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  AN ACTIVE MARKET
The economic driving force behind France’s Atlantic front and the administrative headquarters of the region, Nantes stands out as the leading economic urban area in Western France. Developing your activities in Nantes Métropole will give your business influence over an attractive and dynamic territory.
Containing the Brittany, Pays de la Loire and Poitou-Charentes regions, Western France represents a market of over 8.2 million residents and has seen significant demographic growth (+5.8% in population between 1999 and 2006). The three regions, which are the most diverse in terms of their productive framework, each year generate over 197 billion Euro GDP, which is 11.8% of France's GDP. According to a recent survey by the Insee these regions also recorded the highest growth rates between 1990 and 2003.
On the top step of the rostrum
Overall, the Pays de la Loire is the driving force behind France’s Atlantic front. The Pays de la Loire region is therefore, in terms of contribution to national GDP (7.1%) and its GDP per inhabitant (25 400 Euro) in fourth place for French regions. In 2005, GDP in the Pays de la Loire rose by 4.5% and the share per inhabitant by 3.5%. Since 1990, average annual growth has been 2.6% as opposed to 1.8% nationally. The Pays de la Loire region is therefore on the top step of the rostrum and is part of the leading group in terms of establishment creation. Nantes, economic capital of the West
The Pays de la Loire region is doing well and Nantes, its economic capital provides all the evidence we need. In 2005, companies in Nantes created over 5000 jobs, which represented 2.5% growth for jobs in the private sector, as opposed to just 0.7% nationally. Services to businesses are the first motor for growth in employment. The transfer of jobs to the tertiary sector in the urban environment is therefore continuing apace. Over the last three years, Nantes’ economy has been enhanced by 11 000 new jobs. And far from running out of steam the trend is continuing and has enabled unemployment to fall in the territory: the unemployment rate in the Nantes employment zone is now below the national average, which is a singularly favourable situation for an urban territory.
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