Subdivisions of Switzerland difficulties maintaining the civil services they need to perform the duties they are required to do. In an effort to reduce expenses, many municipalities are combining together (through mergers or the creation of special-purpose districts). This restructuring is generally encouraged by the cantonal governments and the rate of these unions is increasing. "Cities" ("villes" or "Städte") are the municipalities with more than 10'000 inhabitants or smaller places which had medieval town rights. There is no specific designation for smaller communities such as "village" or "town". Some subdivisions that exist are: Subdivisions of Switzerland The Swiss Confederation comprises the 26 cantons
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