A periphery, (Fr: couronne) is an INSEE (French demographic statistics institution) statistical area designating a commuter belt around an urban unit (Fr: unité urbaine). Together these complete the INSEE urban area statistical area.
Based on France's commune system (interlocking administrative subdivisions often comparable to civil parishes, towns or cities), a commune is considered part of a couronne when
- it is not densely constructed enough or is too isolated to be part of any unité urbaine (or "pôle urbain" if it is the core of the agglomeration), and
- at least 40% of its population commutes to workplaces in a unité urbaine or pôle urbain, or to another commune connected to a unité urbaine through the same criteria.
References
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