Regions of France

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France is divided into 26 regions or régions, of which 21 are in continental metropolitan France and one is Corsica, and four lie overseas. Régions in mainland France are further subdivided in between 1 and 8 départements.

1 General characteristics
2 Role
3 History
4 Regions
5 See also
6 External links

[edit] General characteristics

In metropolitan France (excluding Corsica), the median land area of a région is 25,809 km² (9,965 sq. miles), which is about one-fifth of the median land area of a U.S. state, and only 4% as large as the median land area of a Canadian province, but 28% larger than the median land area of a German state, and 67% larger than the median land area of a region of England.

In 2004, the median population of a région in continental France was 2,329,000 inhabitants, which is a little less than one-half of the median population of a region of England, a little more than one-half of the median population of a U.S. state, and three-quarter of the median population of a German state, but more than twice the median population of a Canadian province.

A median région of continental France is made up of four départements.

[edit] Role

Régions do not have legislative autonomy, nor can they issue regulations. They levy their own distinct taxes (and receive a decreasing part of their budget from the national government which gives them a portion of the taxes it levies) and have sizeable, though not considerable, budgets, managed by a conseil régional (regional council) with nominated representantives from the departmental assemblies and major municipalities in the region.

Their main legal attribution is to build and pay equipment costs for lycées; in March 2004, the French national government announced a controversial plan to transfer to the régions some categories of non-teaching school personnel. Critics of this plan contend that it is doubtful that sufficient fiscal resources for these additional charges will be transferred, and that such measures will increase inequalities between régions.

Apart from these legal attributions, regions have considerable discretionary spending for infrastructure (education, public transportation systems, aid to universities and research, support for entrepreneurs). Because of this, being president of a wealthy region such as Île-de-France or Rhône-Alpes may be quite a high profile position.

There are, from time to time, discussions about giving limited legislative autonomy to the régions, but such proposals are controversial. There are also proposals to suppress the local government of the départements and transfer them into their respective régions, leaving the départements with very limited authority.