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France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

is divided into 27 administrative regions , 22 of which are in Metropolitan France

Metropolitan France

Metropolitan France is the part of France located in Europe. It can also be described as mainland France or as the French mainland and the island of Corsica...

, and five of which are overseas. Corsica

Corsica

Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....

is a territorial collectivity (French collectivité territoriale), but is considered a region in mainstream usage, and is even shown as such on the INSEE

INSEE

INSEE is the French National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies. It collects and publishes information on the French economy and society, carrying out the periodic national census. Located in Paris, it is the French branch of Eurostat, European Statistical System...

website

Website

A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...

. Each mainland region and Corsica are further subdivided into departments, ranging in number from 2 to 8 per region for the metropolitan ones whereas the overseas regions technically consist of only one department.
The term region was officially created by the Law of Decentralization (2 March 1982), which also gave regions their legal status. The first direct elections for regional representatives took place on 16 March 1986.

General characteristics

In mainland France (excluding Corsica), the median

Median

In probability theory and statistics, a median is described as the numerical value separating the higher half of a sample, a population, or a probability distribution, from the lower half. The median of a finite list of numbers can be found by arranging all the observations from lowest value to...

land area of a region is 25,809 km² (9,965 sq mi), which is slightly larger than the U.S. state of Vermont

Vermont

Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...

, and 4% the median land area of a Canadian province, but 15% larger than the median land area of a German region ("Regierungsbezirk").

In 2004, the median population of a region in continental France was 2,329,000 inhabitants, three quarters of the median population of a German Land
States of Germany
Germany is made up of sixteen which are partly sovereign constituent states of the Federal Republic of Germany. Land literally translates as "country", and constitutionally speaking, they are constituent countries...

(state), but more than twice the median population of a Canadian province.

Role

Regions lack separate legislative authority and therefore cannot write their own statutory law. They levy their own taxes and, in return, receive a decreasing part of their budget from the central government, which gives them a portion of the taxes it levies. They also have considerable budgets managed by a regional council (conseil régional) made up of representatives voted into office in regional elections.

A region's primary responsibility is to build and furnish high schools. In March 2004, the French central government unveiled a controversial plan to transfer regulation of certain categories of non-teaching school staff to the regional authorities. Critics of this plan contended that tax revenue was insufficient to pay for the resulting costs, and that such measures would increase regional inequalities.

In addition, regions have considerable discretionary power over infrastructural spending, e.g., education, public transit, universities and research, and assistance to business owners. This has meant that the heads of wealthy regions such as Île-de-France

Île-de-France (région)

Île-de-France is the wealthiest and most populated of the twenty-two administrative regions of France, composed mostly of the Paris metropolitan area....

or Rhône-Alpes

Rhône-Alpes

Rhône-Alpes is one of the 27 regions of France, located on the eastern border of the country, towards the south. The region was named after the Rhône River and the Alps mountain range. Its capital, Lyon, is the second-largest metropolitan area in France after Paris...

can be high-profile positions.

Proposals to give regions limited legislative autonomy have met with considerable resistance; others propose transferring certain powers from the departments to their respective regions, leaving the former with limited authority.

Regional Control

Number of regions controlled by each coalition since 1986

French regional elections, 1986

Regional elections were held in France on 16 March 1986. At stake were the presidencies of each of France's 26 régions, which, though they don't have legislative autonomy, manage sizeable budgets. The parliamentary right, led by the conservative Rally for the Republic and the centre-right Union for...

