# Hénin-sur-Cojeul > commune in Pas-de-Calais, France **Wikidata**: [Q987889](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q987889) **Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hénin-sur-Cojeul) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/h-nin-sur-cojeul ## Summary Hénin-sur-Cojeul is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department of northern France, located at coordinates 50.224722222222°N, 2.8344444444444°E along the Cojeul river. The settlement is part of the arrondissement of Arras and the Communauté urbaine d'Arras urban community, and earned the Croix de guerre 1914–1918 military decoration for its suffering during World War I. ## Key Facts - **Location**: Pas-de-Calais department, northern France - **Coordinates**: 50.224722222222°N, 2.8344444444444°E - **Watercourse**: Cojeul river flows through the commune - **Arrondissement**: Arras - **Canton**: Previously part of canton of Croisilles (until March 2015) - **Urban Community**: Member of Communauté urbaine d'Arras (since January 1, 2013) - **Administrative Status**: Commune of France (territorial subdivision established in 1789) - **Population**: Approximately 528 residents (with historical figures ranging from 500 to 539) - **Website**: https://www.heninsurcojeul.fr - **Alternative Name**: Hénin - **Country**: France - **Department Number**: Pas-de-Calais (inception: March 4, 1790) - **Military Recognition**: Croix de guerre 1914–1918 (awarded April 2, 1915) ## FAQs **What type of administrative area is Hénin-sur-Cojeul?** Hénin-sur-Cojeul is a commune, which is the smallest territorial subdivision for municipalities in France. The commune as an administrative unit was established in 1789 during the French Revolution. **Which department and region is Hénin-sur-Cojeul located in?** Hénin-sur-Cojeul is located in the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. The department was created on March 4, 1790, during the early years of the French Revolution. **What is the administrative structure of Hénin-sur-Cojeul?** The commune belongs to the arrondissement of Arras and was previously part of the canton of Croisilles until March 2015. Since 2013, it has been a member of the Communauté urbaine d'Arras, an urban community that serves as an intercommunal structure for the Arras area. **What historical recognition does Hénin-sur-Cojeul have?** Hénin-sur-Cojeul was awarded the Croix de guerre 1914–1918 on April 2, 1915. This French military decoration recognizes towns and villages that suffered damage during World War I, indicating that Hénin-sur-Cojeul experienced significant destruction during the conflict. **What is the Cojeul river's relationship to the commune?** The Cojeul is a watercourse in France that flows through or near Hénin-sur-Cojeul, giving the commune its name. The river is one of the natural geographic features of the area. **What is the population of Hénin-sur-Cojeul?** The population of Hénin-sur-Cojeul has been recorded at various figures, with recent data showing approximately 528 residents. Historical population figures include 500, 536, 539, 527, 523, and 524 residents across different census periods. ## Why It Matters Hénin-sur-Cojeul represents a small but historically significant French commune that exemplifies the rural communities of northern France. Its award of the Croix de guerre 1914–1918 demonstrates that the commune was directly affected by the devastation of World War I, a conflict that profoundly shaped the Pas-de-Calais region, which sat on the Western Front for much of the war. The commune's membership in the Communauté urbana d'Arras since 2013 reflects the ongoing trend of French municipalities collaborating through intercommunal structures to share resources, coordinate planning, and strengthen regional development. This urban community, headquartered in Arras, provides a framework for cooperation among communes in the area. Geographically, Hénin-sur-Cojeul's location along the Cojeul river and its position within the Pas-de-Calais department places it in one of France's most strategically important regions, bordering the English Channel and lying close to Belgium. This location has historically made the area a corridor for military movements and a site of numerous conflicts. For those studying French administrative organization, Hénin-sur-Cojeul illustrates the commune system that forms the foundation of French local government, with its hierarchy of communes, cantons, arrondissements, and departments creating a complex but structured territorial organization. ## Notable For - **Croix de guerre 1914–1918**: Awarded for suffering and damage during World War I, recognizing the commune's place in the conflict that devastated northern France - **Cojeul River Location**: Named after the watercourse that flows through the area - **Intercommunal Membership**: Part of the Communauté urbaine d'Arras, demonstrating integration into regional administrative structures since 2013 - **Historical Canton**: Previously belonged to the canton of Croisilles until the 2015 administrative reorganization - **Departmental Heritage**: Located in Pas-de-Calais, one of France's historic departments created during the French Revolution ## Body ### Geography and Location Hénin-sur-Cojeul is situated in the Pas-de-Calais department of northern France, positioned at coordinates 50.224722222222°N, 2.8344444444444°E. The commune lies along the Cojeul river, a watercourse in France that gives the settlement its name. This geographic positioning places Hénin-sur-Cojeul in the historical region of Artois, an area that has been contested throughout European history due to its strategic location between France and the Low Countries. The commune's terrain and proximity to the Cojeul river would have influenced both its agricultural development and its strategic importance during periods of conflict. The river valley likely provided water resources and fertile lands, while also creating natural routes through the landscape. ### Administrative Structure Hénin-sur-Cojeul operates as a commune, which is the fundamental territorial subdivision for municipalities in France. The French commune system was established in 1789 during the Revolution, replacing the previous parochial and seigniorial divisions. As a commune, Hénin-sur-Cojeul has its own municipal government, though it operates within a hierarchical structure