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Arrondissements of the Bouches-du-Rhône department facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

There are 4 arrondissements in the Bouches-du-Rhône department. The French departments, and in other countries, are divided into arrondissements, which may be translated into English as districts (in some cases, as boroughs). The capital of an arrondissement is called a subprefecture.

If the prefecture (capital) of the department is in an arrondissement, that prefecture is the capital of the arrondissement, acting both as a prefecture and as a subprefecture.

Arrondissements are further divided into communes.

The arrondissements of Bouches-du-Rhône are:

Arrondissements of Bouches-du-Rhône
INSEE
code
Arrondissement Capital Population
(2013)
Area
(km²)
Density
(Inh./km²)
Communes
131 Aix-en-Provence Aix-en-Provence 425,725 1,532.4 277.8 44
132 Arles Arles 202,919 2,284.3 88.8 36
133 Marseille Marseille 1,054,525 671.6 1,570.2 21
134 Istres Istres 310,008 599.3 517.3 18

History

Bouches-du-Rhône is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was divided in six districts: Tarascon, Apt, Aix, Marseille, Salon and Arles, with Aix as is capital.

In 1800, with the creation of the arrondissements in France, the six districts were changed into three arrondissements: Marseille, Aix and Tarascon. The prefecture was moved from Aix to Marseille.

In 1817, the subprefecture of Tarascon was moved to Arles. The arrondissement of Istres was created in 1981.

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