Representation of mainland France's regions and their respective historical and military flags

Regions and their capitals

Metropolitan regions
Flag	Region	French name	Native name/s	Capital	INSEE INSEE INSEE is the French National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies. It collects and publishes information on the French economy and society, carrying out the periodic national census. Located in Paris, it is the French branch of Eurostat, European Statistical System... No.	Derivation or status	President
	Alsace Alsace Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...	Alsace	Alsatian Alsatian language Alsatian is a Low Alemannic German dialect spoken in most of Alsace, a region in eastern France which has passed between French and German control many times.-Language family:... : Elsàss	Strasbourg Strasbourg Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...	42	Former German territory of Elsaß	P. Richert Philippe Richert Philippe Richert is a French politician and Minister for Local authorities under the Minister of Interior, Overseas, Local authorities and Immigration since 14 November 2010. He was a member of the Senate of France, representing the Bas-Rhin department. He is a member of the Union for a Popular... (UMP Union for a Popular Movement The Union for a Popular Movement is a centre-right political party in France, and one of the two major contemporary political parties in the country along with the center-left Socialist Party... )
	Aquitaine Aquitaine Aquitaine , archaic Guyenne/Guienne , is one of the 27 regions of France, in the south-western part of metropolitan France, along the Atlantic Ocean and the Pyrenees mountain range on the border with Spain. It comprises the 5 departments of Dordogne, :Lot et Garonne, :Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Landes...	Aquitaine		Bordeaux Bordeaux Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...	72	Former Roman province Roman province In Ancient Rome, a province was the basic, and, until the Tetrarchy , largest territorial and administrative unit of the empire's territorial possessions outside of Italy... of Aquitaine plus Guyenne Guyenne Guyenne or Guienne , , ; Occitan Guiana ) is a vaguely defined historic region of south-western France. The Province of Guyenne, sometimes called the Province of Guyenne and Gascony, was a large province of pre-revolutionary France.... and Gascony Gascony Gascony is an area of southwest France that was part of the "Province of Guyenne and Gascony" prior to the French Revolution. The region is vaguely defined and the distinction between Guyenne and Gascony is unclear; sometimes they are considered to overlap, and sometimes Gascony is considered a...	A. Rousset Alain Rousset Alain Rousset is the Socialist president of the Aquitaine region of France, and a Deputy in the National Assembly of France, representing the 7th constituency of the Gironde.... (PS Socialist Party (France) The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement... )
	Auvergne Auvergne (région) Auvergne is one of the 27 administrative regions of France. It comprises the 4 departments of Allier, Puy de Dome, Cantal and Haute Loire.The current administrative region of Auvergne is larger than the historical province of Auvergne, and includes provinces and areas that historically were not...	Auvergne		Clermont-Ferrand Clermont-Ferrand Clermont-Ferrand is a city and commune of France, in the Auvergne region, with a population of 140,700 . Its metropolitan area had 409,558 inhabitants at the 1999 census. It is the prefecture of the Puy-de-Dôme department...	83	Former province of Auvergne Auvergne (province) Auvergne was a historic province in south central France. It was originally the feudal domain of the Counts of Auvergne. It is now the geographical and cultural area that corresponds to the former province....	R. Souchon René Souchon René Souchon is the regional president of the French region of Auvergne. He was first elected in 2006. He is a member of the Socialist Party.-References:... (PS Socialist Party (France) The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement... )
	Brittany	Bretagne	Gallo Gallo language Gallo is a regional language of France. Gallo is a Romance language, one of the Oïl languages. It is the historic language of the region of Upper Brittany and some neighboring portions of Normandy, but today is spoken by only a small minority of the population, having been largely superseded by... : Bertaèyn	Rennes Rennes Rennes is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France. Rennes is the capital of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine department.-History:...	53	Duchy of Brittany	J-Y. Le Drian Jean-Yves Le Drian Jean-Yves Le Drian is a socialist French politician born in Lorient, Morbihan.Le Drian is a member of the Socialist Party of France. He was a member of the French National Assembly for Morbihan from 1978 to 1993 and again from 1997 until June 2007... (PS Socialist Party (France) The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement... )