of larger administrative units. At the departmental level, Hénin-sur-Cojeul belongs to Pas-de-Calais, one of France's 96 metropolitan departments. Pas-de-Calais was created on March 4, 1790, as part of the initial division of France into departments during the early Revolutionary period. The department takes its name from the narrowest point of the English Channel, the Pas de Calais, which lies to the north. At the arrondissement level, Hénin-sur-Cojeul is part of the arrondissement of Arras. Arras, the prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais department, has served as an administrative center for the region since Roman times. The arrondissement system provides an intermediate level of administration between departments and cantons. Prior to March 2015, Hénin-sur-Cojeul was part of the canton of Croisilles. The cantonal reorganization in 2015 restructured many cantonal boundaries in France, and Hénin-sur-Cojeul was reassigned to a different administrative configuration as part of this reform. Since January 1, 2013, Hénin-sur-Cojeul has been a member of the Communauté urbaine d'Arras. This urban community is an intercommunal structure that brings together communes in the Arras area for coordinated planning, economic development, and shared services. The community has its headquarters in Arras and operates in various sectors including economic development, transportation, and environmental planning. ### Historical Significance The most notable historical recognition for Hénin-sur-Cojeul is the award of the Croix de guerre 1914–1918. This French military decoration was established on April 2, 1915, to recognize towns and villages that had suffered damage during World War I. The award specifically acknowledges communities that experienced significant destruction, military operations, or suffering during the conflict. The Pas-de-Calais department was among the regions most heavily affected by World War I. The department contained significant portions of the Western Front, and many communes in the area were either destroyed or heavily damaged during the fighting. The presence of the Croix de guerre indicates that Hénin-sur-Cojeul was directly impacted by these operations, likely experiencing damage to infrastructure, displacement of residents, or other suffering during the conflict. World War I had a profound impact on the demographic and physical landscape of northern France. Many communes in the region lost significant portions of their populations, either to casualties in combat or to the displacement of civilians fleeing the fighting. The reconstruction efforts that followed the war shaped much of the region's development in the twentieth century. ### Demographics and Community The population of Hénin-sur-Cojeul has been recorded at various figures, with recent data indicating approximately 528 residents. Historical population figures show fluctuations between 500 and 539 residents across different census periods, suggesting a relatively stable small rural commune. This population size is typical of many rural communes in the Pas-de-Calais department, where agricultural communities have maintained modest but consistent populations. The commune's small size means that it likely maintains a close-knit community structure where residents are connected through local institutions, agricultural activities, and shared local history. French communes of this size typically have municipal offices, may have local schools, and serve as centers for surrounding agricultural lands. ### Regional Context Hénin-sur-Cojeul's location in the Pas-de-Calais department places it in one of France's most historically significant regions. Pas-de-Calais has been a contested territory throughout European history, lying at the crossroads between France and the Low Countries. The department contains important historical sites, including battlefields from both World Wars and earlier conflicts. The regional capital, Arras, has been an important administrative and cultural center since Roman times. The city's historic architecture, including its baroque buildings and underground tunnels from World War I, attracts visitors and provides cultural resources for the surrounding communes. The Communauté urbaine d'Arras, which includes Hénin-sur-Cojeul, represents the contemporary approach to regional cooperation in France. These intercommunal structures allow smaller communes to benefit from shared resources and coordinated development planning that would be difficult to achieve independently. ### Modern Administration and Services As a French commune, Hénin-sur-Cojeul is governed by a municipal council that makes decisions on local matters including urban planning, local taxes, and community services. The commune maintains a website at https://www.heninsurcojeul.fr, providing information to residents and the public about local government, services, and community events. The commune's integration into the Communauté urbaine d'Arras provides access to broader regional services and planning initiatives. This intercommunal structure handles matters that affect multiple communes, such as public transportation, economic development projects, and environmental management. ### Connection to French Institutional Framework Hénin-sur-Cojeul exemplifies the French administrative system, which divides the national territory into a hierarchical structure of communes, arrondissements, departments, and regions. This system, largely established during the French Revolution, provides local governance while maintaining national coherence. The commune's status as part of France (country code ) connects it to the broader French institutional framework, including national policies, legal systems, and European Union structures. France's role as a founding member of the European Union and its position in Western Europe directly affect the regulatory and economic environment in which Hénin-sur-Cojeul operates. The department's creation date of March 4, 1790, places Hénin-sur-Cojeul within one of the original departments established during the Revolutionary period, connecting the commune to over two centuries of French administrative continuity. ## 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. 2020](https://www.data.gouv.fr/fr/datasets/r/8442dfae-a878-49c6-be4c-20689b1c337c) 22. [Code officiel géographique. 2017](https://www.insee.fr/fr/information/2560698)