Fos-sur-Mer

Fos-sur-Mer
Industrial zone
Industrial zone
Coat of arms of Fos-sur-Mer
Location of Fos-sur-Mer
Fos-sur-Mer is located in France
Fos-sur-Mer
Fos-sur-Mer
Fos-sur-Mer is located in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Fos-sur-Mer
Fos-sur-Mer
Coordinates: 43°26′25″N 4°56′55″E
Country France
Region Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Department Bouches-du-Rhône
Arrondissement Istres
Canton Istres
Intercommunality Aix-Marseille-Provence
Government
 • Mayor (2022–2026) René Raimondi
Area
1
92.31 km2 (35.64 sq mi)
Population
 (Jan. 2020)
15,512
 • Density 170/km2 (440/sq mi)
Time zone UTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
13039 /13270
Elevation 0–39 m (0–128 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Fos-sur-Mer (French pronunciation: [fɔs syʁ mɛʁ], literally Fos on Sea; Provençal: Fòs) is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France.

Geography

Fos-sur-Mer is situated about 50 km (31 mi) north west of Marseille, on the Mediterranean coast, and to the west of the Étang de Berre. The city has 6 km (3.7 mi) of sand beach.

Population

Historical population
Year Pop. ±% p.a.
1793 550 —    
1800 418 −3.84%
1806 579 +5.58%
1821 690 +1.18%
1831 916 +2.87%
1836 1,498 +10.34%
1841 1,862 +4.45%
1846 1,938 +0.80%
1851 1,984 +0.47%
1856 2,130 +1.43%
1861 2,218 +0.81%
1866 1,170 −12.01%
1872 1,170 +0.00%
1876 1,040 −2.90%
1881 1,140 +1.85%
1886 1,146 +0.11%
1891 1,464 +5.02%
1896 1,473 +0.12%
Year Pop. ±% p.a.
1901 1,393 −1.11%
1906 996 −6.49%
1911 1,114 +2.26%
1921 1,223 +0.94%
1926 1,350 +2.00%
1931 1,531 +2.55%
1936 1,543 +0.16%
1946 1,645 +0.64%
1954 2,349 +4.55%
1962 2,898 +2.66%
1968 2,869 −0.17%
1975 6,709 +12.90%
1982 9,031 +4.34%
1990 11,605 +3.18%
1999 13,925 +2.05%
2007 15,832 +1.62%
2012 15,859 +0.03%
2017 15,494 −0.46%
Source: EHESS and INSEE (1968-2017)

Economy

Fos is the site of a major port development operated by the Autonomous Port of Marseille. The facilities include container handling terminals and a gas (methane) terminal. The waterside location of the industrial zone is attractive to heavy industry including steel.

The steel group ArcelorMittal has its Sollac Méditerranée plant here ( merged into ArcelorMittal in 2006). The presence of the steel, chemistry and oil industries means that pollution levels are high.

Sports

Fos-sur-Mer is home to Fos Provence Basket which plays its home games at the 2,000 seat Complexe sportif Parsemain.

See also