	Burgundy	Bourgogne	Burgundian Burgundian language (Oïl) The Burgundian language, also known by French names Bourguignon-morvandiau, Bourguignon, and Morvandiau, is an Oïl language spoken in Burgundy and particularly in the Morvan area of the region.... : BregogneBorgoégne	Dijon Dijon Dijon is a city in eastern France, the capital of the Côte-d'Or département and of the Burgundy region.Dijon is the historical capital of the region of Burgundy. Population : 151,576 within the city limits; 250,516 for the greater Dijon area....	26	Duchy of Burgundy Duchy of Burgundy The Duchy of Burgundy , was heir to an ancient and prestigious reputation and a large division of the lands of the Second Kingdom of Burgundy and in its own right was one of the geographically larger ducal territories in the emergence of Early Modern Europe from Medieval Europe.Even in that...	F. Patriat François Patriat François Patriat is a member of the Senate of France, representing the Côte-d'Or department. He is a member of the Socialist Party.-References:*... (PS Socialist Party (France) The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement... )
	Centre	Centre		Orléans Orléans -Prehistory and Roman:Cenabum was a Gallic stronghold, one of the principal towns of the Carnutes tribe where the Druids held their annual assembly. It was conquered and destroyed by Julius Caesar in 52 BC, then rebuilt under the Roman Empire...	24	Central position	F. Bonneau François Bonneau François Bonneau is a French politician and the incumbent President of the Regional Council of the Centre region. He is a member of the Socialist Party.... (PS Socialist Party (France) The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement... )
	Champagne-Ardenne Champagne-Ardenne Champagne-Ardenne is one of the 27 regions of France. It is located in the northeast of the country, bordering Belgium, and consists of four departments: Aube, Ardennes, Haute-Marne, and Marne. The region is famous for its sparkling white wine . Its rivers, most of which flow west, include the...	Champagne-Ardenne		Châlons-en- Champagne Châlons-en-Champagne Châlons-en-Champagne is a city in France. It is the capital of both the department of Marne and the region of Champagne-Ardenne, despite being only a quarter the size of the city of Reims....	21	Former province of Champagne	J-P. Bachy Jean-Paul Bachy Jean-Paul Bachy is a French politician and the incumbent President of the Regional Council of Champagne-Ardenne. He is a member of the Socialist Party.... (PS Socialist Party (France) The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement... )
	Franche-Comté Franche-Comté Franche-Comté the former "Free County" of Burgundy, as distinct from the neighbouring Duchy, is an administrative region and a traditional province of eastern France...	Franche-Comté	Franc-Comtois: Fràntche-Comté	Besançon Besançon Besançon , is the capital and principal city of the Franche-Comté region in eastern France. It had a population of about 237,000 inhabitants in the metropolitan area in 2008...	43	Free County of Burgundy (Franche-Comté)	M-M. Dufay Marie-Marguerite Dufay Marie-Marguerite Dufay best known as Marie-Guite Dufay is the incumbent president of the Franche-Comté Regional Council. She won the nomination to be the next socialist candidate for President of Franche-Comté in 2010.... (PS Socialist Party (France) The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement... )
	Île-de-France Île-de-France (région) Île-de-France is the wealthiest and most populated of the twenty-two administrative regions of France, composed mostly of the Paris metropolitan area....	Ile-de-France		Paris Paris Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...	11	Province of Ile-de-France Île-de-France (province) The province of Île-de-France or Isle de France is an historical province of France, and the one at the centre of power during most of French history... and parts of the former province of Champagne Champagne (province) The Champagne wine region is a historic province within the Champagne administrative province in the northeast of France. The area is best known for the production of the sparkling white wine that bears the region's name...	J-P. Huchon Jean-Paul Huchon Jean-Paul Huchon is a civil administrator and French politician. Mayor of Conflans-Sainte-Honorine from 1994 to 2001, he is the President of the regional council for Île-de-France since 1998.- Biography :... (PS Socialist Party (France) The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement... )
