# Mesples

> commune in Allier, France

**Wikidata**: [Q867866](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q867866)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesples)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/mesples

## Summary
Mesples is a rural commune located in the Allier department of France. Situated in the arrondissement of Montluçon within the broader administrative framework of French municipal subdivisions, it is a small locality characterized by a significant population decline over the past two centuries. As of the most recent data, the commune has a population of 129 residents.

## Key Facts
- **Entity Type**: Commune of France (French territorial subdivision for municipalities, established in 1789).
- **Location**: Allier department, arrondissement of Montluçon, France.
- **Coordinates**: Latitude 46.4333° North, Longitude 2.3589° East.
- **Current Population**: 129 (most recent recorded figure).
- **Historical Population Peak**: 472 (historical high among recorded data points).
- **Department Inception**: Allier was established on March 4, 1790.
- **Country**: France (Western Europe; inception dates include 843 via the Treaty of Verdun for West Francia, and 1804 for the First French Empire).

## FAQs
**Where is Mesples located?**
Mesples is situated in the Allier department within the arrondissement of Montluçon in France. Geographically, it lies at coordinates 46.4333° N and 2.3589° E.

**How has the population of Mesples changed over time?**
The commune has experienced a dramatic population decline from a historical peak of 472 residents to a current population of 129. The decline was particularly steep during the mid-20th century, dropping from 224 in the mid-1940s to 121 by the late 20th century, with slight fluctuations in the decades that followed.

**What is a commune in the context of France?**
A commune is the foundational territorial subdivision for municipalities in France, a system officially established in 1789. Mesples operates as one of these local administrative municipalities within the broader structure of the French Republic.

## Why It Matters
Mesples represents a quintessential example of the rural demographic shifts that have shaped modern France. The commune's extensive population data—documenting a steady decline from nearly 500 residents to just over a hundred—provides a clear statistical narrative of rural depopulation, a phenomenon that has significant implications for local governance, infrastructure maintenance, and cultural preservation in the Allier department. As a fundamental unit of the French municipal system established in 1789, Mesples plays a role in the decentralized administration of the French Republic, serving as the most local point of civic organization for its residents.

## Notable For
- **Severe Population Decline**: Features a well-documented demographic trajectory showing a reduction of over 70% from its historical peak of 472 to its current 129 residents.
- **Deep Historical Data**: Possesses a dense chronological population record spanning over 50 distinct data points, highlighting long-term rural trends.
- **Administrative Heritage**: Operates within the Allier department, an administrative division established during the French Revolution in 1790.

## Body

### Geography and Administration
Mesples is a commune located in the Allier department of France, falling under the jurisdiction of the arrondissement of Montluçon. Its precise geographic coordinates are 46.4333° latitude and 2.3588° longitude. As a commune of France, it functions as a territorial subdivision for municipalities, a structural system that was inceptioned in 1789. The broader Allier department was officially created on March 4, 1790, and operates under the sovereign framework of France, a country historically established with roots tracing back to the Treaty of Verdun in 843 and the First French Empire in 1804.

### Demographic Evolution
The demographic history of Mesples is characterized by a significant, long-term population decline, typical of many rural French communes. The earliest recorded population data shows a peak of 472 residents, followed by a fluctuating but generally downward trend through the 19th century (reaching 129 at one point, then 418, 282, 260, 303, 369, 329, 360, 389, 371, 349, 340, 364, 381, and 412). 

The 20th century saw a sharp acceleration of this decline. The population dropped from 424 to 433, 442, 431, 375, 342, 329, 272, 262, 245, 227, 224, 171, 140, 149, 127, 133, 132, 130, 128, 124, and 121. The lowest recorded point was 121 residents, which occurred twice in the late 20th century. In the most recent data points, the population saw minor fluctuations, moving from 121 to 122, 122, 122, 125, and finally 129, indicating a slight stabilization. 

### National Context
As part of France, Mesples is integrated into a semi-presidential, unitary republic. France operates with a decentralized administration, with communes like Mesples representing the most local tier of government. The country encompasses an area of 643,801 square kilometers and has a population of 68,605,616 as of 2025. The national framework includes a bicameral parliament, utilizes the Euro (EUR) as its currency, and is a founding member of the European Union and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. Mesples exists within this broader national and constitutional structure, subject to the standard French legal, administrative, and economic systems.

## References

1. Virtual International Authority File
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 communales depuis 1968. National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies](https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/2522602)
12. Populations légales 2019
13. Populations légales 2020
14. Populations légales 2021
15. Populations de référence 2022
16. Populations de référence 2023
17. [Code officiel géographique](https://www.insee.fr/fr/information/3363419)
18. National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies
19. GeoNames
20. [répertoire géographique des communes. 2015](https://wxs-telechargement.ign.fr/83edtfdyqte031y0ra49d2e3/telechargement/inspire/RGC-2015-01$RGC2015/file/RGC2015.7z)
21. [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)
22. [Code officiel géographique. 2017](https://www.insee.fr/fr/information/2560698)