Lists of cantons of France facts for kids
France is a large and interesting country in Europe, known for its history, culture, and beautiful places. To help manage everything, France is divided into smaller areas. Think of it like how your country might have states, provinces, or counties. In France, these main areas are called departments.
Each department is then split into even smaller sections known as cantons. These cantons are important because they help organize local government and elections. When people vote for their local representatives, they often do so within their canton. This system helps make sure that local voices are heard and that services can be managed effectively across the country.
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Understanding France's Local Areas
France uses a system of departments and cantons to organize its territory and government. This system helps manage everything from local services to elections, making sure that every part of the country has a say in how things are run.
Departments: The Main Divisions
A department is like a large county or a smaller state within France. There are 101 departments in total. Most of these are located in mainland France, which is the part of the country on the European continent. Each department has its own number, which you can often see on car license plates! These numbers help identify where people and things come from in France.
Cantons: Smaller Local Sections
Within each department, there are even smaller areas called cantons. These cantons are mainly used for administrative purposes, especially for elections. For example, when people vote for members of the Departmental Council (the local government for a department), they vote within their canton. This means that each canton helps choose a representative for the larger department.
The number of cantons in a department can vary a lot, depending on the size and population of the department. Some departments have many cantons, while others have fewer. This system helps ensure that local needs are met and that the government is close to the people it serves.
Departments and Their Cantons in Mainland France
Here is a list of the departments in mainland France, along with links to more detailed information about their cantons. Each department has a unique number.
# | Department | List of cantons |
---|---|---|
1 | Ain | Cantons of the Ain department |
2 | Aisne | Cantons of the Aisne department |
3 | Allier | Cantons of the Allier department |
4 | Alpes-de-Haute-Provence | Cantons of the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department |
5 | Hautes-Alpes | Cantons of the Hautes-Alpes department |
6 | Alpes-Maritimes | Cantons of the Alpes-Maritimes department |
7 | Ardèche | Cantons of the Ardèche department |
8 | Ardennes | Cantons of the Ardennes department |
9 | Ariège | Cantons of the Ariège department |
10 | Aube | Cantons of the Aube department |
11 | Aude | Cantons of the Aude department |
12 | Aveyron | Cantons of the Aveyron department |
13 | Bouches-du-Rhône | Cantons of the Bouches-du-Rhône department |
14 | Calvados | Cantons of the Calvados department |
15 | Cantal | Cantons of the Cantal department |
16 | Charente | Cantons of the Charente department |
17 | Charente-Maritime | Cantons of the Charente-Maritime department |
18 | Cher | Cantons of the Cher department |
19 | Corrèze | Cantons of the Corrèze department |
2a | Corse-du-Sud | Cantons of the Corse-du-Sud department |
2b | Haute-Corse | Cantons of the Haute-Corse department |
21 | Côte-d'Or | Cantons of the Côte-d'Or department |
22 | Côtes-d'Armor | Cantons of the Côtes-d'Armor department |
23 | Creuse | Cantons of the Creuse department |
24 | Dordogne | Cantons of the Dordogne department |
25 | Doubs | Cantons of the Doubs department |
26 | Drôme | Cantons of the Drôme department |
27 | Eure | Cantons of the Eure department |
28 | Eure-et-Loir | Cantons of the Eure-et-Loir department |
29 | Finistère | Cantons of the Finistère department |
30 | Gard | Cantons of the Gard department |
31 | Haute-Garonne | Cantons of the Haute-Garonne department |
32 | Gers | Cantons of the Gers department |
33 | Gironde | Cantons of the Gironde department |
34 | Hérault | Cantons of the Hérault department |
35 | Ille-et-Vilaine | Cantons of the Ille-et-Vilaine department |
36 | Indre | Cantons of the Indre department |
37 | Indre-et-Loire | Cantons of the Indre-et-Loire department |
38 | Isère | Cantons of the Isère department |
39 | Jura | Cantons of the Jura department |
40 | Landes | Cantons of the Landes department |
41 | Loir-et-Cher | Cantons of the Loir-et-Cher department |
42 | Loire | Cantons of the Loire department |
43 | Haute-Loire | Cantons of the Haute-Loire department |
44 | Loire-Atlantique | Cantons of the Loire-Atlantique department |
45 | Loiret | Cantons of the Loiret department |
46 | Lot | Cantons of the Lot department |
47 | Lot-et-Garonne | Cantons of the Lot-et-Garonne department |
48 | Lozère | Cantons of the Lozère department |
49 | Maine-et-Loire | Cantons of the Maine-et-Loire department |
50 | Manche | Cantons of the Manche department |
51 | Marne | Cantons of the Marne department |
52 | Haute-Marne | Cantons of the Haute-Marne department |
53 | Mayenne | Cantons of the Mayenne department |
54 | Meurthe-et-Moselle | Cantons of the Meurthe-et-Moselle department |
55 | Meuse | Cantons of the Meuse department |
56 | Morbihan | Cantons of the Morbihan department |
57 | Moselle | Cantons of the Moselle department |
58 | Nièvre | Cantons of the Nièvre department |
59 | Nord | Cantons of the Nord department |
60 | Oise | Cantons of the Oise department |
61 | Orne | Cantons of the Orne department |
62 | Pas-de-Calais | Cantons of the Pas-de-Calais department |
63 | Puy-de-Dôme | Cantons of the Puy-de-Dôme department |
64 | Pyrénées-Atlantiques | Cantons of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department |
65 | Hautes-Pyrénées | Cantons of the Hautes-Pyrénées department |
66 | Pyrénées-Orientales | Cantons of the Pyrénées-Orientales department |
67 | Bas-Rhin | Cantons of the Bas-Rhin department |
68 | Haut-Rhin | Cantons of the Haut-Rhin department |
69 | Rhône | Cantons of the Rhône department |
70 | Haute-Saône | Cantons of the Haute-Saône department |
71 | Saône-et-Loire | Cantons of the Saône-et-Loire department |
72 | Sarthe | Cantons of the Sarthe department |
73 | Savoie | Cantons of the Savoie department |
74 | Haute-Savoie | Cantons of the Haute-Savoie department |
75 | Paris | Arrondissements of Paris |
76 | Seine-Maritime | Cantons of the Seine-Maritime department |
77 | Seine-et-Marne | Cantons of the Seine-et-Marne department |
78 | Yvelines | Cantons of the Yvelines department |
79 | Deux-Sèvres | Cantons of the Deux-Sèvres department |
80 | Somme | Cantons of the Somme department |
81 | Tarn | Cantons of the Tarn department |
82 | Tarn-et-Garonne | Cantons of the Tarn-et-Garonne department |
83 | Var | Cantons of the Var department |
84 | Vaucluse | Cantons of the Vaucluse department |
85 | Vendée | Cantons of the Vendée department |
86 | Vienne | Cantons of the Vienne department |
87 | Haute-Vienne | Cantons of the Haute-Vienne department |
88 | Vosges | Cantons of the Vosges department |
89 | Yonne | Cantons of the Yonne department |
90 | Territoire de Belfort | Cantons of the Territoire de Belfort department |
91 | Essonne | Cantons of the Essonne department |
92 | Hauts-de-Seine | Cantons of the Hauts-de-Seine department |
93 | Seine-Saint-Denis | Cantons of the Seine-Saint-Denis department |
94 | Val-de-Marne | Cantons of the Val-de-Marne department |
95 | Val-d'Oise | Cantons of the Val-d'Oise department |
Overseas Departments of France
Besides its mainland territory in Europe, France also has several overseas departments and regions. These are parts of France located in other parts of the world, like the Caribbean or the Indian Ocean. They are just as much a part of France as the mainland departments and also use the same system of cantons for local administration and elections.
# | Department | List of cantons |
---|---|---|
971 | Guadeloupe | Cantons of the Guadeloupe department |
972 | Martinique | Cantons of the Martinique department |
973 | Guyane | Cantons of the Guyane department |
974 | Réunion | Cantons of the Réunion department |