France arrondissements, which are, in turn, subdivided into 2,054 cantons. These cantons are then divided into 36,658 communes, which are municipalities with an elected municipal council. Three communes—Paris, Lyon and Marseille—are subdivided into 45 municipal arrondissements. The regions, departments and communes are all known as territorial collectivities, meaning they possess local assemblies as well as an executive. Arrondissements and cantons are merely administrative divisions. However, this was not always the case. Until 1940, the arrondissements were territorial collectivities with an elected assembly, but these were suspended by the Vichy regime and definitely abolished by the Fourth Republic in 1946. In addition
Administrative divisions of Rhode Island Administrative divisions of Rhode Island The administrative divisions of Rhode Island are the areas into which the U.S. state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations is divided for political and administrative purposes. While Rhode Island is subdivided geographically into five counties, county government was abolished in the state in 1842. Since that time, counties in Rhode Island have had no associated governmental structures. All local government in the state is vested in its 39 municipalities. Counties are still generally used as both geographic regions and also as judicial districts. The primary political subdivisions of Rhode Island are its cities and