and draught-horses is also important. Vines are grown in the Loire valley and near Clamecy.
The white wines of Pouilly are widely known. Nievre abounds in forests, the chief trees being the oak, beech, hornbeam, elm and chestnut. Coal is mined at Decize, and gypsum, building stone, and
kaolin are quarried. The best-known mineral springs are those of Pougues and St. Honore. Nievre is famous for iron-works, the most important being those of Fourchambault. At Imphy there are large steel-works. The government works of La Chaussade at Guerigny make chain-cables, anchors, armour-plates, etc. There are also manufactories of agricultural implements and hardware, potteries, manufactories of porcelain and faience (at Nevers) and glass works, tile-works, chemical works, paper-mills and saw mills, as well as tanneries, boot and shoe factories, cask manu factories and oil works (colza, poppy and hemp). In the Morvan district the timber industry is important.
Much of the traffic is by water: the canal along the Loire runs through the department for 38 m., and the Nivernais canal for 78 miles. The chief railway is that of the P.L.M. Company, whose main line to Nimes follows the valley of the Loire and Allier. Nievre is divided into 3 arrondissements (Nevers, Château Chinon and Clamecy being their capitals), 25 cantons, 313 com munes. It forms the diocese of Nevers under the archbishop of Sens and part of the academie (educational district) of Dijon and of the region of the VIII. army corps. The chief towns are Nevers, the capital, Clamecy, Fourchambault, Cosne, La Charite and Decize. The appeal court is at Bourges.