Government > Administrative divisions > Note: Countries Compared
DEFINITION:
This entry generally gives the numbers, designatory terms, and first-order administrative divisions as approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN). Changes that have been reported but not yet acted on by BGN are noted.
| COUNTRY | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
| Argentina | the US does not recognize any claims to Antarctica |
| Bahrain | each governorate administered by an appointed governor |
| Belarus | administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers; Russian spelling provided for reference when different from Belarusian |
| Belgium | as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a complex division of responsibilities |
| Chad | instead of 14 prefectures, there may be a new administrative structure of 28 departments (departments, singular - department) and 1 city*; Assongha, Baguirmi, Bahr El Gazal, Bahr Koh, Batha Oriental, Batha Occidental, Biltine, Borkou, Dababa, Ennedi, Guera, Hadjer Lamis, Kabia, Kanem, Lac, Lac Iro, Logone Occidental, Logone Oriental, Mandoul, Mayo-Boneye, Mayo-Dallah, Monts de Lam, N'Djamena*, Ouaddai, Salamat, Sila, Tandjile Oriental, Tandjile Occidental, Tibesti |
| Chile | the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica |
| China | China considers Taiwan its 23rd province; see separate entries for the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | according to the Constitution adopted in December 2005, the current administrative divisions will be subdivided into 26 new provinces by 2009 |
| Denmark | an extensive local government reform merged 271 municipalities into 98 and 13 counties into five regions, effective 1 January 2007 |
| East Timor | administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses) |
| Estonia | counties have the administrative center name following in parentheses |
| France | France is divided into 22 metropolitan regions (including the "territorial collectivity" of Corse or Corsica) and 4 overseas regions and is subdivided into 96 metropolitan departments and 4 overseas departments |
| French Polynesia | Clipperton Island is administered by France from French Polynesia |
| Georgia | the administrative centers of the two autonomous republics are shown in parentheses |
| Greenland | the North and East Greenland National Park (Avannaarsuani Tunumilu Nuna Allanngutsaaliugaq) and the Thule Air Base in Pituffik (in northwest Greenland) are two unincorporated areas; the national park's 972,000 sq km - about 46% of the island - make it the largest national park in the world and also the most northerly |
| Indonesia | following the implementation of decentralization beginning on 1 January 2001, the 440 districts or regencies have become the key administrative units responsible for providing most government services |
| Ireland | Cavan, Donegal, and Monaghan are part of Ulster Province |
| Jamaica | for local government purposes, Kingston and Saint Andrew were amalgamated in 1923 into the present single corporate body known as the Kingston and Saint Andrew Corporation |
| Kazakhstan | administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses); in 1995, the Governments of Kazakhstan and Russia entered into an agreement whereby Russia would lease for a period of 20 years an area of 6,000 sq km enclosing the Baykonur space launch facilities and the city of Bayqongyr (Baykonur, formerly Leninsk); in 2004, a new agreement extended the lease to 2050 |
| Kyrgyzstan | administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses) |
| Lebanon | two new governorates - Aakar and Baalbek-Hermel - have been legislated but not yet implemented |
| Morocco | Morocco claims the territory of Western Sahara, the political status of which is considered undetermined by the US Government; portions of the regions Guelmim-Es Smara and Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra as claimed by Morocco lie within Western Sahara; Morocco claims another region, Oued Eddahab-Lagouira, which falls entirely within Western Sahara |
| Netherlands Antilles | each island has its own government |
| Pakistan | the Pakistani-administered portion of the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region consists of two administrative entities: Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas |
| Russia | administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses) |
| Sao Tome and Principe | Principe has had self government since 29 April 1995 |
| Slovenia | there may be 45 more municipalities |
| Spain | the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla plus three small islands of Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera, administered directly by the Spanish central government, are all along the coast of Morocco and are collectively referred to as Places of Sovereignty (Plazas de Soberania) |
| Sri Lanka | in October 2006, the Sri Lankan Supreme Court ruled voided a presidential directive merging the North and Eastern Provinces; many have defended the merger as a prerequisite for a negotiated settlement to the ethnic conflict; a parliamentary decision on the issue is pending |
| Switzerland | 6 |
| Taiwan | Taiwan uses a variety of romanization systems; while the Wade-Giles system still dominates, city of Taipei has adopted standard Pinyin romanization for street and place names within its boundaries; other local authorities use different romanization systems; names for administrative divisions that follow are in Wade-Giles system with Pinyin equivalents in parentheses |
| Tajikistan | the administrative center name follows in parentheses |
| Turkmenistan | administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses) |
| Uganda | as of a July 2005, 13 new districts were reportedly added bringing the total up to 69; the new districts are Amolatar, Amuria, Budaka, Butaleja, Ibanda, Kaabong, Kabingo, Kaliro, Kiruhura, Koboko, Manafwa, Mityana, Nakaseke; a total of ten more districts are in the process of being added |
| Ukraine | administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses) |
| Uzbekistan | administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses) |
| Venezuela | the federal dependency consists of 11 federally controlled island groups with a total of 72 individual islands |
| Yemen | for electoral and administrative purposes, the capital city of Sanaa is treated as an additional governorate |
