Anarrondissement (UK:/æˈrɒndiːsmɒ̃,ˌærɒnˈdiːsmɒ̃/,[1][2]US:/æˌrɒndiːsˈmɒ̃,-ˌroʊn-,əˈrɒndɪsmənt/,[2][3]French:[aʁɔ̃dismɑ̃]ⓘ) is any of variousadministrative divisions ofFrance,[3]Belgium,[4]Haiti,[5] certain otherFrancophone countries, as well as theNetherlands.
The 101 Frenchdepartments are divided into 342arrondissements,[6] which may be roughly translated into English asdistricts. The capital of an arrondissement is called asubprefecture. When an arrondissement contains theprefecture (capital) of the department, that prefecture is the capital of the arrondissement, acting both as a prefecture and as a subprefecture. Arrondissements are further divided intocantons andcommunes.
Amunicipal arrondissement (French:arrondissement municipal, pronounced[aʁɔ̃dismɑ̃mynisipal]), is a subdivision of thecommune, used in the three largest cities: Paris,Lyon, andMarseille. It functions as an even lower administrative division, with its own mayor. Although usually referred to simply as an "arrondissement", they should not be confused with departmentalarrondissements, which are groupings of communes within onedépartement. The official translation into English is "district".
Belgium is afederalized country which geographically consists of three regions, of which onlyFlanders (Flemish Region) andWallonia (Walloon Region) are subdivided into five provinces each; theBrussels-Capital Region is neither a province nor is it part of one.
In Belgium, there are administrative, judicial and electoral arrondissements. These may or may not relate to identical geographical areas.
In theNetherlands anarrondissement is ajudicial jurisdiction.
Subdivisions of the canton of Bern include districts since 2010, which are calledarrondissements administratifs in French.
In somepost-Soviet states, there are cities that are divided into municipalraioni similar to how some French cities are divided into municipal arrondissements (see e.g.Raions of cities in Ukraine,Municipal divisions of Russia,Administrative divisions of Minsk,Tashkent in Uzbekistan).
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Most nations in Africa that have been colonized by France have retained the arrondissement administrative structure. These are normally subunits of a department and may either contain or be coequal with communes (towns). InMali the arrondissement is a subunit of acercle, while in some places arrondissements are essentially subdistricts of large cities.
As of 2015,Haiti's tendepartments are sub-divided into 42 arrondissements.[5]
In theCanadian province ofQuebec, eight cities are divided into arrondissements, known asboroughs in English. In Quebec, boroughs are provincially organized and recognized sub-municipal entities that have mayors and councilors.
The dictionary definition ofarrondissement at Wiktionary