# Bailleul

> commune in Somme, France

**Wikidata**: [Q45712](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q45712)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bailleul,_Somme)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/bailleul-q45712

## Summary

Bailleul is a commune located in the Somme department in the Hauts-de-France region of northern France. Situated at coordinates 50.029166666667°N latitude and 1.8497222222222°E longitude, it falls within the arrondissement of Abbeville. The commune belongs to the broader category of French territorial subdivisions known as communes, which serve as the lowest level of administrative organization in France.

## Key Facts

- **Type**: Commune in Somme, France
- **Region**: Hauts-de-France
- **Department**: Somme
- **Arrondissement**: Abbeville
- **Country**: France
- **Coordinates**: 50.029166666667°N, 1.8497222222222°E
- **Administrative Status**: Part of the French commune territorial subdivision system (established +1789)
- **Parent Country**: France (Western European country with overseas territories)
- **Wikipedia Title**: Bailleul, Somme
- **Wikidata Description**: commune in Somme, France
- **Sitelink Count**: 42
- **Population**: 278, 281, 277, 266, 259, 257, 253, 250, 252, 253 (various census years)

## FAQs

**What region and department is Bailleul located in?**

Bailleul is situated in the Somme department within the Hauts-de-France region of northern France. It is part of the arrondissement of Abbeville, which is one of the administrative divisions governing local governance in the department.

**What type of administrative area is Bailleul?**

Bailleul is classified as a commune, which is the fundamental territorial collectivity in France. Communes are the French equivalent of municipalities and represent the smallest administrative division in the country. The commune system in France was established in 1789 during the French Revolution.

**What are the geographical coordinates of Bailleul?**

Bailleul is located at latitude 50.029166666667 degrees north and longitude 1.8497222222222 degrees east, placing it in the northern part of France within the Somme department.

**What is the relationship between Bailleul and France?**

Bailleul is a commune within the French Republic, a semi-presidential unitary state. France is a founding member of the European Union and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. As part of France, Bailleul falls under French administrative, legal, and political systems.

**How is Bailleul connected to the arrondissement system?**

Bailleul belongs to the arrondissement of Abbeville, which is an administrative division in France. Arrondissements are sub-divisions of departments and serve as intermediate levels of local administration between communes and departments.

## Why It Matters

Bailleul represents a fundamental unit of French local governance, embodying the decentralized administrative structure that characterizes the French Republic. As a commune in the Somme department, it participates in the historical legacy of Picardy region and contributes to the cultural and administrative tapestry of northern France. The commune system, which dates back to 1789, is the cornerstone of French democracy at the local level, providing citizens with direct representation and local services. Understanding Bailleul requires understanding this broader context of French administrative organization, where communes like Bailleul serve as the most immediate point of contact between citizens and government. The presence of 42 sitelinks indicates documented recognition across Wikimedia projects, reflecting its role within the broader digital knowledge ecosystem about French geography.

## Notable For

- **Administrative Classification**: Part of the French commune system, the basic territorial unit of France established during the Revolution of 1789
- **Departmental Location**: Situated in Somme, a department with significant historical importance, particularly during World War I
- **Arrondissement Affiliation**: Belongs to the arrondissement of Abbeville, connecting it to regional administrative structures
- **Geographic Position**: Located at approximately 50°N latitude in northern France, within the Hauts-de-France region
- **Wikimedia Presence**: Maintains 42 sitelinks across Wikimedia projects, indicating documented presence in international knowledge bases

## Body

### Geography and Location

Bailleul is positioned in the northern French department of Somme, located in the Hauts-de-France region. The commune's precise geographical coordinates are 50.029166666667 degrees north latitude and 1.8497222222222 degrees east longitude. This places Bailleul in the northern portion of France, relatively close to the English Channel coast, though not directly on it. The terrain and landscape of this area of Picardy is characterized by agricultural plains and gentle rolling hills, typical of the Somme basin region.

### Administrative Structure

As a French commune, Bailleul operates as the lowest level of administrative organization in France. The commune system was established in 1789 during the French Revolution, replacing the previous system of parishes and jurisdictions. Each commune in France is governed by a municipal council, headed by a mayor, and provides local services to residents including civil registration, local taxation, and public services.

Bailleul is part of the arrondissement of Abbeville, which serves as an intermediate administrative division between the commune and the department level. The arrondissement system in France was originally established during the French Revolution and serves to organize communes into more manageable administrative groups for coordination and administrative purposes.

### Departmental and Regional Context

Bailleul belongs to the Somme department, numbered 80 in the French departmental numbering system. The department takes its name from the Somme River that flows through it. Somme is historically significant, particularly for its role during World War I, when much of the department was devastated during the Battle of the Somme in 1916, one of the deadliest battles in military history.

The commune falls within the Hauts-de-France region, which is the most northerly of mainland French regions. This region borders Belgium and includes the departments of Aisne, Nord, Oise, Pas-de-Calais, and Somme. The region has a rich industrial and agricultural heritage and has undergone significant economic transformation since the decline of coal mining and heavy industry in the late 20th century.

### Relationship to France

As a commune within the French Republic, Bailleul operates under the framework of French law and administration. France is a semi-presidential republic with a unitary state structure. The country is a founding member of the European Union and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council with veto power. France operates under the constitution of the Fifth Republic, established in 1958, with the current President Emmanuel Macron serving as head of state and Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister.

The official language is French, and the national motto "Liberté, égalité, fraternité" (Liberty, Equality, Fraternity) guides the republican values that extend to all communes including Bailleul. France uses the Euro as its currency in metropolitan France and operates on Central European Time (UTC+01:00, with daylight saving time to UTC+02:00).

### Population and Demographics

The population data for Bailleul shows figures of 278, 281, 277, 266, 259, 257, 253, 250, 252, and 253 across various census years. These figures represent the population in different decades or census periods, showing the demographic evolution of the commune over time. While the specific years are not detailed in the source material, these numbers indicate a population that has fluctuated moderately, typical of many rural and semi-rural French communes that have experienced both growth and decline periods corresponding to broader economic and social changes in France.

### Digital Presence and Documentation

Bailleul maintains a presence across Wikimedia projects with 42 sitelinks, indicating documentation in multiple language versions of Wikipedia and other Wikimedia Foundation projects. The Wikipedia article is titled "Bailleul, Somme" and the Wikidata entry carries the description "commune in Somme, France." This digital documentation reflects the commune's integration into global knowledge bases and its recognition as a distinct geographical and administrative entity.

### Historical Context

The commune of Bailleul, like all French communes, traces its administrative origins to the French Revolution of 1789, when the old territorial divisions were abolished and replaced by the commune system. This revolutionary transformation created a uniform administrative structure across France, with communes serving as the basic units of local government. The Somme department was created during this period and has maintained its essential structure since then, though boundaries and administrative arrangements have evolved over more than two centuries.

### Connection to Arrondissements

The arrondissement of Abbeville represents an important administrative connection for Bailleul. Arrondissements in France serve as sub-divisions of departments and help organize local government functions. The arrondissement system allows for coordination of services and administration at a level between the commune and the department. Abbeville itself is a historic city in the Somme department, known for its Gothic cathedral and its location at the mouth of the Somme River, making it a natural administrative center for the surrounding communes including Bailleul.

## References

1. BnF authorities
2. dataset of postal codes in France. 2018
3. INSEE code
4. répertoire géographique des communes
5. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
6. Annuaire de service-public.fr
7. Recensement de la population 2015. National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 2017
8. Populations légales 2016
9. Populations légales 2017
10. Populations légales 2018
11. Populations légales 2019
12. Populations légales 2020
13. Populations légales 2021
14. Populations de référence 2022
15. Populations de référence 2023
16. [Code officiel géographique](https://www.insee.fr/fr/information/3363419)
17. National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies
18. GeoNames
19. [répertoire géographique des communes. 2015](https://wxs-telechargement.ign.fr/83edtfdyqte031y0ra49d2e3/telechargement/inspire/RGC-2015-01$RGC2015/file/RGC2015.7z)
20. [2016](https://data.geopf.fr/telechargement/download/GEOFLA/GEOFLA_2-2_COMMUNE_SHP_LAMB93_FXX_2016-06-28/GEOFLA_2-2_COMMUNE_SHP_LAMB93_FXX_2016-06-28.7z)
21. [Code officiel géographique. 2017](https://www.insee.fr/fr/information/2560698)