In the
terminologyTerminology is the study of terms and their use. Terms are words and compound words that are used in specific contexts. Not to be confused with "terms" in colloquial usages, the shortened form of technical terms which are defined within a discipline or speciality field...
of
political geographyPolitical geography is the field of human geography that is concerned with the study of both the spatially uneven outcomes of political processes and the ways in which political processes are themselves affected by spatial structures...
and
historiographyHistoriography is the history of history, the aspect of history and of semiotics that considers how knowledge of the past, either recent or distant, is obtained and transmitted...
a
nationA nation is a body of people who share a real or imagined common history, culture, language or ethnic origin. The development and conceptualization of the nation is closely related to the development of modern industrial states and nationalist movements in Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries,...
al
department is an
administrative| align="right" style="background:transparent;"| |align="right"| |}Administrative divisions are divisions of a political division. In other words, they are designated portions of a country. They are also called subnational entities. They are each granted a certain degree of autonomy, and...
political subdivisionA political division is a term of art of geography defining the concept of a geographic region accepted to be in the jurisdiction of a particular government entity...
of a country established by the cognizant (usually
legislativeA legislature is a type of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law...
) government authority holding sovereign power for the territory.
In the
terminologyTerminology is the study of terms and their use. Terms are words and compound words that are used in specific contexts. Not to be confused with "terms" in colloquial usages, the shortened form of technical terms which are defined within a discipline or speciality field...
of
political geographyPolitical geography is the field of human geography that is concerned with the study of both the spatially uneven outcomes of political processes and the ways in which political processes are themselves affected by spatial structures...
and
historiographyHistoriography is the history of history, the aspect of history and of semiotics that considers how knowledge of the past, either recent or distant, is obtained and transmitted...
a
nationA nation is a body of people who share a real or imagined common history, culture, language or ethnic origin. The development and conceptualization of the nation is closely related to the development of modern industrial states and nationalist movements in Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries,...
al
department is an
administrative| align="right" style="background:transparent;"| |align="right"| |}Administrative divisions are divisions of a political division. In other words, they are designated portions of a country. They are also called subnational entities. They are each granted a certain degree of autonomy, and...
political subdivisionA political division is a term of art of geography defining the concept of a geographic region accepted to be in the jurisdiction of a particular government entity...
of a country established by the cognizant (usually
legislativeA legislature is a type of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law...
) government authority holding sovereign power for the territory.
Departments are roughly equivalent to a state,
provinceA province is a territorial unit, almost always an administrative division, within a country or state.-Roman provinces:The word is attested in English since c.1330, deriving from Old French province , which comes from the Latin word provincia, which referred to the sphere of activity which a...
or
countyA county is a land area of local government within a country. A county may have cities and towns within its area. Originally, in continental Europe, a county was the land under the jurisdiction of a count .Counts are called earls in post-Celtic Britain, Ireland and France—the term is from Old...
(since each is established by
home ruleHome rule is where constituent parts of a state are given greater self-government within the administrative purview of the central government....
, size and definitions vary considerably from one country to another), and may exist either with or without a subnational
representative assemblyA representative assembly is a political institution in which a number of persons representing the population or privileged orders within the population of a state come together to debate, negotiate with the executive and legislate...
and
executiveSenior management or Executive management is generally a team of individuals at the highest level of organizational management who have the day-to-day responsibilities of managing a company or corporation, they hold specific executive powers conferred onto them with and by authority of the board of...
head depending upon the countries
constitutionalA constitution is a set of rules for government—often codified as a written document—that establishes principles of an autonomous political entity. In the case of countries, this term refers specifically to a national constitution defining the fundamental political principles, and establishing the...
structure.
Countries using departments
ArgentinaDepartments form the second level of administrative division in the provinces of Argentina. There are no departments in the city of Buenos Aires, which has so far been divided into neighbourhoods as its administrative divisions, but is to be divided now into communes by a recently passed local act...
