administrative divisions of france

Metropolitan (i.e. European) France

As of January 1, 2004, metropolitan France is divided into:

22 rgions (although strictly speaking Corsica is in fact a "territorial collectivity", not a rgion, but is referred to as a rgion in common speech)
the rgions are divided into 96 dpartements
the dpartements are divided into 329 arrondissements
the arrondissements are divided into 3,879 cantons
the cantons are divided into 36,568 communes
3 communes (Paris, Marseilles, and Lyon) are further divided into 45 municipal arrondissements

Furthermore, as of January 1, 2005, there exist 2,510 intercommunal structures grouping 32,223 communes (88.1% of all the communes of metropolitan France), with 50.9 million people living in them (84.3% of the population of metropolitan France). These intercommunal structures are:

14 Urban Communities (communauts urbaines)
156 Communities of Agglomeration (communauts d'agglomration)
2,334 Communities of Communes (communauts de communes)
6 Syndicates of New Agglomeration (syndicats d'agglomration nouvelle), a category soon to disappear.

Overseas

The French Republic is further made up of the following overseas divisions:

4 overseas rgions (rgions d'outre-mer): Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, and Runion, which have the same status as metropolitan rgions (as much as Hawaii has the same status as a continental US state), each of these overseas rgions also being an overseas dpartement (dpartement d'outre-mer, or DOM), with the same status as a dpartement of metropolitan France. This double structure (rgion/dpartement) is new, due to the recent extension of the regional scheme to the overseas dpartements, and may soon transform into a single structure, with the merger of the regional and departmental assemblies, unless new dpartements are created such as in the case of Runion, where it has been proposed to create a second dpartement in the south of the island, with the rgion of Runion above these two dpartements.

these DOM are divided into 13 arrondissements

these 13 arrondissements are divided into 156 cantons

these 156 cantons make up 114 communes (in the 4 DOM, there are more cantons than communes, unlike in metropolitan France, because many communes are divided into several cantons, whereas in metropolitan France in general cantons are made up of several communes, except in large communes like Toulouse or Lille which are divided into several cantons)

Furthermore, as of January 1, 2005, there exist 15 intercommunal structures in the DOM, grouping 88 communes (77.2% of all the communes of the DOM), with 1.35 million people living in them (78.7% of the population of the DOM). These intercommunal structures are:

9 Communities of Communes (communauts de communes)

6 Communities of Agglomeration (communauts d'agglomration)

3 overseas collectivities (collectivits d'outre-mer): Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, Wallis and Futuna, and Mayotte (although strictly speaking Mayotte is in fact a "departmental collectivity", not an overseas collectivity, with the possibility to become a full-status French dpartement in 2010, but for the sake of clarity it is most often classified as overseas collectivity)

Mayotte is divided into 17 communes. No arrondissements. Cantons are the same as communes in Mayotte.

Saint-Pierre and Miquelon is divided into 2 communes. No arrondissements, no cantons.

Wallis and Futuna is divided into 3 districts (circonscriptions territoriales) which exactly match the three traditional chiefdoms (royaumes coutumiers) 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 (districts in French): Hahake, Mua, and Hihifo. No arrondissements, no cantons. Wallis and Futuna is also the only permanently inhabited territory of the French Republic with no communes.

1 sui generis collectivity (collectivit sui generis): New Caledonia, whose status is unique in the French Republic

New Caledonia is divided into 3 provinces

the provinces are divided into 33 communes

1 overseas "country" (pays d'outre-mer): French Polynesia

French Polynesia is divided into 5 administrative subdivisions (subdivisions administratives)

the administrative subdivisions are divided into 48 communes

1 overseas territory (territoire d'outre-mer, or TOM): the French Southern and Antarctic Lands

the French Southern and Antarctic Lands are divided into 4 districts (districts in French): 1- Kerguelen Islands, 2- Crozet Islands, 3- Amsterdam Island and Saint Paul Island, and 4- Adelie Land (Terre Adlie), although sovereignty over Adelie Land in Antarctica is suspended since the signing of the Antarctic Treaty in 1959. No permanent population, no communes.

a collection of five islands in the Indian Ocean with no permanent population and known as les parses ("Scattered Islands"), which are administered by the prefect of the dpartement of Runion: Bassas da India, Europa, Juan de Nova, Glorioso, and Tromelin.
1 uninhabited island in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Mexico which is administered by the high-commissioner of the French Republic in French Polynesia: Clipperton.

General rules

Citizens from all parts of France, including overseas possessions, vote in national elections (presidential, legislative) and are represented to the Senate. Contrary to other countries such as the United States, there is not a two-tiered system whereby some parts of the territory have the right to vote in national elections, and some do not.

Historical divisions

Historically, France was divided into provinces. See: Provinces of France.