The Aquitaine-Limousin-Poitou-Charentes was a former administrative region in France which was formed by the merger of three historical regions: Aquitaine, Limousin, and Poitou-Charentes. This merger took place on January 1, 2016, as part of a broader administrative reform in France aimed at reducing the number of regions to enhance regional governance and economic development.
The creation of this new region was part of a larger initiative by the French government to streamline regional administration. The regions of Aquitaine, Limousin, and Poitou-Charentes each had their own rich historical backgrounds:
The consolidation of these regions was intended to:
Despite the administrative merger, each of the former regions retained some autonomy in areas like cultural promotion, local governance, and certain economic initiatives. However, the overarching regional council was responsible for regional planning, economic development, and transportation policies.
As of January 1, 2016, the Aquitaine-Limousin-Poitou-Charentes officially became Nouvelle-Aquitaine, which is one of the 18 regions of France. The name change was part of an effort to reflect the region's expanded scope and to distance itself from the historical regions' individual identities for a more unified image.