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{{short description|Military residential quarters, temporary or permanent}}
{{About|a military term|the places named 'Cantonment'|Cantonment (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}
[[File:USAF 380 AEW new facilities 060214-F-0000J-001.jpg|thumb]]

A '''cantonment''' ({{IPAc-en|k|æ|n|ˈ|t|ɒ|n|m|ən|t}}, {{IPAc-en|k|æ|n|ˈ|t|oʊ|n|m|ən|t}}, or {{IPAc-en|UK|k|æ|n|ˈ|t|uː|n|m|ən|t}}) is a type of [[military base]].<ref name=def-cantonment>{{Dictionary.com|cantonment}}</ref> In [[South Asia]], a ''cantonment'' refers to a permanent military station (a term from the [[British Raj]]).<ref name=def-cantonment/> In [[Military of the United States|United States military]] parlance, a cantonment is, essentially, "a permanent residential section (i.e., barrack) of a fort or other military installation".

The word ''cantonment'', derived from the French word ''[[:fr:canton|canton]]'', meaning ''corner'' or ''district'',<ref>{{Dictionary.com|canton}}</ref> refers to a temporary military or winter encampment. For example, at the start of the [[Waterloo campaign]] in 1815, while the [[Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington|Duke of Wellington]]'s headquarters were in Brussels, most of his Anglo–allied army of 93,000 soldiers were ''cantoned'', or stationed, to the south of Brussels.<ref>[[Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition]] Waterloo Campaign</ref>

==List of permanent cantonments==
===Afghanistan===
The former [[Sherpur Cantonment]] in [[Kabul]], Afghanistan, which was the site of the [[Siege of the Sherpur Cantonment]] (1879) in the [[Second Anglo-Afghan War]] (1878–1880), is now maintained as a British Army cemetery.

===Bangladesh===
In Bangladesh, cantonments are residential quarters for many military personnel as well as headquarters for different army units. A wide variety of military training is provided in  Bangladesh cantonments:
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Alikadam Cantonment]], [[Bandarban]]
* [[Bandarban Cantonment]], [[Bandarban]]
* [[Chittagong Cantonment]], Chittagong
* [[Comilla Cantonment]], [[Comilla]]
* [[Dhaka Cantonment]], [[Dhaka]]
* [[Dighinala Cantonment]], [[Khagrachari]]
* [[Mithamain Cantonment]], [[Kishoreganj]]
* [[Guimara Cantonment]], Chittagong
* [[Halishahar Cantonment]], Chittagong
* [[Jahanabad Cantonment]], [[Khulna]]
* [[Jahangirabad Cantonment]], [[Bogra]]
* [[Jalalabad Cantonment]], [[Sylhet]]
* [[Jamuna Cantonment]], [[Tangail District|Tangail]]
* [[Jessore Cantonment]], [[Jessore]]
* [[Kaptai Cantonment]], [[Kaptai Upazila|Kaptai]]
* [[Khagrachari Cantonment]], [[Khagrachari]]
* [[Kholahati Cantonment]], [[Dinajpur District, Bangladesh|Dinajpur]]
* [[Lalmonirhat Cantonment]], [[Lalmonirhat]]
* [[Barisal Cantonment]], [[Barisal]]
* [[Majhira Cantonment]], Bogra
* [[Mirpur Cantonment]], Dhaka
* [[Mymensingh Cantonment]], [[Mymensingh]]
* [[Padma Cantonment]], [[Shariatpur District|Shariatpur]]
* [[Postogola Cantonment]], Dhaka
* [[Qadirabad Cantonment]], [[Natore]]
* [[Rajendrapur Cantonment]], [[Gazipur District|Gazipur]]
* [[Rajshahi Cantonment]], [[Rajshahi]]
* [[Ramu Cantonment]], Cox's Bazar
* [[Rangamati Cantonment]], Rangamati
* [[Rangpur Cantonment]], [[Rangpur District|Rangpur]]
* [[Saidpur Cantonment]], Nilphamari
* [[Savar Cantonment]], Dhaka
* [[Shahid Salahuddin Cantonment]], [[Ghatail]]
* [[Sylhet Cantonment]], Sylhet
{{Div col end}}

