Administrative divisions of France


The administrative divisions of France are concerned with the institutional and territorial organization of French territory. These territories are located in many parts of the world. There are many administrative divisions, which may have political, electoral, or administrative objectives. All the inhabited territories are represented in the National Assembly, Senate and Economic and Social Council and their citizens have French citizenship and elect the President of France.

Division

Regions

The French Republic is divided into 18 regions: 12 in mainland France and 6 elsewhere. They are traditionally divided between the metropolitan regions, located on the European continent, and the overseas regions, located outside the European continent. Both have the same status and form the most integrated part of the French Republic.

Metropolitan regions

, metropolitan France is divided into the following:

Overseas regions

Five overseas regions, which have the same status as metropolitan regions. The overseas regions are as follows:
Each overseas region is coextensive with an overseas department, again with the same status as departments in metropolitan France. The first four overseas departments were created in 1946 and preceded the four overseas regions, Mayotte became a DOM in 2011. The dual structure of overseas region and overseas department, with two separate assemblies administering the same territory, results from the extension of the regional scheme to the overseas departments in the 1970s. Each overseas region or department may transform into a single territorial collectivity, with the merger of the regional and departmental assemblies, which voters in Martinique and French Guiana approved in two referendums in 2010. In Réunion, the creation of a second department for the southern part of the island has been debated for some time.
  • The overseas departments are subdivided into 12 arrondissements.
  • * The 12 arrondissements are further subdivided into 153 cantons with Mayotte having another 19 cantons.
  • The 172 cantons are composed of 129 communes.

Overseas collectivities

The French Republic includes five overseas collectivities with a semi-autonomous status:
  • French Polynesia is divided into 5 administrative subdivisions. For elections, it is divided into six electoral districts, which differ slightly from the 5 administrative subdivisions. The 5 administrative subdivisions are divided into 48 communes. There also exist some associated communes as in metropolitan France.
  • Saint Barthélemy is a new overseas collectivity created on 22 February 2007. It was previously a commune inside the Guadeloupe department. The commune structure was abolished, and Saint Barthélemy is now one of only three permanently inhabited territories of the French Republic with no commune structure. There are no cantons and arrondissements either.
  • Saint Martin is also a new overseas collectivity created on 22 February 2007. It was also previously a commune inside the Guadeloupe department. The commune structure was abolished and Saint Martin is now one of only three permanently inhabited territories of the French Republic with no commune structure. There are also no cantons or arrondissements.
  • Saint Pierre and Miquelon is divided into 2 communes with no arrondissements or cantons.
  • Wallis and Futuna is divided into 3 districts, which exactly match the three traditional chiefdoms with their traditional kings still at their head, the only kings currently recognized in the French Republic. These 3 districts are Uvea, Sigave, and Alo. Uvea is the most populous and is further divided into 3 wards : Hahake, Mua, and Hihifo. Wallis and Futuna is one of only three permanently inhabited territories of the French Republic with no communes. It also has no arrondissements or cantons.

New Caledonia

The French Republic includes one autonomous collectivity, New Caledonia
New Caledonia's status is unique in the French Republic: it is the only French local government that is not a territorial collectivity. It is regarded as a sui generis collectivity, which means that local government and parliament have the power to pass and enforce specific laws without seeking the consent of the French Government; unless such laws are declared illegitimate by the Constitutional Council in a specific proceeding brought to the Constitutional Council. As agreed in the 1998 Nouméa Accord, a New Caledonian citizenship was established and a self-determination referendum was held in 2018. Two follow-up referendums were held in 2020 and 2021.
  • It is divided into 3 provinces.
  • The provinces are subdivided into 33 communes.

Territories without civilian population

These territories have no permanent civilian population. The residents consist of military personnel, scientific researchers, and support staff.

Overseas territory

1 overseas territory : the Antarctic Lands">Antarctica">Antarctic Lands, which have no permanent population and no communes.

Directly controlled by the Minister of the Overseas

Territorial collectivities

French subdivisions that have a freedom of administration are called territorial collectivities. Among them are regions, departments, communes, overseas collectivities, provinces, and the territorial collectivity of Corsica which belongs to no category. New Caledonia is unique as it is not a territorial collectivity.

General rules

Citizens from all parts of France, including the overseas administrative divisions, vote in national elections, and all of the collectivities are represented in the Senate.

Responsibilities

Some areas are the clear responsibility of one level of government, but in other areas it is shared across some or all levels of government.
  • The national government is responsible for the military, foreign policy, immigration, economic policy, environment, agriculture, food and drug safety, health insurance, the justice system, National Police, military police, Paris region emergency services, higher education, research, and national support for culture and sport
  • Regions cannot write their own laws, but can raise taxes and are responsible for high schools, public transit, universities and research, and assistance to business owners.
  • Departments are responsible for junior high schools, social and welfare allowances, local roads, school and rural buses, and a subsidy for municipal infrastructure.
  • Communes are responsible for local roads, municipal police, water management, and garbage collection, vital records, local prosecutions, local elections, and registration for civil service and elections.

List of departments by region

Metropolitan France

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Overseas departments and collectivities

Overseas departments

Historical divisions

Historically, France was divided into a complex mosaic of more or less independent entities. Their gradual incorporation into France as provinces may be followed in the article Territorial formation of France.