Economic Profile of Auvergne, Bourgogne, and Rhône-Alpes

Located in the heart of Western Europe's trade network, the regions of Auvergne, Bourgogne, and Rhône-Alpes have a combined population of 8.5 million (larger than Austria). Within a radius of 500 miles from Lyon there are 180 million consumers - with an average per capita income of USD 25000 - and more than 70% of Europe's GDP is closer than a two-day drive. The largest cities in these three regions are Clermont-Ferrand, Dijon, Grenoble, Lyon, and Saint-Etienne; the major industries are industrial chemicals, pharmaceuticals, tires, trucks and buses, plastic processing, industrial textiles, composite materials, nanotechnologies and biotechnologies.

U.S. corporations have set up over 600 operations (offices, plants, warehouses, etc.) in the three regions, and employ over 40,000 persons. For the last five years the United States has been the Rhône-Alpes region’s third-largest supplier as well as its third-largest customer. U.S. exports to the Rhône-Alpes region amount to USD 2 billion per year and consist primarily (listed from highest percentage to lowest) of pharmaceuticals, electrical and electronic components, mechanical equipment, chemicals, rubber and plastics, and automotive parts. U.S. imports from the Rhône-Alpes region amount to USD 3 billion per year and consist primarily of mechanical equipment, fuel and combustibles, chemicals, and electrical and electronic components.

Rhône-Alpes Economic Profile (PDF)

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