The départements (or departments) are administrative parts of France and many French colonies, similar to English counties. Départements are a kind of local government.
The 101 French départements are now grouped into 13 metropolitan and five overseas régions. Their capitals are called préfectures.
French régions and préfecture
Départements (Departments) and Regions of France
Notes:
- Most of the coats of arms are not official
- This department was known as Basses-Alpes until 1970
- This department was known as Charente-Inférieure until 1941
- This department was known as Côtes-du-Nord until 1990
- This department was known as Bec-d'Ambès from 1793 until 1795. The Convention eliminated the name to avoid recalling the outlawed Girondin political faction.
- This department was known as Loire-Inférieure until 1957
- This department was known as Mayenne-et-Loire until 1791
- This department was known as Basses-Pyrénées until 1969
- Number 75 was formerly assigned to Seine
- This department was known as Seine-Inférieure until 1955
- Number 78 was formerly assigned to Seine-et-Oise
- Number 91 was formerly assigned to Alger, in French Algeria
- Number 92 was formerly assigned to Oran, in French Algeria
- Number 93 was formerly assigned to Constantine, in French Algeria
- The prefecture of Val-d'Oise was established in Pontoise when the department was created, but moved de facto to the neighbouring commune of Cergy; currently, both part of the ville nouvelle of Cergy-Pontoise
- The overseas departments each constitute a region and enjoy a status identical to metropolitan France. They are part of France and the European Union, though special EU rules apply to them.
- Mayotte became the 101st department of France on 31 March 2011. The INSEE code of Mayotte is 976 (975 is already assigned to the French overseas collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon)
- Metropoles with territorial collectivity statute.
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Regions and departments of metropolitan France; the numbers are those of the first column
The departments in the immediate vicinity of Paris; the numbers are those of the first column
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Images for kids
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Geometrical proposition rejected
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The three Algerian departments in 1848
See also
In Spanish: Departamentos de Francia para niños