The
commune is a level of
administrative division in the
French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to
civil townships incorporated
municipalities in the
United States or
Gemeinden in
Germany. The
United Kingdom has no exact equivalent, as communes resemble districts in urban areas, but are closer to parishes in rural areas where districts are much larger. Communes are based on historical geographic communities or villages and have received significant powers of governance to manage the populations and land of the geographic area covered. The communes are the fourth-level administrative divisions of France.