is a ''
Département '' in northeast
France , named after the
Meuse River .
Meuse is one of the original 83 ''départements'' created during the
French Revolution on
March 4 ,
1790 . It was created from the former
Provinces of
Barrois (area of
Bar-le-Duc ) and
Three Bishoprics (area of
Verdun ).
The ''département'' was one of the great battlefields of
World War I . An important battle was fought in 1916 at
Verdun .
Meuse is part of the current ''
Région '' of
Lorraine and is surrounded by the French ''départements'' of
Ardennes ,
Marne ,
Haute-Marne ,
Vosges ,
Meurthe-et-Moselle , and
Belgium on the north.
The important rivers are the following:
The population has decreased sharply since the 19th century, with the rural exodus to the cities.
