Prefecture

Type of administrative division found in countries like Japan and France.

province department

/prɪˈfɛktʃər/

The term 'prefecture' comes from the French 'préfecture,' referring to an administrative district.

A prefecture is like a state or province, it's a big area within a country that has its own local government.

Japan has 47 prefectures
The term 'prefecture' comes from the Latin word 'praefectura', meaning 'office of a governor'
France’s prefectures are headed by a ‘préfet’, appointed by the national government

What is a prefecture? It's an administrative division, like a state or province
Where are prefectures found? They exist in countries such as Japan and France
What powers do prefectures have? Prefectures handle local issues like education and infrastructure

administrative division government region

arrondissement district

Japan France

administrative division