Arrondissement

the word Arrondissement comes from the French arrondir (round off) and serves for the designation of different administrative units in France, Belgium and Québec:

• Subdivision of a Départements. There are (2004) 342 Arrondissements in France. The capital (frz. boss lieu) a Arrondissementsis the Unterpräfektur (frz. sous préfecture). A Arrondissement is divided again into cantons (frz. CAN clay/tone), itself for their part from the municipalities (frz. commune) build up.
• The cities Paris, Marseille, Bordeaux and Lyon are divided likewise in Arrondissements, see Arrondissement (Paris). One speaks here also of local Arrondissements. These stand in the administration hierarchy on the stage of cantons.
• Also in Belgium Arrondissements (districts) are part of the administrative structure.
• Likewise some cities are divided in Quebec in Arondissements. There is this Montréal, Gatineau, Québec, Saguenay, Longueuil and Sherbrooke.

see also list of the French Arrondissements