Nord-Pas-de-Calais is a former administrative region of France, which since 1 January 2016 is part of the new region Nord-Pas-de-Calais-Picardie. It borders the English Channel (west), the North Sea (northwest), Belgium (north and east) and Picardy (south). The majority of the region was once part of the historical Netherlands, but gradually became part of France between 1477 and 1678. It has a strong fishing industry, the Boulogne-sur-Mer harbor being the biggest French port. The agriculture is also an important sector. The region's industry was originally focused on coal and textile production, and was one of the cradles of the Industrial Revolution on the continent.
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