Cantons of the Ardèche department facts for kids

France is divided into many smaller areas to help with local government and elections. These areas are called cantons. The Ardèche department, located in beautiful southern France, has 17 of these special areas. Cantons are important because they help organize how people vote for their local representatives.

Understanding Cantons in France

What is a Canton?

In France, a canton is a special area used for elections. Think of it like a voting district. When people vote for their local leaders, they vote within their canton. Each canton elects a representative to the departmental council, which helps manage the department.

Departments, Arrondissements, and Communes

France is organized into different levels:

• Departments: These are like large counties or states. Ardèche is one of France's departments.
• Arrondissements: These are smaller parts within a department, mainly used for administrative tasks.
• Communes: These are the smallest local areas, like towns or villages. A canton is usually made up of several communes.

How Cantons Have Changed

A few years ago, in 2014, France changed how its cantons were organized. Before this change, cantons were always part of a single arrondissement. But now, a canton can include communes (towns or villages) that belong to different arrondissements. This new way of organizing helps make sure that each canton has roughly the same number of people, making elections fairer.

The 17 Cantons of Ardèche

The Ardèche department has 17 cantons. Each canton is made up of a certain number of communes. Sometimes, a canton might even include just a part of a very large town, like Annonay or Aubenas.

The table below shows the 17 cantons in Ardèche. It also shows how many communes from each arrondissement (Largentière, Privas, or Tournon-sur-Rhône) are part of each canton. The "Total" column tells you the total number of communes in that canton.

See also

In Spanish: Cantones de Ardecha para niños