Departments of France France: Notes for Table 7: Departments of France In the administrative divisions of France, the department (, ) is one of the three levels of government below the national level ("territorial collectivities"), between the administrative regions and the commune. Ninety-six departments are in metropolitan France, and five are overseas departments, which are also classified as regions. Departments are further subdivided into 334 arrondissements, themselves divided into cantons; the last two have no autonomy, and are used for the organisation of police, fire departments, and sometimes, elections. Each department is administered by an elected body called a departmental council ("conseil départemental"
Administrative subdivisions of the Papal States from 1816 to 1871 The councilors were to be selected by the delegate and approved by the Cardinal Prefect of the Sacra Consulta. Rome's council was reduced from 100 to 48. Administrative subdivisions of the Papal States from 1816 to 1871 The delegations as they existed in 1859. Between the Congress of Vienna (1815) and the capture of Rome (1870), the Papal State was subdivided geographically into 17 apostolic delegations ("delegazioni apostoliche") for administrative purposes. These were instituted by Pope Pius VII in a "motu proprio" of 6 July 1816: "Quando per ammirabile disposizione". A delegation was known as a legation ("legazione") when governed