Rural districts of Germany facts for kids
Germany is split into many different areas for local government. There are 401 of these areas in total. This article focuses on the 294 rural districts (called Landkreise in German). Besides these, there are also 107 urban districts (called Kreisfreie Städte or Stadtkreise). You can find a list of these urban districts in List of German urban districts.
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What are Rural Districts?
Urban districts are like big cities or towns that manage their own local government. Think of them as cities that handle all their own services.
Rural districts, on the other hand, help out smaller towns and villages in a larger area. They make sure these smaller places get important services. For example, a rural district might organize the fire brigade or manage cemeteries for several small towns.
How Towns and Villages Work Together
In some parts of Germany, smaller towns and villages within a rural district team up even more. They form groups called Ämter. This happens when towns are too small to provide all the services they need on their own.
If a town is big enough to handle its own local matters, it might be "amtfrei." This means it does not need to be part of an Amt.
Bigger Government Areas
Some German states have another level of government above the districts. This is called a Regierungsbezirk or governmental district. A Regierungsbezirk brings together several urban and rural districts.
These larger areas help with bigger tasks. For instance, they might plan how land is used across many districts. This helps make sure everything works well together in a larger region.
List of Rural Districts
Germany has many rural districts, each with its own capital city. Here is a table showing some of these districts, the state they are in, and their capital.
More About German Districts
