The department belongs to the region Auvergne and is surrounded by the following French departments: Cher in the region of Centre, in the region of Burgundy with the departments of Nièvre and Saône-et-Loire, in the region of Rhône-Alpes by the department of Loire, Puy-de-Dôme, and in the region of Limousin by the department of Creuse. Allier is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. It was created from parts of the former provinces of Auvergne and Bourbonnais.

In 1940, the government of Marshal Philippe Pétain chose the town of Vichy as its capital.

The following rivers run through Allier : Allier, Loire, Cher, Besbre, Sioule, Aumance

ALLIER Gastronomy and Agriculture

The "pâté aux pommes de terre" is one of the specialities of the Allier, as well as of the neighboring Limousin region. The Allier River is one of the rare places in Southern Europe where the freshwater grayling (Thymallus thymallus), known in French as ombre des rivières, occurs in a natural habitat. This fish is much valued in French gastronomy for its fine and delicate texture and is best eaten along with a light wine. Saint-Pourçain AOC wine is produced in Allier and the oak from the Tronçais forest is one of the most favoured in the construction of wine barrels.

Allier is the most productive agricultural area of the Auvergne. Vichy has long been known for its water, which is exported worldwide.

The President of the General Council is the Communist Jean-Paul Dufregne. Allier is a stronghold of rural communism; indeed the PCF holds most of its seats in rural or suburban areas, while the right-wing holds most of its seats in urban areas such as Montlucon or Vichy.