Arrièrepays

Arrière-pays is a French term meaning "back country" or "hinterland." It designates the inland region situated behind a coast, river valley, or present-day urban shoreline, in contrast to the more developed littoral or urban zones. The phrase is used in geographic, historical, and regional planning literature to describe the interior lands that extend beyond a coastal belt. Etymology: arrière means behind; pays means country or land. In practice, the arrière-pays may be characterized by varied topography, climate, and land use, often more rural and less densely populated than coastal zones, though this is not universal.

In France and other Francophone regions, the term frequently refers to the hinterland of a principal city, a region whose economy and culture are shaped by its distance from the coast or metropolis. The arrière-pays can be defined by factors such as transportation networks, agricultural production, historical routes, and the distribution of towns and services. Economically, it often supplies resources to port cities or industrial districts while maintaining its own agricultural, artisanal, or tourism activities.

The notion is closely related to the concept of hinterland in geography and urban planning. While not always strictly defined, arrière-pays is used to discuss the relationships between coastal or urban cores and the inland areas, including issues of development, connectivity, and regional identity.