===India===
Several cities in the [[Indian subcontinent]], including [[Ahmedabad]], [[Ambala]], [[Bellary]], [[Belgaum]], [[Bangalore]], [[Danapur]], [[Jabalpur]], [[Kanpur]], [[Bathinda]], [[Delhi]], [[Nilgiris district|Nilgiris]], [[Chennai]], [[Mumbai]], [[Pune]], [[Meerut]], [[Ramgarh Cantonment|Ramgarh]], [[Secunderabad]], and [[Trichy]], contained large cantonments of the former [[British Indian Army]], with [[Meerut]] and [[Ramgarh Cantonment|Ramgarh]] being two of the most important cantonments in [[North India|Northern India]], second only to the headquarters at Rawalpindi (now in Pakistan). Meerut was established in 1803, and for 150 years was the largest cantonment in the region. Although cantonments in India were considered to be semi-permanent in the 18th and 19th centuries, by the turn of the 20th century, they had transitioned to being permanent garrisons. They were further entrenched as such, via the military reforms of
[[Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener|Lord Kitchener]] in 1903, and the Cantonments Act of 1924.<ref name= "Sheikh">{{cite web |url=http://www.geocities.com/momers_termpapers/ss153LahoreCantonment.htm |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/5ko5trVno?url=http://www.geocities.com/momers_termpapers/ss153LahoreCantonment.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2009-10-26 |title=Lahore Cantonment |last1= Sheikh |first1=Omer |last2=Ali |first2=Amna |date=26 October 2009 |website=geocities.com |access-date=29 November 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.indiacode.nic.in/repealed-act/repealed_act_documents/A1924-2.pdf |title=THE CANTONMENTS ACT, 1924 |website=indiacode.nic.in |publisher=India Code |access-date=29 November 2023}}</ref>

At India's Independence in 1947, India had 56 cantonments. After this India added 6 cantonments the last being Ajmer Cantonment in 1962, taking the total number to 62. They covered an area of {{Convert|161000|acre|km2}}.<ref name="ten-cantonments">{{Cite web |last=Ray |first=Kalyan |title=Ten army cantonments to be handed over to civil authorities |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/india/ten-army-cantonments-to-be-handed-over-to-civil-authorities-3172901 |access-date=2 September 2024 |website=Deccan Herald |language=en}}</ref>

As of 2019, there were sixty-one "notified cantonments" in India, occupying an area of {{Convert|157000|acre|km2}}:<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mod.gov.in/sites/default/files/MoDAR2018.pdf |title= Annual Report 2018-19: Ministry of Defence |website=mod.gov.in |publisher=Ministry of Defence |access-date= 4 May 2022 |quote= The Ministry of Defence owns approximately 17.57 lakh acres of land throughout the country managed by the three Services and other Organizations like DGDE, Ordnance Factory Board, DRDO, DGQA, CGDA etc. The Army has the maximum of the land i.e. 14.147 lakh acres followed by Air Force 1.40 lakh acres and Navy 0.44 lakh acres. The defence land inside the notified Cantonments is approximately 1.57 lakh acres and the remaining around 16.00 lakh lies outside the Cantonments |page= 131 }}</ref> twenty-five in [[Central Command (India)|Central Command]], nineteen in [[Southern Command (India)|Southern Command]], thirteen in [[Western Command (India)|Western Command]], four in [[Eastern Command (India)|Eastern Command]], and one in [[Northern Command (India)|Northern Command]].<ref name="Directorate General Defence Estates, cantonments">{{cite web|title=Directorate General Defence Estates Main menu|url=http://www.dgde.gov.in/?q=cantonments|publisher=Directorate General Defence Estates|access-date=30 December 2013}}</ref>

