département

A département is a territorial administrative division within France and several other countries. In France, départements were created in 1790 during the French Revolution to decentralize power from the monarchy and standardize administration. Each département is headed by a prefect, who is appointed by the central government, and a directly elected general council. The primary role of a département is to administer local services such as roads, schools, social welfare, and culture.

The French territory is divided into 101 départements, including five overseas départements that are integral parts of the French Republic. These divisions are further subdivided into arrondissements, cantons, and communes. The numbering of the départements is based on postal codes, with Paris being 75 and other numbers generally increasing geographically from north to south and west to east.

Other countries have adopted similar administrative structures. For instance, Haiti, Italy, and several African nations have territorial divisions that function similarly to French départements, often inheriting the concept from their colonial past or adapting it for their own governance. These divisions serve to bring government services closer to the population and to manage regional affairs effectively. The specific powers and responsibilities of a département can vary significantly depending on the country's legal framework and political organization.