Subdivisions

Subdivisions are the parts into smaller units that make up a larger entity. The term is used across geography, governance, planning, real estate, and mathematics. In politics and administration, subdivisions provide a framework for governance and public service.

Administrative subdivisions are the most visible. Most countries are divided into regions such as provinces or states; these are further divided into counties, districts, municipalities, or communes. Some places use parishes, cantons, or local government areas. Subdivision hierarchies enable local governance, taxation, public services, and statistical reporting, and they are often defined by formal boundary data and codes used in administration and census.

Land development subdivisions refer to dividing a tract of land into lots for sale and construction. This process usually requires planning and zoning approvals, surveys and plats, and the provision of roads, utilities, and other infrastructure. Subdivision records are filed with land registries or cadastres to establish ownership and mapping.

Other uses include mathematics, where subdivision denotes breaking a shape or interval into smaller parts, and electoral geography, where subdivisions become districts or constituencies used for representation and voting.