On 24 July 2024, a press release notified that, in order to move on from older Colonial-era concepts, Ministry of Defence has decided to give up responsibility to consider to excise civil areas of certain Cantonments and merge them with neighbouring State municipalities. As of then, there were 58 Cantonments of which 10 were to be handed over in the first phase. The administration of civil areas was to be handed over from [[Directorate General Defence Estates|Cantonment Boards]] to the neighbouring [[Municipality|Municipalities]] while the military region was to remain with the Armed Forces.<ref>{{Cite web |date=24 July 2024 |title=MOVING AWAY FROM THE BRITISH-ERA CONCEPT OF CANTONMENT TOWNS |url=https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1942023 |access-date=2 September 2024 |website=Press Information Bureau}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=7 March 2024 |title=Defence Ministry denotifies civil areas of 10 cantonments |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/defence-ministry-denotifies-civil-areas-of-10-cantonments-9199995/ |access-date=2 September 2024 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Military Cantonments To Lose Control On Civil Areas. What This Means |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/military-cantonments-to-lose-control-on-civil-areas-what-this-means-6002301 |access-date=2 September 2024 |website=NDTV.com}}</ref> However, on 27 April 2024, KhasYol had become the first cantonment board to be "de-notified".<ref name="KhasYol">{{Cite news |date=29 April 2023 |title=Khasyol in Dharamshala 1st Cantonment in country to lose civilian area control |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/shimla/khasyol-1st-cantonment-in-country-to-lose-civilian-area-control/articleshow/99859284.cms |access-date=2 September 2024 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>

On 2 September 2024, it was reported that paperwork are being completed to handover civilian areas of Cantonments from the Indian Army. The Cantonments include Dehradun, Deolali, Nasirabad, Babina, Ajmer, Ramgarh, Mathura, Shahjahanpur, Clement Town and Fatehgarh. The report sain, "Indian Army's [[Central Command (India)|Central Command]], [[South Western Command (India)|South Western Command]] and [[Southern Command (India)|Southern Command]] are in the process of completing the hand over exercise in coordination with [[Government of Uttarakhand|Uttarakhand]], [[Government of Maharashtra|Maharashtra]], [[Government of Rajasthan|Rajasthan]], [[Government of Jharkhand|Jharkhand]] and [[Government of Uttar Pradesh|Uttar Pradesh]] governments."<ref name="ten-cantonments" />

Major cantonments and garrisons include the following:<ref>{{cite web |title=Cantonment Boards |url=https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=90277 |access-date=4 May 2022 |website=pib.gov.in |publisher=Press Information Bureau}}</ref>

