Saintes, Charente-Maritime

Saintes is a French commune and historic town, a subprefecture in the Charente-Maritime department in southwestern France. It is in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. It is also the capital of the "arrondissement" of Saintes.
Before the French Revolution, Saintes was the capital of the old province of Saintonge.
Geography.
Saintes is in the central eastern part of the Charente-Maritime department, in the old province of Saintonge, along the Charente river that flows through the "commune" from south to north.
The "commune" has an area of , and its average altitude is ; at the city hall, the altitude is .
The distances from Saintes to other cities are:
The "commune" of Saintes is surrounded by the "communes":
Climate.
The climate of Saintes, in the Köppen climate classification, is Cfb - Oceanic climate with template summers.
Population.
The inhabitants of this city are known, in French, as "Saintais" (women: "Saintaises").
With a population of 25,149, Saintes has a population density of inhabitants/km2.
Evolution of the population in Saintes
Administration.
Saintes is a subprefecture of the Charente-Maritime department, the capital of the "arrondissement" of Saintes and the administrative centre () of the canton of Saintes.
It is part of the intercommunality "CA Saintes" ().
Twinned and partner towns.
Saintes is twinned with: