Département

The départements (or departments) are administrative units of France and many former French colonies, roughly analogous to British counties. The 100 French départements are now grouped into 22 metropolitan and four overseas régions. They are subdivided into 342 arrondissements.

General characteristics

In continental France (metropolitan France excluding Corsica), the median land area of a département is 5,965 km² (2,303 sq. miles), which is two-and-a-half times the median land area of a ceremonial county of England, and a little more than three-and-half times the median land area of a U.S. county.

Related Topics:
Metropolitan France - Corsica - Median - Ceremonial county of England - U.S. county

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At the 1999 census, the median population of a département in continental France was 511,012 inhabitants, which is 21 times the median population of a U.S. county, but just a little less than two-thirds of the median population of a ceremonial county of England.

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