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Metropolitan France
As of January 1, 2006, metropolitan France is divided into:
22 régions (although strictly speaking Corsica is in fact a "territorial collectivity", not a région, but is referred to as a région in common speech)
the arrondissements are divided into 3,879 cantons
the cantons are divided into 36,571 communes (although some of the larger communes actually are composed of several cantons)
730 Communes associées (as of 2006): formerly separate communes which retained a limited degree of independence. Communes associées also exist outside of Metropolitan France, for example in French Polynesia.
Furthermore, as of January 1, 2006, there exist 2,558 intercommunal structures grouping 32,826 communes (89.7% of all the communes of metropolitan France), with 51.98 million people living in them (85.7% of the population of metropolitan France). These intercommunal structures are:
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Overseas
The French Republic is further made up of the following overseas administrative divisions:
4 overseas régions (régions d'outre-mer): Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, and Réunion, which have the same status as metropolitan régions (as much as Hawaii has the same status as a continental US state), each of these overseas régions also being an overseas département (département d'outre-mer, or DOM), with the same status as a département of metropolitan France. This double structure (région/département) is new, due to the recent extension of the regional scheme to the overseas départements, and may soon transform into a single structure, with the merger of the regional and departmental assemblies, unless new départements are created such as in the case of Réunion, where it has been proposed to create a second département in the south of the island, with the région of Réunion above these two départements.
these 13 arrondissements are divided into 156 cantons
these 156 cantons make up 114 communes (in the 4 DOM, there are more cantons than communes, unlike in metropolitan France, because many communes are divided into several cantons, whereas in metropolitan France in general cantons are made up of several communes, except in large communes like Toulouse or Lille which are divided into several cantons)
Furthermore, as of January 1, 2006, there exist 15 intercommunal structures in the DOM, grouping 87 communes (76.3% of all the communes of the DOM), with 1.35 million people living in them (78.7% of the population of the DOM). These intercommunal structures are:
French Polynesia (designated as a "overseas country", French: pays d'outre-mer) is divided into 5 administrative subdivisions (subdivisions administratives). For elections it is divided into 6 electoral districts (circonscriptions électorales) which differ slightly from the 5 administrative subdivisions. The 5 administrative subdivisions are divided into 48 communes.
Mayotte (designated as a "departmental collectivity", French: collectivité départementale) is divided into 17 communes. No arrondissements. Cantons are the same as communes in Mayotte.
Wallis and Futuna (named Territoire des îles Wallis et Futuna) is divided into 3 districts (circonscriptions territoriales) which exactly match the three traditional chiefdoms (royaumes coutumiers) with their traditional kings still at their head, the only kings currently recognized in the French Republic. These 3 districts are: Uvea, Sigave, and Tu`a (Alo). Uvea is the most populous and is further divided into 3 wards (districts in French): Hahake, Mua, and Hihifo. No arrondissements, no cantons. Wallis and Futuna is also the only permanently inhabited territory of the French Republic with no communes.
1 sui generis collectivity (collectivité sui generis): New Caledonia, whose status is unique in the French Republic: it is the only territory which is not a collectivité terrioriale (although its subdivisions are collectivités territoriales). A self-determination referendum is scheduled for 2014 to decide the future status of the island.
New Caledonia is divided into 3 provinces
the provinces are divided into 33 communes
Uninhabited islands which belong directly to the central State public land (domaine public d'Etat):
a collection of five islands in the Indian Ocean with no permanent population and known as Îles Éparses ("Scattered Islands"), which are administered by the prefect of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands: Bassas da India, Europa, Juan de Nova, Glorioso, and Tromelin.
1 uninhabited island in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Mexico which is administered by the high-commissioner of the French Republic in French Polynesia: Clipperton.
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collectivité territoriale|Collectivités territoriales
French administrative subdivisions that have a (limited) freedom of administration are called collectivités territoriales. Among them are régions, départements, communes, régions d'outre-mer, départements d'outre-mer, collectivités d'outre-mer, provinces (New Caledonia) and the "collectivité territoriale de Corse (Corsica)" which belongs to no category (but is close to régions).
New Caledonia is unique as it is not a collectivité territoriale.
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General rules
Citizens from all parts of France, including overseas possessions, vote in national elections (presidential, legislative) and all collectivities are represented in the Senate.
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List of départements
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Collectivités d'outre-mer (Overseas Collectivities):
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Historical divisions
Historically, France was divided into provinces; see Provinces of France.
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See also
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