Cantons of Switzerland the canton of Schwyz. Six of the 26 cantons are traditionally, but no longer officially, called "half-cantons" (, , , ). In two instances (Basel and Appenzell) this was a consequence of a historic division, whilst in the case of Unterwalden a historic mutual association, resulting in three pairs of half-cantons. The other 20 cantons were — and in some instances still are — though only in a context where it is needed to distinguish them from any half-cantons, typically termed "full" cantons in English. The historic half-cantons, and their pairings, are still recognizable in the first article of the
Cantons of France the number of cantons drastically. This law came into effect at the French departmental elections in March 2015. Before the cantonal reform, there were 4,032 cantons. The 2013 reform law also changed the representation of the cantons in the departmental councils: each canton is now represented by a man and a woman. The number of "cantons" varies from one "département" to another; the Territoire de Belfort, for example, has 9, while Nord has 41. Cantons of France The cantons of France are territorial subdivisions of the French Republic's arrondissements and departments. Apart from their role as organizational units in certain