Charente (French: [ʃaʁɑ̃t] ⓘ; Saintongese: Chérente; Occitan: Charanta [tʃaˈɾantɔ]) is a department in the administrative region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, south western France.

Prior to the creation of the department as a single unit, much of it was commercially prosperous thanks to traditional industries such as salt and cognac production.

[citation needed] The accelerating pace of industrial and commercial development during the first half of the nineteenth century led to a period of prosperity, and the department's population peaked in 1851.

[citation needed] The relatively relaxed pace of economic development in the twentieth century encouraged the immigration of retirees from overseas.

Population development since 1791:The President of the Departmental Council is Philippe Bouty of the Miscellaneous left (DVG), elected in July 2021.