	Languedoc-Roussillon Languedoc-Roussillon Languedoc-Roussillon is one of the 27 regions of France. It comprises five departments, and borders the other French regions of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Rhône-Alpes, Auvergne, Midi-Pyrénées on the one side, and Spain, Andorra and the Mediterranean sea on the other side.-Geography:The region is...	Languedoc-Roussillon		Montpellier Montpellier -Neighbourhoods:Since 2001, Montpellier has been divided into seven official neighbourhoods, themselves divided into sub-neighbourhoods. Each of them possesses a neighbourhood council....	91	Former provinces of Languedoc Languedoc Languedoc is a former province of France, now continued in the modern-day régions of Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrénées in the south of France, and whose capital city was Toulouse, now in Midi-Pyrénées. It had an area of approximately 42,700 km² .-Geographical Extent:The traditional... and Roussillon Roussillon Roussillon is one of the historical counties of the former Principality of Catalonia, corresponding roughly to the present-day southern French département of Pyrénées-Orientales...	C. Bourquin Christian Bourquin Christian Bourquin is a French politician, member of the Socialist Party. He has been the president of the General Council of the Pyrénées-Orientales since 1998.-Elected office:... (DVG Miscellaneous Left Miscellaneous Left in France refers to left-wing candidates that are not member of any large party. They either include small left-wing parties or dissidents expelled from their parties for running against their party's candidate. Numerous DVG candidates are elected at a local level, and a smaller... )
	Limousin Limousin (région) Limousin is one of the 27 regions of France. It is composed of three départements: Corrèze, Creuse and the Haute-Vienne.Situated largely in the Massif Central, as of January 1st 2008, the Limousin comprised 740,743 inhabitants on nearly 17 000 km2, making it the second least populated region of...	Limousin		Limoges Limoges Limoges \|Limousin]] dialect of Occitan) is a city and commune, the capital of the Haute-Vienne department and the administrative capital of the Limousin région in west-central France....	74	Former province of Limousin Limousin (province) Limousin is one of the traditional provinces of France around the city of Limoges. Limousin lies in the foothills of the western edge of the Massif Central, with cold weather in the winter... and parts of Marche, Berry Berry (province) Berry is a region located in the center of France. It was a province of France until the provinces were replaced by départements on 4 March 1790.... , Auvergne Auvergne (province) Auvergne was a historic province in south central France. It was originally the feudal domain of the Counts of Auvergne. It is now the geographical and cultural area that corresponds to the former province.... , Poitou Poitou Poitou was a province of west-central France whose capital city was Poitiers.The region of Poitou was called Thifalia in the sixth century.... and Angoumois Angoumois Angoumois was a county and province of France, nearly corresponding today to the Charente département. Its capital was Angoulême....	J-P. Denanot Jean-Paul Denanot Jean-Paul Denanot, born 24 April 1944, is a French politician, a member of the Socialist Party.Between 1992 and 2004, he was Mayor of the town of Feytiat, in Haute-Vienne, a post which he gave up in order to become President of the Regional Council of Limousin.He had run for the European Parliament... (PS Socialist Party (France) The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement... )
	Lorraine Lorraine (région) Lorraine is one of the 27 régions of France. The administrative region has two cities of equal importance, Metz and Nancy. Metz is considered to be the official capital since that is where the regional parliament is situated...	Lorraine		Metz Metz Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...	41	Former province of Lorraine Lorraine (province) The Duchy of Upper Lorraine was an historical duchy roughly corresponding with the present-day northeastern Lorraine region of France, including parts of modern Luxembourg and Germany. The main cities were Metz, Verdun, and the historic capital Nancy.... plus Barrois Barrois Barrois is a "pays" in the eastern part of France. In the Middle Ages it was part of the duchy of Bar, then bordering the duchy of Lorraine. Today Barrois is a "pays" of the present-day Région Lorraine.-External links:*... and the Three Bishoprics Three Bishoprics The Three Bishoprics constituted a province of pre-Revolutionary France consisting of the prince-bishoprics of Verdun, Metz, and Toul within the Lorraine region....	J-P. Masseret Jean-Pierre Masseret Jean-Pierre Masseret was a member of the Senate of France, representing the Moselle department from 1983 to 2011, when he losted elections. He is a member of the Socialist Party. He is President of the Lorraine region since 2004, reelected in 2010, after been member of the regional council since... (PS Socialist Party (France) The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement... )