====Notified cantonments====
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
# [[Central Command (India)|Central Command]]
## [[Agra Cantonment]], [[Uttar Pradesh]]
##  [[Almora|Almora Cantonment]], [[Uttarakhand]]
## [[Ayodhya Cantonment]], Uttar Pradesh
## [[Bareilly Cantonment]], Uttar Pradesh
## [[Chakrata|Chakrata Cantonment]], Uttarakhand
## [[Clement Town|Clement Town Cantonment]], Uttarakhand (To be denotified)<ref name="ten-cantonments" />
## [[Danapur Cantonment]], [[Bihar]]
## [[Dehradun Cantonment]], Uttarakhand (To be denotified)<ref name="ten-cantonments" />
## Fatehgarh Cantonment, Uttar Pradesh (To be denotified)<ref name="ten-cantonments" />
## [[Gopalpur (Odisha Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Gopalpur Cantonment]], [[Odisha]]
## [[Jabalpur Cantonment]], [[Madhya Pradesh]]
## [[Kanpur Cantonment]], Uttar Pradesh
## [[Landour|Landour Cantonment]], Uttarakhand
## [[Lansdowne, India|Lansdowne Cantonment]], Uttarakhand
## [[Lucknow]] Cantonment, Uttar Pradesh
## [[Mathura|Mathura Cantonment]], Uttar Pradesh (To be denotified)<ref name="ten-cantonments" />
## [[Meerut Cantonment]], Uttar Pradesh
## [[Mhow Cantonment]], Madhya Pradesh
## [[Nainital Cantonment]], Uttarakhand
## [[Pachmarhi Cantonment]], Madhya Pradesh
## [[Prayagraj|Prayagraj Cantonment]], Uttar Pradesh
## [[Ramgarh Cantonment]], [[Jharkhand]] (To be denotified)<ref name="ten-cantonments"/>
## [[Ranikhet|Ranikhet Cantonment]], Uttarakhand
## [[Roorkee Cantonment]], Uttarakhand
## Shahajahanpur Cantonment, Uttar Pradesh (To be denotified)<ref name="ten-cantonments"/>
## [[Varanasi Cantonment]], Uttar Pradesh
# [[Southern Command (India)|Southern Command]]
## [[Ahmedabad Cantonment]], [[Gujarat]]
## Ahmednagar Cantonment, [[Maharashtra]]
## Ajmer Cantonment, [[Rajasthan]] (To be denotified)<ref name="ten-cantonments"/>
## [[Aurangabad Cantonment]], Maharashtra
## Babina Cantonment, Jhansi, [[Uttar Pradesh]] (To be denotified)<ref name="ten-cantonments"/>
## [[Belgaum Cantonment]], [[Karnataka]]
## [[Bellary Cantonment]], Karnataka (Inactive, De-notified)<ref>{{Cite web|last=Malagi|first=Shivakumar G.|date=16 August 2017|title=Ballari's jail walls have many a story to tell|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/160817/ballaris-jail-walls-have-many-a-story-to-tell.html|access-date=15 August 2020|website=Deccan Chronicle|language=en}}</ref>
## [[Dehu Road|Dehu Road Cantonment]], Maharashtra
## [[Deolali|Deolali Cantonment]], Maharashtra (To be denotified)<ref name="ten-cantonments"/>
## [[Jhansi Cantonment]], Uttar Pradesh
## Kamptee Cantonment, Maharashtra
## [[Kannur Cantonment]], [[Kerala]]
## [[Kirkee|Kirkee Cantonment]], Maharashtra
## [[Morar Cantonment]], [[Gwalior]], [[Madhya Pradesh]]
## Nasirabad Cantonment, Rajasthan (To be denotified)<ref name="ten-cantonments"/>
## [[Pune Cantonment]], Maharashtra
## Sagar Cantonment, Madhya Pradesh
## [[Secunderabad]] Cantonment, [[Telangana]]
## St. Thomas Mount Cantonment, Chennai, [[Tamil Nadu]]
## [[Wellington Cantonment]], Tamil Nadu
# [[Western Command (India)|Western Command]]
## [[Ambala Cantonment]], [[Haryana]]
## [[Amritsar Cantonment]], [[Punjab, India|Punjab]]
## [[Bakloh|Bakloh Cantonment]], [[Chamba District]], [[Himachal Pradesh]]
## [[Dagshai|Dagshai Cantonment]], Himachal Pradesh
## [[Dalhousie Cantonment]], Himachal Pradesh
## [[Delhi Cantonment]], Delhi
## [[Ferozepur Cantonment]], Punjab
## [[Jalandhar Cantonment]], Punjab
## [[Jammu Cantonment]], [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]]
## [[Jutogh|Jutogh Cantonment]], Shimla, Himachal Pradesh
## [[Kasauli]] Cantonment, Himachal Pradesh
## Subathu Cantonment, Shimla Hills, Himachal Pradesh
## KhasYol Cantonment, [[Dharamshala]], Himachal Pradesh (de-notified on 2023)<ref name="KhasYol"/>
# [[Eastern Command (India)|Eastern Command]]
## [[Barrackpore]], [[West Bengal]]
## [[Dum Dum Cantonment]], West Bengal (Inactive, De-notified)
## [[Jalapahar]], [[Darjeeling]], West Bengal
## [[Lebong Valley|Lebong]], Darjeeling, West Bengal
## [[Shillong]] Cantonment, [[Meghalaya]]
# [[Northern Command (India)|Northern Command]]
## [[Badami Bagh|Badamibagh Cantonment]], [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]]{{Div col end}}

