# Saint-Hilaire-Cottes

> commune in Pas-de-Calais, France

**Wikidata**: [Q301406](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q301406)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Hilaire-Cottes)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/saint-hilaire-cottes

## Summary
Saint-Hilaire-Cottes is a commune located in the Pas-de-Calais department within the Hauts-de-France region of northern France. It is administratively situated within the arrondissement of Béthune and the canton of Norrent-Fontes. The entity serves as a municipal subdivision of France, characterized by a small population and specific geographic coordinates in Western Europe.

## Key Facts
- **Entity Type**: Commune in France (territorial subdivision for municipalities).
- **Location**: Pas-de-Calais department, France.
- **Administrative Division**: Part of the arrondissement of Béthune and the canton of Norrent-Fontes.
- **Coordinates**: Latitude 50.571388888889, Longitude 2.4141666666667.
- **Population Data**: Recorded figures include 812, 810, 819, 807, 806, 810, 817, 817, 823, and 830 across various census periods.
- **Image Source**: Photographs of the town hall (mairie) are available on Wikimedia Commons.
- **Image License**: Public Domain (CC0).
- **Image Artist**: Havang(nl).
- **Wikipedia Title**: Saint-Hilaire-Cottes.
- **Wikidata Description**: Commune in Pas-de-Calais, France.
- **Sitelink Count**: 45 language links.
- **Country Context**: Located in France, a country with origins tracing back to West Francia (843 AD) and the First French Empire (1804).
- **Department Context**: Pas-de-Calais is a French department established on March 4, 1790.
- **Canton Context**: The canton of Norrent-Fontes is an administrative division within France.
- **Arrondissement Context**: The arrondissement of Béthune is a subdivision of the Pas-de-Calais department.

## FAQs
**What is the administrative hierarchy of Saint-Hilaire-Cottes?**
Saint-Hilaire-Cottes is a commune, which is the lowest level of administrative division in France. It falls under the jurisdiction of the canton of Norrent-Fontes and the arrondissement of Béthune, both of which are located within the Pas-de-Calais department.

**Where is Saint-Hilaire-Cottes geographically located?**
The commune is situated in northern France with precise coordinates at latitude 50.571388888889 and longitude 2.4141666666667. It is part of the Pas-de-Calais department, which itself is a subdivision of the French Republic.

**What demographic data is available for this commune?**
Population records for Saint-Hilaire-Cottes show fluctuations over time, with specific counts ranging from 806 to 830 inhabitants. These figures represent the most recent available census data points for the municipality.

**Are there visual records of the commune available?**
Yes, images of the commune's town hall (mairie) are hosted on Wikimedia Commons. These photographs were taken by the artist Havang(nl) and are released under a CC0 public domain license.

## Why It Matters
Saint-Hilaire-Cottes represents a fundamental unit of French local governance and territorial organization. As a commune, it embodies the decentralized administrative structure of the French Republic, which dates back to the inception of the commune system in 1789. Its existence within the Pas-de-Calais department highlights the specific regional history of northern France, an area shaped by the department's creation in 1790. While small in scale, the commune contributes to the broader demographic and geographic tapestry of the nation, maintaining the continuity of local French identity and administration. The availability of open-access visual documentation and detailed geographic data ensures its place in the global knowledge base, allowing for precise mapping and historical tracking of rural French settlements.

## Notable For
- **Administrative Specificity**: Distinctly categorized as a commune within the specific canton of Norrent-Fontes and arrondissement of Béthune.
- **Geographic Precision**: Defined by exact coordinates (50.571388888889, 2.4141666666667) allowing for precise geolocation.
- **Visual Documentation**: Features publicly licensed imagery of its municipal building (mairie) created by Havang(nl).
- **Demographic Stability**: Maintains a consistent population range between 800 and 830 residents across recorded census years.
- **Regional Integration**: Serves as a constituent part of the Pas-de-Calais department, established in 1790.
- **Digital Presence**: Maintains 45 international language links (sitelinks) across various Wikipedia editions.

## Body

### Administrative Structure and Classification
Saint-Hilaire-Cottes is classified as a commune, which is the primary territorial subdivision for municipalities in France. This status was established following the inception of the commune system in France in 1789. The entity is geographically and administratively nested within the Pas-de-Calais department, a division created on March 4, 1790. Within this department, the commune belongs to the arrondissement of Béthune and the canton of Norrent-Fontes. These hierarchical relationships define its governance, electoral districts, and local administrative services. The commune operates under the broader framework of the French Republic, a semi-presidential unitary state.

### Geographic and Demographic Data
The commune is located at specific geographic coordinates: latitude 50.571388888889 and longitude 2.4141666666667. This places it in the northern region of France, within the Pas-de-Calais department. Demographic records indicate a small, stable population. Specific population counts recorded for the commune include 812, 810, 819, 807, 806, 810, 817, 817, 823, and 830. These figures reflect the fluctuation of residents over different census periods. The data suggests a community size typical of rural French municipalities, with a population hovering around 800 inhabitants.

### Visual Documentation and Media Assets
Visual records of Saint-Hilaire-Cottes are preserved and accessible through Wikimedia Commons. The primary image depicts the town hall (mairie) of the commune. This photograph was captured by the artist Havang(nl). The image is licensed under CC0, placing it in the public domain, which allows for unrestricted use and distribution. The file is identified on Wikimedia Commons as "Saint-Hilaire-Cottes (Pas-de-Calais, Fr) mairie.JPG". A thumbnail version of this image is also available for quick reference.

### Digital Presence and Knowledge Base Integration
The entity is well-represented in digital knowledge repositories. It holds a specific Wikipedia title: "Saint-Hilaire-Cottes". The Wikidata description explicitly identifies it as a "commune in Pas-de-Calais, France". The entity has a significant digital footprint with a sitelink count of 45, indicating its presence in 45 different language versions of Wikipedia. This connectivity ensures that information about the commune is accessible to a global audience. The structured data associated with the entity includes its classification as a "Thing" within the knowledge graph, linking it to broader concepts like "commune of France" and "Pas-de-Calais".

### Historical and National Context
While specific founding dates for the commune itself are not detailed beyond the general 1789 inception of the French commune system, its existence is tied to the history of the Pas-de-Calais department, founded in 1790. The commune operates within the context of the French state, which traces its origins to the Treaty of Verdun in 843 (establishing West Francia) and the First French Empire in 1804. As part of France, the commune is subject to national laws, the Euro currency (in metropolitan France), and the French language. It shares the national motto "Liberté, égalité, fraternité" and is part of a country that is a founding member of the European Union and a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

## 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)