# Monestier

> commune in Ardèche, France

**Wikidata**: [Q849400](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q849400)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monestier,_Ardèche)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/monestier-q849400

## Summary
Monestier is a small rural commune located in the Ardèche department of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in France. Situated within the arrondissement of Tournon-sur-Rhône and the canton of Annonay-Sud, it represents a local municipal subdivision of the French Republic. With a fluctuating population that has remained under 100 residents in recent decades, it serves as a fundamental unit of France's decentralized administrative structure.

## Key Facts
- **Entity Type**: Commune of France (French territorial subdivision for municipalities, inception 1789).
- **Location**: Ardèche department, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France.
- **Arrondissement**: Tournon-sur-Rhône.
- **Canton**: Annonay-Sud.
- **Country**: France (Western Europe; inception dates include 843 via Treaty of Verdun for West Francia, 481 for Francia, and 1804-05-18 for the First French Empire).
- **Coordinates**: Latitude 45.198611111111, Longitude 4.5311111111111.
- **Population Data Points**: 48.0, 57.0, 63.0, 61.0, 62.0, 91.0, 65.0, 65.0, 52.0, 65.0, 56.0, 49.0, 64.0, 62.0, 61.0, 59.0, 58.0.
- **Official Website**: https://www.monestier07.fr
- **Wikipedia Title**: Monestier, Ardèche.
- **Wikidata Description**: Commune in Ardèche, France.
- **Sitelink Count**: 41 (Wikidata).

## FAQs
**Where is Monestier located within France?**
Monestier is situated in southern France within the Ardèche department, which is part of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Administratively, it falls under the arrondissement of Tournon-sur-Rhône and the canton of Annonay-Sud.

**What is the demographic trend of Monestier?**
The commune has a very small population that has historically fluctuated between 48 and 91 residents based on available data points. Its population has generally remained in the 50 to 65 range in recent counts, indicating a consistently rural and sparsely populated community.

**What administrative role does Monestier hold?**
Monestier operates as a commune, which is the lowest level of administrative division in France for municipalities, a system established during the country's administrative restructuring in 1789. It functions within the broader decentralized unitary state framework of the French Republic.

## Why It Matters
Monestier matters as a fundamental building block of the French administrative and democratic system. As a commune—an institutional designation dating back to 1789—it represents the most direct level of local governance and civic organization in France. Despite its small population, Monestier embodies the rural character of the Ardèche department and contributes to the cultural and demographic tapestry of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Its existence highlights the French administrative model's commitment to maintaining localized municipal governance even for the smallest of populations, ensuring that rural communities retain formal representation and municipal services within the broader arrondissement and national structures.

## Notable For
- **Micro-Population**: Distinctive for its extremely small and fluctuating population, peaking at 91 residents in available records but generally hovering between 48 and 65.
- **Historical Administrative Structure**: Operates under the French communal system established in 1789, serving as a direct link to the foundational administrative reforms of the French Republic.
- **Geographic Specificity**: Pinpointed to exact coordinates (45.1986°N, 4.5311°E) within the distinct natural and cultural landscape of the Ardèche department.

## Body

### Administrative and Political Geography
Monestier is a commune located in the Ardèche department of France, which was officially established on March 4, 1790. Ardèche is situated within the broader Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. On a more localized administrative level, Monestier falls under the jurisdiction of the arrondissement of Tournon-sur-Rhône and the canton of Annonay-Sud. As a commune of France, it represents the country's primary territorial subdivision for municipalities, a classification that has been in effect since 1789. The commune operates under the sovereign umbrella of France, a unitary semi-presidential republic.

### Demographics
The demographic footprint of Monestier is characterized by a very small, fluctuating population. Sequential population data points for the commune are recorded as 48, 57, 63, 61, 62, 91, 65, 65, 52, 65, 56, 49, 64, 62, 61, 59, and 58. The highest recorded figure in this dataset is 91, while the lowest is 48. The recent data points indicate a stabilization in the upper 50s to low 60s, reflecting the typical demographic challenges and patterns of rural French communes that are far removed from major urban centers like Paris.

### Location and Infrastructure
Geographically, Monestier is positioned at coordinates 45.198611111111 latitude and 4.5311111111111 longitude. The commune maintains an official web presence at https://www.monestier07.fr, providing local civic information to its residents. As part of metropolitan France, it operates within the Central European Time (UTC+01:00) and Central European Summer Time (UTC+02:00) zones, utilizes the Euro (EUR) as its currency, and falls under the +33 international calling code and the .fr internet top-level domain. 

### National Context
As an integral part of France, Monestier is subject to the broader national framework of the French Republic. France, a country spanning Western Europe and multiple other continents via overseas territories, operates with a bicameral parliament, a semi-presidential government system, and a decentralized administration. The nation, which traces its state origins to the Treaty of Verdun in 843 and the establishment of the First French Empire in 1804, provides the overarching legal, economic, and defensive infrastructure for its communes, including membership in the European Union, NATO, and the United Nations Security Council.

## References

1. dataset of postal codes in France. 2018
2. INSEE code
3. répertoire géographique des communes
4. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
5. Annuaire de service-public.fr
6. Recensement de la population 2015. National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 2017
7. Populations légales 2016
8. Populations légales 2017
9. Populations légales 2018
10. [Populations légales communales depuis 1968. National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies](https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/2522602)
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)