Strasbourg Today

Capital of the Alsace Region and the Departement of Bas-Rhin (67).

Since 1966 part of a grouping of 28 towns and villages that form the Urban Community of Strasbourg (CUS), covering certain clearly defined areas of competence: urban infrastructures, town planning, housing, transport and economic development.

The City is in charge of local policies in the following spheres: culture, schools, welfare, youth, sport, green spaces and forests, public lighting, neighbourhood town halls, tourism, security.

> Surface area of the city: 78.27 km².

> Surface area of the Urban Community of Strasbourg:
316 km²

> Surface area of the Eurodistrict (Urban Community of Strasbourg-Ortenau (in Germany): 2156.70 km².

> Population of Strasbourg: almost 280,000, making it France’s seventh largest city.

> Population of the Urban Community of Strasbourg:
almost 450,000.

> Population of the Eurodistrict: almost 860,000.

A young population: 24% of the population are under 20 years of age; 60 % under 40.

A cosmopolitan population: 12.9 % immigrants (national average: 5.6 %), mainly from North Africa (25%), Turkey (13%), Germany (10 %) and the rest of Europe (31%).

Economically active population: almost 213,000, including 5,500 people working over the border in Germany.

Unemployment: + 6.1 % (Bas-Rhin – France: 7.2% - 2nd half of 2008).

Main economic sectors: health, education and social action, services to companies, commerce, administration, transport, financial activities.

Strasbourg initial budget 2009: Operations: €340m
Investment: €103m.

Urban Community of Strasbourg initial budget 2009:
Operations: €696m Investment: €179m.

Mayor of Strasbourg: Roland RIES (Socialist party, Senator of Bas-Rhin), elected in March 2008 for a 6-year term with almost 60% of the vote.

President of the CUS: Jacques BIGOT (Socialist Party), mayor of the town of Illkirch-Graffenstaden, elected by his peers for a six-year term.