Benin||Benin is divided into 12 departments , and subdivided into 77 communes. In 1999, the previous six departments were each split into two halves, forming the current 12...
Bolivia||Bolivia is divided into 9 departments . These are :*Beni *Chuquisaca *Cochabamba *La Paz *Oruro *Pando *Potosí...
Burkina FasoThe provinces of Burkina Faso are divided into 301 departments or communes. The departments are listed below, by province:-Balé:* Bagassi Department* Bana Department* Boromo Department* Fara Department* Oury Department* Pa Department...
Cameroon
ColombiaColombia is an unitary republic conformed by thirty-two departments and a Capital District . Each department has a Governor and a Department Assembly , elected by popular vote for a four-year period. The governor cannot be re-elected consecutively...
Republic of the Congo
Côte d'IvoireThe regions of Côte d'Ivoire are divided into 81 departments .A 1978 law created 27 self governing Communes in Cote 'Ivoire , alongside Sous-Prefectures, dividing each of the Departments. The Commune, , is administered by a Municipal Council, presided over by a Mayor...
El Salvador||A list of the departments of El Salvador in alphabetical order.Department :# Ahuachapán # Cabañas # Chalatenango # Cuscatlán # La Libertad # La Paz...
France
GabonThe provinces of Gabon are divided into thirty-seven departments. The departments are listed below, by province :-Estuaire Province:*Komo *Komo-Mondah *Noya -Haut-Ogooué Province:*Djoue...
Guatemala||Guatemala is divided into 22 departments :
#Alta Verapaz#Baja Verapaz#Chimaltenango#Chiquimula#Petén#El Progreso#El Quiché#Escuintla#Guatemala#Huehuetenango#Izabal#Jalapa#Jutiapa#Quetzaltenango#Retalhuleu#Sacatepéquez...
HaitiHaiti is divided into 41 arrondissements, and 133 communes.-Artibonite Department:*Dessalines Arrondissement**Desdunes**Dessalines**Grande Saline**Petite Rivière de l'Artibonite*Gonaïves Arrondissement**Ennery**Estère**Gonaïves...
Honduras||-|The Central American nation of Honduras is currently divided into 18 departments . Each department is headed by a governor, who is appointed by the President of Honduras.- Departments of Honduras :...
NicaraguaNicaragua is a unitary republic, and for administrative purposes, it is divided into 15 departments and two self-governing regions based on the Spanish model:-Zelaya:...
Niger||The Regions of Niger are subdivided into 36 Departments . Prior to the devolution program on 1999-2005, these Departments were styled arrondissements. Confusingly, the next level up had, prior to 2002-2005 been styled Departments. As of 2005, Arrondissements remain a proposed subdivision of...
Peru
Paraguay|Paraguay consists of 17 departments and one capital district . These are, with their capitals indicated in parentheses:- External links :...
SenegalThe 11 Regions of Senegal are subdivided into 35 departments and 103 arrondissements and by collectivités locales which elect administrative officers.In 2006, the new department of Koungheul was created as a division of Kaolack Department.The departments are listed...
Uruguay||Uruguay consists of 19 departments :# Artigas . Formed in 1884 from part of Salto Department. The only department to border both Argentina in the west and Brazil in the north and east.# Canelones . One of the original 6 departments created in 1816...
Former countries using departments
French Empire
Duchy of WarsawAdministrative division of Duchy of Warsaw was based on departments. Headed by a prefect, it was a solution adopted based on the French model, as entire Duchy was in fact created by Napoleon and based on French ideas, although departaments were divided into Polish powiats .There were 6 initial...
Kingdom of WestphaliaThe Kingdom of Westphalia was a historical state that existed from 1807-1813 in parts of present-day Germany. While formally independent, it was a vassal state of the First French Empire, ruled by Napoléon's brother Jérôme Bonaparte. It was named after Westphalia, but had little territory in common...
See also
Category:Departments of the Duchy of Warsaw
:Category:Administrative divisions