	Lower Normandy	Basse-Normandie	Norman Norman language Norman is a Romance language and one of the Oïl languages. Norman can be classified as one of the northern Oïl languages along with Picard and Walloon... : Basse-Normaundie	Caen Caen Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....	25		L. Beauvais Laurent Beauvais Laurent Beauvais is a French politician and the incumbent President of the Regional Council of Basse-Normandie. He is a member of the Socialist Party.... (PS Socialist Party (France) The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement... )
	Midi-Pyrénées Midi-Pyrénées Midi-Pyrénées is the largest region of metropolitan France by area, larger than the Netherlands or Denmark.Midi-Pyrénées has no historical or geographical unity...	Midi-Pyrénées		Toulouse Toulouse Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...	73	None; created for Toulouse Toulouse Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...	M. Malvy Martin Malvy Martin Malvy is a French politician. He is a member of the Socialist Party.In 1992, he was the spokesmen of the French government. Between 1992 and 1993, he was Minister of Budget. He is president of the Région Midi-Pyrénées since 1998.-External links:... (PS Socialist Party (France) The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement... )
	Nord-Pas-de-Calais	Nord-Pas-de-Calais		Lille Lille Lille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium...	31	Nord and Pas-de-Calais departments	D. Percheron Daniel Percheron Daniel Percheron is a French politician who has been served in the Senate of France, representing the Pas-de-Calais department, since 1983. He is a member of the Socialist Party, and the president of the Nord-Pas de Calais region.-References:*... (PS Socialist Party (France) The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement... )
	Pays de la Loire Pays de la Loire Pays de la Loire is one of the 27 regions of France. It is one of the regions created in the late 20th century to serve as a zone of influence for its capital, Nantes, one of a handful so-called "balancing metropolises" ¹...	Pays de la Loire		Nantes Nantes Nantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants....	52	None; created for Nantes Nantes Nantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants....	J. Auxiette Jacques Auxiette Jacques Auxiette is a French politician, and is the current Regional Council President for the Pays de la Loire region in France. Auxiette has been president since 2004, and was re-elected to the office in the March 2010 council elections... (PS Socialist Party (France) The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement... )
	Picardy	Picardie		Amiens Amiens Amiens is a city and commune in northern France, north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in Picardy...	22		C. Gewerc Claude Gewerc Claude Gewerc is a French politician, and President of the regional council of Picardie.In March 1998, he was elected to the Picardie Regional Council to represent the Oise, and was President of the Socialist group in the regional council from 1998 to 2004, at which date he defeated the incumbent... (PS Socialist Party (France) The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement... )
	Poitou-Charentes Poitou-Charentes Poitou-Charentes is an administrative region in central western France comprising four departments: Charente, Charente-Maritime, Deux-Sèvres and Vienne. The regional capital is Poitiers.-Politics:The regional council is composed of 56 members...	Poitou-Charentes		Poitiers Poitiers Poitiers is a city on the Clain river in west central France. It is a commune and the capital of the Vienne department and of the Poitou-Charentes region. The centre is picturesque and its streets are interesting for predominant remains of historical architecture, especially from the Romanesque...	54	Former province of Poitou Poitou Poitou was a province of west-central France whose capital city was Poitiers.The region of Poitou was called Thifalia in the sixth century....	S. Royal Ségolène Royal Marie-Ségolène Royal , known as Ségolène Royal, is a French politician. She is the president of the Poitou-Charentes Regional Council, a former member of the National Assembly, a former government minister, and a prominent member of the French Socialist Party... (PS Socialist Party (France) The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement... )
	Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur or PACA is one of the 27 regions of France.It is made up of:* the former French province of Provence* the former papal territory of Avignon, known as Comtat Venaissin...	Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur	Occitan: Provença-Aups-Còsta d'Azur Prouvènço-Aup-Costo d'Azur Italian Italian language Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia... : Provenza-Alpi-Costa Azzurra	Marseille Marseille Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...	93	Provence Provence Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur... plus the former county of Nice County of Nice The County of Nice or Niçard Country is a historical region of France, located in the south-eastern part, around the city of Nice.-History:Its territory lies between the Mediterranean Sea , Var River and the southernmost crest of the... , principality of Orange Principality of Orange The Principality of Orange was a feudal state in Provence, in the south of modern-day France, on the left bank of the River Rhone north of the city of Avignon.... and Avignon Avignon Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...	M. Vauzelle Michel Vauzelle Michel Vauzelle is the president of the regional council of Provence-Alpes-Cote-d'Azur since 1998. He is a member of the Socialist Party and was Minister of Justice in the Pierre Bérégovoy government in 1992–1993.... (PS Socialist Party (France) The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement... )
	Rhône-Alpes Rhône-Alpes Rhône-Alpes is one of the 27 regions of France, located on the eastern border of the country, towards the south. The region was named after the Rhône River and the Alps mountain range. Its capital, Lyon, is the second-largest metropolitan area in France after Paris...	Rhône-Alpes		Lyon Lyon Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....	82	Created for Lyon Lyon Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais.... from Dauphiné Dauphiné The Dauphiné or Dauphiné Viennois is a former province in southeastern France, whose area roughly corresponded to that of the present departments of :Isère, :Drôme, and :Hautes-Alpes.... and Lyonais provinces	J-J. Queyranne Jean-Jack Queyranne Jean-Jack Queyranne is a French politician. He has been the Regional President of the Rhône-Alpes since June 2002 and is a deputy in the National Assembly from the seventh district of Rhône... (PS Socialist Party (France) The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement... )
	Upper Normandy	Haute-Normandie	Norman Norman language Norman is a Romance language and one of the Oïl languages. Norman can be classified as one of the northern Oïl languages along with Picard and Walloon... : Ĥâote-Normaundie	Rouen Rouen Rouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages...	23		A. Le Vern Alain Le Vern Alain Le Vern is a French Socialist Senator and is president of the Haute-Normandie region. He is also the inaugural President of the transnational Arc Manche Assembly.... (PS Socialist Party (France) The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement... )
The following region has the special status of territorial collectivity.
	Corsica Corsica Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....	Corse	Italian Italian language Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia... : Corsica	Ajaccio Ajaccio Ajaccio , is a commune on the island of Corsica in France. It is the capital and largest city of the region of Corsica and the prefecture of the department of Corse-du-Sud....	94	Territorial collectivity	P. Giacobbi Paul Giacobbi Paul Giacobbi is a member of the National Assembly of France. He represents the Haute-Corse department, and is a member of the Radical Party of the Left.-References:... (PRG)
The following five regions have the special status of overseas region.
	French Guiana French Guiana French Guiana is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department located on the northern Atlantic coast of South America. It has borders with two nations, Brazil to the east and south, and Suriname to the west...	Guyane		Cayenne Cayenne Cayenne is the capital of French Guiana, an overseas region and department of France located in South America. The city stands on a former island at the mouth of the Cayenne River on the Atlantic coast. The city's motto is "Ferit Aurum Industria" which means "Work brings wealth"...	03	Overseas region	R. Alexandre (PSG Guianese Socialist Party The Guianese Socialist Party is a political party in the French overseas région of French Guiana, in South America. The PSG is currently the majority party in the regional council of French Guiana and has one seat in the French National Assembly.... )
