Bas-Rhin (French pronunciation: [bɑ ʁɛ̃] ⓘ)[3] is a département in Alsace which is a part of the Grand Est super-region of France.

It is, with the Haut-Rhin (Upper Rhine), one of the two departments of the traditional Alsace region which until 1871, also included the area now known as the Territoire de Belfort.

[5] The Rhine has always been of great historical and economic importance to the area, and it forms the eastern border of Bas-Rhin.

As of 2021, there are 7 communes with more than 15,000 inhabitants:[4] The Bas-Rhin has a continental-type climate, characterised by cold, dry winters and hot, stormy summers, due to the western protection provided by the Vosges.

The first census was conducted in 1801 and this count, renewed every five years from 1821, provides precise information on the evolution of population in the department.

Like other French departments, Bas-Rhin experienced a population boom after the Second World War, higher than the national level.

The Bas-Rhin department has a high density of SMEs and SMIs and a higher proportion of workers in industry than the national average.

Employment is distributed in the following way, as a percentage of the labor force: Agriculture: 8,411 or 2% Crafts and industry: 97,349 or 24.2% Building and Public Works: 23,928 or 6.0% Tertiary Sector: 271,984 or 67.8% Frontaliers:[15] 28,186 Trades: 11 358 companies comprising: Food industry  : 568 units employing 15,884 employees Commerce: Tourism: 3,216 hotels with 11,100 rooms Alsace and the adjacent Moselle department have a legal system slightly different from the rest of France.

With the return of Alsace-Lorraine to France in 1919, Paris accepted that Alsace and Moselle should retain some local laws in respect of certain matters, especially with regard to hunting, economic life, local government relationships, health insurance and social rights.

The seat of the General Council is located in Strasbourg, in a building designed by the architect Claude Vasconi.

[20] Through its secondary and higher education institutions, Alsace is a very important region for students and is very internationally oriented.

The Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg: built in the 12th century, the castle of Haut-Koenigsbourg dominates the plain of Alsace more than 700 metres (2,297 feet) above sea level.

There is a large selection of 20 games crossing the forest and in the secret rooms of the castle to discover life in the Middle Ages.

The Château de Lichtenberg: built in the early 13th century on a hill overlooking the village, the site includes contemporary space-related cultural activities.

Measuring 142 metres high from the Parvise to the top of the tower, it is considered the second largest cathedral in France after that of Rouen.

Rising to 764 metres, this mountain in Vosges is topped by a monastery founded by Saint-Odile, the patron saint of Alsace.

Although it is usually composed of a black hat and a red skirt, the symbol of Alsace, there are many other outfits that vary between villages but also according to the social status of the person.