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Lists of communes of France facts for kids

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France is a fascinating country with a rich history and diverse landscapes! To help manage everything, France is divided into smaller areas. Imagine your school is divided into different classrooms, or your town into different neighborhoods. France does something similar, but on a much bigger scale! This article will help you understand how France is organized into "departments" and "communes," which are like local government areas. You'll find lists of these areas, showing how many different places make up this amazing country.

Exploring France: Departments and Communes

France uses a special system to organize its territory, making it easier to manage local services and administration. These divisions help people in different parts of France have their own local governments.

What is a Commune?

A commune is the smallest administrative division in France. Think of it as a town, a village, or even a part of a big city. Each commune has its own mayor and local council. They make decisions about things like local schools, roads, and parks. There are thousands of communes across France, each with its unique character!

What is a Department?

A department is a larger area that groups several communes together. It's like a county or a larger region in some other countries. France has 101 departments in total. Each department has a local government called a "Departmental Council." They handle bigger projects, like managing larger roads, some social services, and colleges. Departments are identified by a two-digit number, which you often see on car license plates!

France's Main Regions: Metropolitan France

Metropolitan France refers to the part of France located in Europe, including the island of Corsica. This is where most of France's population lives. It's divided into many departments, each with its own unique history and geography. Below is a list of these departments and links to their communes.

Metropolitan department List of communes
01 Ain Communes of the Ain department
02 Aisne Communes of the Aisne department
03 Allier Communes of the Allier department
04 Alpes-de-Haute-Provence Communes of the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department
05 Hautes-Alpes Communes of the Hautes-Alpes department
06 Alpes-Maritimes Communes of the Alpes-Maritimes department
07 Ardèche Communes of the Ardèche department
08 Ardennes Communes of the Ardennes department
09 Ariège Communes of the Ariège department
10 Aube Communes of the Aube department
11 Aude Communes of the Aude department
12 Aveyron Communes of the Aveyron department
13 Bouches-du-Rhône Communes of the Bouches-du-Rhône department
14 Calvados Communes of the Calvados department
15 Cantal Communes of the Cantal department
16 Charente Communes of the Charente department
17 Charente-Maritime Communes of the Charente-Maritime department
18 Cher Communes of the Cher department
19 Corrèze Communes of the Corrèze department
2A Corse-du-Sud Communes of the Corse-du-Sud department
2B Haute-Corse Communes of the Haute-Corse department
21 Côte-d'Or Communes of the Côte-d'Or department
22 Côtes-d'Armor Communes of the Côtes-d'Armor department
23 Creuse Communes of the Creuse department
24 Dordogne Communes of the Dordogne department
25 Doubs Communes of the Doubs department
26 Drôme Communes of the Drôme department
27 Eure Communes of the Eure department
28 Eure-et-Loir Communes of the Eure-et-Loir department
29 Finistère Communes of the Finistère department
30 Gard Communes of the Gard department
31 Haute-Garonne Communes of the Haute-Garonne department
32 Gers Communes of the Gers department
33 Gironde Communes of the Gironde department
34 Hérault Communes of the Hérault department
35 Ille-et-Vilaine Communes of the Ille-et-Vilaine department
36 Indre Communes of the Indre department
37 Indre-et-Loire Communes of the Indre-et-Loire department
38 Isère Communes of the Isère department
39 Jura Communes of the Jura department
40 Landes Communes of the Landes department
41 Loir-et-Cher Communes of the Loir-et-Cher department
42 Loire Communes of the Loire department
43 Haute-Loire Communes of the Haute-Loire department
44 Loire-Atlantique Communes of the Loire-Atlantique department
45 Loiret Communes of the Loiret department
46 Lot Communes of the Lot department
47 Lot-et-Garonne Communes of the Lot-et-Garonne department
48 Lozère Communes of the Lozère department
49 Maine-et-Loire Communes of the Maine-et-Loire department
50 Manche Communes of the Manche department
51 Marne Communes of the Marne department
52 Haute-Marne Communes of the Haute-Marne department
53 Mayenne Communes of the Mayenne department
54 Meurthe-et-Moselle Communes of the Meurthe-et-Moselle department
55 Meuse Communes of the Meuse department
56 Morbihan Communes of the Morbihan department
57 Moselle Communes of the Moselle department
58 Nièvre Communes of the Nièvre department
59 Nord Communes of the Nord department
60 Oise Communes of the Oise department
61 Orne Communes of the Orne department
62 Pas-de-Calais Communes of the Pas-de-Calais department
63 Puy-de-Dôme Communes of the Puy-de-Dôme department
64 Pyrénées-Atlantiques Communes of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department
65 Hautes-Pyrénées Communes of the Hautes-Pyrénées department
66 Pyrénées-Orientales Communes of the Pyrénées-Orientales department
67 Bas-Rhin Communes of the Bas-Rhin department
68 Haut-Rhin Communes of the Haut-Rhin department
69 Rhône Communes of the Rhône department
69M Metropolitan Lyon Communes of the Lyon Metropolis
70 Haute-Saône Communes of the Haute-Saône department
71 Saône-et-Loire Communes of the Saône-et-Loire department
72 Sarthe Communes of the Sarthe department
73 Savoie Communes of the Savoie department
74 Haute-Savoie Communes of the Haute-Savoie department
75 Paris Paris is a commune in itself
76 Seine-Maritime Communes of the Seine-Maritime department
77 Seine-et-Marne Communes of the Seine-et-Marne department
78 Yvelines Communes of the Yvelines department
79 Deux-Sèvres Communes of the Deux-Sèvres department
80 Somme Communes of the Somme department
81 Tarn Communes of the Tarn department
82 Tarn-et-Garonne Communes of the Tarn-et-Garonne department
83 Var Communes of the Var department
84 Vaucluse Communes of the Vaucluse department
85 Vendée Communes of the Vendée department
86 Vienne Communes of the Vienne department
87 Haute-Vienne Communes of the Haute-Vienne department
88 Vosges Communes of the Vosges department
89 Yonne Communes of the Yonne department
90 Territoire de Belfort Communes of the Territoire de Belfort department
91 Essonne Communes of the Essonne department
92 Hauts-de-Seine Communes of the Hauts-de-Seine department
93 Seine-Saint-Denis Communes of the Seine-Saint-Denis department
94 Val-de-Marne Communes of the Val-de-Marne department
95 Val-d'Oise Communes of the Val-d'Oise department

France Beyond Europe: Overseas Territories

France also has territories located outside of Europe, known as Overseas France. These places are spread across different oceans, from the Caribbean to the Indian Ocean and the Pacific. They are an important part of France and have their own special ways of being governed.

Overseas Departments

Some overseas territories are called "Overseas Departments" (département d'outre-mer or DOM). These departments have almost the same legal status as departments in Metropolitan France. They are fully integrated into France.

Overseas department List of communes
971 Guadeloupe Communes of the Guadeloupe department
972 Martinique Communes of the Martinique department
973 Guyane Communes of French Guiana
974 Réunion Communes of the Réunion department
976 Mayotte Communes of Mayotte

Overseas Collectivities

Other overseas territories are known as "Overseas Collectivities" (collectivité d'outre-mer or COM). These areas have more freedom to govern themselves compared to departments. They have their own specific laws and rules, which are adapted to their unique situations.

Overseas collectivity List of communes
975 Saint Pierre and Miquelon Miquelon-Langlade
Saint-Pierre
987 French Polynesia (Polynésie française) Administrative divisions of French Polynesia
988 New Caledonia (Nouvelle-Calédonie) Administrative divisions of New Caledonia

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Anexo:Comunas de Francia para niños

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