Verbandsgemeinde facts for kids
A Verbandsgemeinde (pronounced "fair-bants-ge-myne-duh") is a special type of local government area in Germany. You'll find them mainly in the states of Rhineland-Palatinate and Saxony-Anhalt. Think of it as a way for several smaller towns or villages to work together and share services.
What is a Verbandsgemeinde?
A Verbandsgemeinde helps smaller towns and villages manage their daily needs. Instead of each tiny village having its own full government, they team up. This means they can share things like fire departments, schools, or water services. It's a smart way to save money and make things run smoothly.
The main office for a Verbandsgemeinde is usually in a larger or more central town. This office handles many important tasks for all the villages in the group. However, each individual village, called an Ortsgemeinde, still gets to make some of its own local decisions. They keep a bit of their independence!
Verbandsgemeinden in Rhineland-Palatinate
The state of Rhineland-Palatinate has 163 Verbandsgemeinden. These are grouped into 24 larger areas called districts. Within these Verbandsgemeinden, there are almost 2,200 individual villages or towns (Ortsgemeinden).
Most of these Verbandsgemeinden were created in 1969. Before that, these administrative units were known by a different name: Amt.
Districts in Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate is divided into 24 districts. These districts help organize the many Verbandsgemeinden and cities within the state. Here are the names of these districts:
