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Local governments are administrative offices of an area smaller than a state. The term is used to contrast with offices at nation-state level, which are referred to as the central government, national government, or (where appropriate) federal government. A state is an organized political community occupying a definite territory, having an organized government, and possessing internal and external sovereignty. ...
Central government or the national government (or, in federal states, the federal government) is the government at the level of the nation state. ...
National Governments or National Unity Governments are broad coalition governments consisting of all parties (or all major parties) in the legislature and are often formed during times of war or national emergency. ...
A federal government is the common government of a federation. ...
In modern nations, local governments usually have less powers than national governments do. They usually have some power to raise taxes, though these may be limited by central legislation. In some countries local government is partly or wholly funded by subventions from central government taxation. The question of Municipal Autonomy - which powers the local government has, or should have, and why - is a key question of public administration and governance. A tax is an involuntary fee paid by individuals or businesses to a state, or to functional equivalents of a state, including tribes, secessionist movements or revolutionary movements. ...
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Public administration is, broadly speaking, the implementation of policy within a state framework. ...
The institutions of local government vary greatly between countries, and even where similar arrangements exist, the terminology often varies. Common names for local government entities include state, province, region, department, county, district, city, township, town, borough, parish, and village. However all these names are often used informally in countries where they do not describe a legal local government entity. This article is about political regions. ...
A region can be any area that has some unifying feature. ...
The départements (or departments) are administrative units of France, roughly analogous to British counties and are now grouped into 22 metropolitan and four overseas régions. ...
Originally, a county was the land under the jurisdiction of a count (in Great Britain, an earl, though the original earldoms covered larger areas) by reason of that office. ...
Districts are a form of local government in several countries. ...
A city is an urban area, differentiated from a town, village, or hamlet by size, population density, importance, or legal status. ...
The term township generally means the district or area associated with a town. ...
A street in Ynysybwl, Wales, relatively stereotypical of a small town A town is usually an urban area which is not considered to rank as a city. ...
A borough is a political division originally used in England. ...
A parish is a subdivision of a diocese or bishopric within the Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Church of Sweden, and of some other churches. ...
A village is a human settlement commonly found in rural areas. ...
Main articles on each country will usually contain some information about local government, or links to an article with fuller information. The rest of this article gives information or links for countries where a relatively full description is available.
Australia As a federal country, Australia has a number of States and Territories with wide ranging powers, and a lower tier of Local Governments. These arrangements are described in the articles Australian States and Territories and Local Government in Australia Australia, having a federal system of government, is divided into states and territories. ...
Australia has two tiers of subnational government: state (or territory) government and local government. ...
France According to its constitution, France has 3 levels of local government :
22 Régions and 4 Régions d'outre-mer (Réunion, Martinique, Guadeloupe and French Guiana). Réunion is an island, as well as an overseas département (département doutre-mer, or DOM) of France, located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar, about 200 km southwest of Mauritius. ...
96 départements and 4 départements d'outre-mer (Réunion, Guadeloupe, Martinique and French Guiana). The départements (or departments) are administrative units of France, roughly analogous to British counties and are now grouped into 22 metropolitan and four overseas régions. ...
Under the 1946 Constitution of the Fourth Republic, the French colonies of Guadeloupe, Martinique and French Guiana in the Caribbean and Réunion in the Indian Ocean became départements doutre-mer (Overseas departments) or DOMs. ...
Réunion is an island, as well as an overseas département (département doutre-mer, or DOM) of France, located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar, about 200 km southwest of Mauritius. ...
There are 36 679 municipalities(in French: Communes). A municipality or general-purpose district (compare with: special-purpose district) is an administrative local area generally composed of a clearly defined territory and commonly referring to a city, town, or village government. ...
However, intercommunalities are now a level of government between municipalities and departements.
Corsica and Paris (both a commune and a département) are local government sui generis. Capital Ajaccio Area 8,680 km² Regional President Camille de Rocca-Serra Population - 2004 estimate - 1999 census - Density 272,000 260,196 30/km² Arrondissements 5 Cantons 52 Communes 360 Départements Corse-du-Sud Haute-Corse Corsica (Corsican: Corsica; French: Corse) is the fourth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea...
The Eiffel Tower has become a symbol of Paris throughout the world. ...
Germany As a federal country, Germany is divided into a number of states (Länder in German), which used to have wide powers, but whose main remaining power today (2004) is their ability to veto federal laws through their Bundesrat representation. The system of local government is described in the article on States of Germany. 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
The Bundesrat (federal council) is the representation of the 16 Germany at the federal level. ...
Germany is a federation of 16 states called Länder (singular Land) or unofficially Bundesländer (singular Bundesland, German federal state). ...
Japan Since the Meiji restoration, Japan has had a simple and clear local government system. The Meiji Restoration (明治維新; Meiji Ishin), also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution or Renewal, was a chain of events that led to a change in Japans political and social structure. ...
First, Japan is divided into 47 prefectures. Each prefecture comprises cities, villages and towns. In Hokkaido, Nagasaki and Okinawa, there are branches of the prefectural government sometimes referred to as "Subprefectures". The term prefecture has been used to denote a self-governing body or area since the time of Constantine I, who divided the Roman Empire into 4 districts (each divided into dioceses). ...
Hokkaido listen (北海道 Hokkaidō, literal meaning: North Sea Route, Ainu: Mosir), formerly known as Ezo, is the second largest island of Japan. ...
Nagasaki Prefecture (長崎県; Nagasaki-ken) is located on Kyushu island, Japan. ...
This article is about the prefecture. ...
New Zealand New Zealand has two tiers of authorities. The top tier comprises the regional councils. The second tier is the territorial authorities consisting of city councils, district councils and one island council. Five territorial authorities are unitary authorities, that is they also perform the functions of a regional council. Regions is the formal term for the top tier of local government in New Zealand. ...
Territorial authorities is the formal term for the second tier of local government in New Zealand, below regional councils. ...
How the term city is used in New Zealand After the local government reforms of 1989, the term city began to take on two meanings in New Zealand. ...
A unitary authority is a term used in a two-tier local government system to describe a unit of local government that operates as a single tier. ...
Philippines For a description of the arrangements in force, see the section on Regions and Provinces in the article on the Philippines.
United Kingdom Main article: Local Government in the United Kingdom The United Kingdom is divided into four parts, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. ...
The system of local government is different in the four countries of the United Kingdom.
England The most complex system is in England, the result of numerous attempts at reform and reorganisation over the centuries. Royal motto: Dieu et mon droit (French: God and my right) Englands location within the UK Official language English de facto Capital London de facto Largest city London Area - Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population - Total (2001) - Density Ranked 1st UK 49,138,831 377/km² Religion...
Above the level considered here is the European Union, the United Kingdom and whatever government offices may exist for England as a whole. England currently has no elected officials responsible solely for the entire country.
The top level of local government within England is now the region. There are nine regions including Greater London, which in some ways is a unique case. Each region has a government office and assorted other institutions. Regions appear to have been introduced in their present form arount 1994 and the policy of the current administration is to increase their power, including the introduction of elected assemblies where desired. The region (sometimes known as Government Office Region) is currently the highest level of local government in England. ...
Greater London is the top level administrative subdivision covering London, England. ...
The layer of government below the regions is a mixture. Tradional counties still exist, although in the 1990s some of the districts within the counties became separate unitary authorities and a few counties have been disbanded completely. There are also metropolitan districts in some areas which are similar to unitary authorities. In Greater London there are London boroughs which are a similar concept. The traditional counties as usually portrayed. ...
A unitary authority is a term used in a two-tier local government system to describe a unit of local government that operates as a single tier. ...
A metropolitan borough (or metropolitan district) is a type of local government district in England, covering urban areas within metropolitan counties. ...
The administrative area of Greater London contains 32 London Boroughs, of which twelve (plus the City of London) make up Inner London and twenty Outer London. ...
Counties are further divided into districts (also known as boroughs in some areas). The Districts of England are the lowest level of local government in England except for civil parishes. ...
Districts are divided into wards for electoral purposes. A ward is an electoral district used in local politics, most notably in England, Scotland, and Wales, as well as Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland and many cities in the United States and the federal district of Washington, DC. A ward in England is an electoral district represented by...
Districts may also contain parishes and town council areas with a small administration of their own. A parish is a subdivision of a diocese or bishopric within the Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Church of Sweden, and of some other churches. ...
Other area classifications are also in use, such as health service and Lord-Lieutenant areas. The title Lord-Lieutenant is given to the British monarchs personal representatives around the United Kingdom. ...
See also: Ceremonial counties of England, Districts of England, Administrative counties of England, Subdivisions of England, UK topics The Ceremonial counties of England are areas of England that are appointed a Lord-Lieutenant, and are defined by the government with reference to administrative counties of England. ...
The Districts of England are the lowest level of local government in England except for civil parishes. ...
The division into counties is one of the larger divisions of England. ...
For local government purposes, England is divided into three types of areas - non-unitary authorities, unitary authorities, and London boroughs. ...
Shortcut: UK topics This is a list of topics related to the United Kingdom. ...
Wales Wales has a uniform system of unitary authorities, referred to as counties or county boroughs. There are also communities, equivalent to parishes.
Scotland See the section on Local Government in the article on Politics of Scotland Overview Scotland is one of the four constituent nations of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. ...
United States Local government of the United States refers to the governments at the city, town, village, or civil township level in the United States of America. In the more general sense, local government also refers to state government, regional government, and county government. Local government of the United States refers to local government at the city, town, village, or civil township level within the United States of America. ...
A city is an urban area, differentiated from a town, village, or hamlet by size, population density, importance, or legal status. ...
A street in Ynysybwl, Wales, relatively stereotypical of a small town A town is usually an urban area which is not considered to rank as a city. ...
A village is a human settlement commonly found in rural areas. ...
A civil township is a widely-used unit of local government in the United States, subordinate to a county. ...
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 states which have membership of the federation known as the United States of America (USA or U.S.). The separate state governments and the U.S. federal government share sovereignty. ...
Originally, a county was the land under the jurisdiction of a count (in Great Britain, an earl, though the original earldoms covered larger areas) by reason of that office. ...
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