Depairtments o Fraunce

In the admeenistrative diveesion o Fraunce, the depairtment (French: département, pronounced [depaʁtəmɑ̃]) is ane o the three levels o govrenment belaw the naitional level, atween the region an the commune. Thare 95 depairtments in metropolitan Fraunce an 5 Owerseas depairtments, whilk is classifee'd as regions an aw. Depairtments is furder subdividit intae 342 arrondissements, thairsels dividit intae cantons; the latter twa hae nae autonomy an are uised for the organisation o public services or elections.

Depairtments are admeenistered bi electit General Cooncils (conseil général) an their Presess, whose main auries o responsibility include the management o a nummer o social an welfare allowances, o junior heich schuil (collège) biggins an technical staff, o local roads an schuil an rural buses, an a contribution tae municipal infrastructurs. Local services o the State admeenistration are tradeetionally organisit at depairtmental level, whaur the Prefect represents the govrenment; housomeivver, regions hae gained importance in this regard syne the 2000s, wi some depairtment-level services mergit intae region-level services.

Depairtments wur creatit in 1790 as a rational replacement o Ancien Régime provinces in view o strengthenin naitional unity; amaist aw o them is therefore namit efter rivers, muntains or coasts raither than efter historical or cultural territories, unalike regions, an some o them is commonly referred tae bi their twa-digit postal code nummer, whilk wis till recently uised for aw vehicle registration plates. They hae inspired seimilar diveesions in mony o Fraunce’s umwhile colonies.

Wikimedia Commons haes media relatit tae Departments of France.

Book: French departements

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