====Unlisted military cantonments====
{{Unreferenced section|date=May 2014}}

{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
# Abohar Cantonment (Abohar, Punjab)
# Akhnoor Cantonment (Akhnoor, Jammu and Kashmir)
# Baddowal Cantonment (Ludhiana, Punjab)
# [[Bangalore Cantonment]] (Bangalore, Karnataka)
# Bikaner Cantonment (Bikaner, Rajasthan)

# Bharatpur Cantonment (Rajasthan)
# Bhatinda Cantonment (Bhatinda, Punjab)
# Binnaguri Cantonment (West Bengal)
# Bhuj Cantonment (Bhuj, Gujarat)
# Bhopal Cantonment (Madhya Pradesh)
# Bhubaneswar cantonment (Bhubaneswar, Odisha)
# Beas Military Station (Punjab)
# [[Chandimandir Cantonment]] (Chandigarh)
# Dipatoli Cantonment (Ranchi, Jharkhand)
# Faridkot Cantonment (Faridkot, Punjab)
# Fazilka Cantonment (Fazilka, Punjab)
# Gandhinagar Cantonment (Gandhinagar, Gujarat)
# Gopalpur Cantonment (Brahmapur, Orissa)
# Hisar Cantonment (Hisar, Haryana)
# Itarana Cantonment (Alwar, Rajasthan)
# Jaipur Cantonment (Jaipur, Rajasthan)
# Jaisalmer Cantonment (Jaisalmer, Rajasthan)
# Jodhpur Cantonment (Rajasthan)
# [[Joshimath|Joshimath Cantonment]] (Joshimath, Uttarakhand)
# [[Kapurthala Cantonment]] (Kapurthala, Punjab)
# Khasa Cantonment (Amritsar, Punjab)
# [[Kollam Cantonment]] (Kollam, India)
# Ludhiana Cantonment (Punjab)
# Mamun Cantonment (Pathankot, Punjab)
# Missamari Cantonment (Missamari, Assam)
# Nagrota Cantonment (Nagrota, Jammu & Kashmir)
# Narengi Cantonment  (Guwahati, Assam)
# Pathankot Cantonment (Pathankot, Punjab)
# Patiala Cantonment (Punjab)
# [[Pithoragarh|Pithoragarh Cantonment]] (Pithoragarh , Uttarakhand)
# Shahjahanpur Cantonment (Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh)
# Solmara Cantonment (Tezpur, Assam)
# Sri Ganganagar Cantonment (Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan)
# Suratgarh Cantonment (Suratgarh, Rajasthan)
# Thiruvananthapuram Cantonment (Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala)
# Tibri Cantonment (Gurdaspur, Punjab)
# Udhampur Cantonment (Udhampur, Jammu & Kashmir)
# Udaipur Cantonment (Rajasthan)
# Vadodra Cantonment (Vadodra, Gujarat)
# [[Varanasi Cantonment]], Uttar Pradesh, Central Command
# Siliguri Cantonment(West Bengal)
# [[Shillong Cantonment]](Meghalaya)
{{Div col end}}

===Ghana===
* [[Cantonments, Accra]]

===Nigeria===
Cantonments in Nigeria refer to permanent military installations which house active personnel and their families. Cantonments in Nigeria include:
* Airforce Cantonment, [[Ikeja]], Lagos
* Armed forces resettlement centre, [[Oshodi-Isolo|Oshodi]], Lagos
* Army Ordnance Cantonment, (also known as Abalti Barracks), [[Yaba, Lagos|Yaba]], Lagos
* Arn Cantonment, Yaba, Lagos
* Badagry Cantonment, [[Badagry]], Lagos
* Dodan Cantonment, [[Ikoyi]], Lagos
* Ikeja Cantonment, Ikeja, Lagos
* Marda Cantonment, Yaba, Lagos
* Navy Town, [[Ojo, Lagos|Ojo]], Lagos
* Ojo Cantonment (also known as Palm Barracks), Ojo, Lagos,
* Bonny Camp, [[Victoria Island, Lagos|Victoria Island]]
* Jaji military cantonment, kaduna,
* Dalet cantonment, kaduna,
* Mogadishu cantonment,
* Abiyssinia cantonment,
* .Burma cantonment,
* Adshanti cantonment,
* Nigerian Defence Academy, Afaka, Kaduna