	Guadeloupe Guadeloupe Guadeloupe is an archipelago located in the Leeward Islands, in the Lesser Antilles, with a land area of 1,628 square kilometres and a population of 400,000. It is the first overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. As with the other overseas departments, Guadeloupe...	Guadeloupe	Antillean Creole Antillean Creole Antillean Creole is a creole language with a vocabulary based on French. It is spoken primarily in the Lesser Antilles. Its grammar and vocabulary also include elements of Carib and African languages. Antillean Creole is related to Haitian Creole, but has a number of distinctive features; they are... : Gwadloup	Basse-Terre Basse-Terre Basse-Terre is the prefecture of Guadeloupe, an overseas region and department of France located in the Lesser Antilles...	01	Overseas region	V. Lurel Victorin Lurel Victorin Lurel is a politician from Guadeloupe who was elected to the French National Assembly in 2002 and is also the current head of the Regional council of the French overseas department of Guadeloupe. His term began on 22 April 2004 and got renewed on 14 March 2010.-External links:... (PS Socialist Party (France) The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement... )
	Martinique Martinique Martinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with a land area of . Like Guadeloupe, it is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia, and to the southeast Barbados...	Martinique	Antillean Creole Antillean Creole Antillean Creole is a creole language with a vocabulary based on French. It is spoken primarily in the Lesser Antilles. Its grammar and vocabulary also include elements of Carib and African languages. Antillean Creole is related to Haitian Creole, but has a number of distinctive features; they are... : Matinik	Fort-de-France Fort-de-France Fort-de-France is the capital of France's Caribbean overseas department of Martinique. It is also one of the major cities in the Caribbean. Exports include sugar, rum, tinned fruit, and cacao.-Geography:...	02	Overseas region	S. Letchimy Serge Letchimy Serge Letchimy is a member of the National Assembly of France. He represents the island of Martinique, and is a member of the Socialiste, radical, citoyen et divers gauche. Letchimy is a member of the Martinican Progressive Party , or Parti progressiste martiniquais... (PPM Martinican Progressive Party The Martinican Progressive Party is a Martinican political party founded on March 22, 1958 by poet Aimé Césaire. The party favors the autonomy of Martinique within France, unlike the nationalist MIM. The party has one seat in the French National Assembly, Serge Letchimy, deputy from... )
	Mayotte Mayotte Mayotte is an overseas department and region of France consisting of a main island, Grande-Terre , a smaller island, Petite-Terre , and several islets around these two. The archipelago is located in the northern Mozambique Channel in the Indian Ocean, namely between northwestern Madagascar and...	Mayotte	Shimaore: Maore Malagasy Malagasy language Malagasy is the national language of Madagascar, a member of the Austronesian family of languages. Most people in Madagascar speak it as a first language as do some people of Malagasy descent elsewhere.-History:... : Mahori	Mamoudzou Mamoudzou Mamoudzou is the capital of the French overseas region and department of Mayotte, in the Indian Ocean. Mamoudzou, known as Momoju in the local Shimaore language, is the most populated commune of Mayotte. It is located on Grande-Terre , the main island of Mayotte...	05	Overseas region	D. Zaïdani Daniel Zaïdani Daniel Zaïdani is a Mayotte politician, who has served as the President of the General Council since succeeding Ahmed Attoumani Douchina on 3 April 2011. He won the presidential election with a majority of one vote.- References :... (DVG Miscellaneous Left Miscellaneous Left in France refers to left-wing candidates that are not member of any large party. They either include small left-wing parties or dissidents expelled from their parties for running against their party's candidate. Numerous DVG candidates are elected at a local level, and a smaller... )
	Reunion Réunion Réunion is a French island with a population of about 800,000 located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar, about south west of Mauritius, the nearest island.Administratively, Réunion is one of the overseas departments of France...	La Réunion	Reunion Creole Réunion Creole Réunion Creole or Reunionese Creole , or Créole Réunionnais in French is a creole language spoken on Réunion... : La Rényon	Saint-Denis Saint-Denis, Réunion Saint-Denis is the préfecture of the French overseas region and department of Réunion, in the Indian Ocean. It is located at the island's northernmost point, close to the mouth of the Rivière Saint-Denis....	04	Overseas region	D. Robert Didier Robert Didier Robert is a member of the National Assembly of France. He represents the island of Réunion, and is a member of the Union for a Popular Movement.... (UMP Union for a Popular Movement The Union for a Popular Movement is a centre-right political party in France, and one of the two major contemporary political parties in the country along with the center-left Socialist Party... )