===Pakistan===
{{main|Cantonment (Pakistan)}}
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Abbottabad Cantonment]]
* [[Attock]] Cantonment
* [[Allama Iqbal]] Cantonment
* [[Bannu]] Cantonment
* [[Bhawalpur]] Cantonment
* [[Chaklala]] Cantonment
* [[Clifton Cantonment]], [[Karachi]]
* [[Dera Ismail Khan]] Cantonment
* [[Faisal Cantonment]], Karachi
* [[Faisalabad]] Cantonment
* [[Gujranwala]] Cantonment
* [[Hyderabad (Pakistan)|Hyderabad]] Cantonment
* [[Jhelum Cantonment]]
* [[Kamra Cantonment|Kamra]] Cantonment
* [[Karachi Cantonment]]
* [[Kharian Cantonment]]
* [[Khuzdar]] Cantonment<ref>[http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/pakistan/cantt-khuzdar.htm "Military: Khuzdar Cantonment"] ''Global Security''</ref>
* [[Korangi Creek Cantonment]], Karachi
* [[Lahore]] Cantonment<ref name="Sheikh"/>
* Walton Cantonment: Created out of the southern parts of the original Lahore Cantt., [[Walton, Lahore]]<ref name="Sheikh"/>
* [[Loralai]] Cantonment
* [[Malir Cantonment]], Karachi
* [[Mangla Cantonment]]
* [[Manora Cantonment]], Karachi
* [[Mardan]] Cantonment
* [[Multan Cantt|Multan Cantonment]]
* [[Murree]] Cantonment
* [[Nowshera Cantonment]]
* [[Okara, Pakistan|Okara]] Cantonment
* [[Ormara]] Cantonment
* [[Pano Aqil Cantonment]]
* [[Peshawar]] Cantonment<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.geocities.com/scn_pk/oct25.html |title=Sarhad Conservation Network® Reports: Book on Peshawar Cantonment Launched |date=27 October 2009 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091027160011/http://www.geocities.com/scn_pk/oct25.html |archive-date=27 October 2009 }}</ref>
* [[Quetta]] Cantonment
* [[Rawalpindi Cantonment]]
* [[Sanjwal]] Cantonment
* [[Sargodha]] Cantonment
* [[Shorkot]] Cantonment (PAF Rafiqui)
* [[Sialkot Cantonment]]
* [[Taxila]] Cantonment
* [[Wah Cantonment]]
* [[Zhob]] Cantonment
{{Div col end}}

===Singapore===
In Singapore, the term is used to denote a police cantonment.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.spf.gov.sg/contactus/contactus_index.htm |title=Singapore Police Force |access-date=4 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120704064816/http://www.spf.gov.sg/contactus/contactus_index.htm |archive-date=4 July 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===South Africa===
* [[Thaba Tshwane]]

===Sri Lanka===
* [[Panagoda Cantonment]]

===United States===
The United States military commonly uses the term "cantonment" to describe the permanent facilities at U.S. Army training bases as opposed to the field training areas. Cantonment areas often include housing (such as barracks and maid-service quarters), dining facilities, training classrooms, exchanges, and paved air fields.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://militaryaffairs.illinois.gov/|title=Marseilles Training Center|website=www.il.ngb.army.mil|access-date=7 April 2018}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Kaserne]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{EB1911 poster|Cantonment}}
* [http://www.dgde.gov.in/cantonments Cantonment Boards in India]

[[Category:Cantonments| ]]
[[Category:Indian English idioms]]
[[Category:Military installations of India]]
[[Category:Barracks]]
[[Category:Military installations of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Military installations of Bangladesh]]