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{{Short description|Administrative jurisdiction or subdivision in various countries}}
{{Refimprove|date=November 2024}}
{{Lead too short|date=September 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}}

A '''prefecture''' (from the [[Latin]] word ''praefectura'') is an administrative jurisdiction traditionally governed by an appointed [[prefect]]. This can be a regional or local government subdivision in various countries, or a subdivision in certain international church structures. During the [[Classical antiquity|antiquity]], it was the name of a type of [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] district. In the 21st century, the term prefecture is used for the modern first-level subdivisions of the [[Subdivisions of the Central African Republic|Central African Republic]], [[Prefectures of Japan|Japan]], and [[Prefectures and provinces of Morocco|Morocco]].

==Literal prefectures==
===Antiquity===
''Prefecture'' originally referred to several distinct administrative structures in ancient Rome.

In the [[Roman Republic]] and early Empire, a '''[[Praefectura (Roman settlement)|praefectura]]''' was a town or community lacking full civic autonomy and administered by a Roman-appointed [[Praefectus]]. These praefecturae were common in Italy before the extension of Roman citizenship and typically occupied a lower legal status than a [[municipium]] or [[Colonia (Roman)|colonia]].

Later, during the [[Tetrarchy]], Emperor [[Diocletian]] reorganized the Roman Empire into four major administrative divisions known as '''praetorian prefectures'''. Each was composed of several [[diocese]]s and governed by a senior official called a ''[[Praetorian prefect]]''. This structure persisted into the [[Byzantine Empire]] and influenced later forms of territorial governance.

===Ecclesiastic===
{{See also|Apostolic prefecture}}
As [[Canon law (Catholic Church)|Catholic canon law]] is strongly inspired by Roman law, it is not surprising that the Catholic Church has several offices under a prefect. That term occurs also in otherwise styled offices, such as the head of a congregation or department of the [[Roman Curia]]. Various ecclesiastical areas, too small for a [[diocese]], are termed prefects.

==Analogous prefectures==
=== Brazilian equivalent of ''prefecture''===
In Brazil, the prefecture ({{lang|pt|prefeitura}} or {{lang|pt|prefeitura municipal}} in [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]]) is the [[Executive (government)|executive branch]] of the government of each Brazilian municipality ({{lang|pt|município}} in Portuguese). The term also refers to the office of the mayor ({{lang|pt|prefeito}} in Portuguese).

===Central African Republic===
{{Main|Prefectures of the Central African Republic}}

The [[Central African Republic]] is divided into twenty [[Prefectures of the Central African Republic|prefectures]].<ref name="OU">{{cite web |last1=Ngoulou |first1=Fridolin |title=La Centrafrique dispose désormais de 20 préfectures et de 84 sous-préfectures |url=https://oubanguimedias.com/2020/12/11/la-centrafrique-dispose-desormais-de-20-prefectures-et-de-84-sous-prefectures/ |website=oubanguimedias.com |date=11 December 2020 |publisher=Oubangui Medias |access-date=8 November 2023 |archive-date=21 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230921212418/https://oubanguimedias.com/2020/12/11/la-centrafrique-dispose-desormais-de-20-prefectures-et-de-84-sous-prefectures/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Greek equivalent of ''prefecture''===
{{Main|Prefectures of Greece}}
From 1836 until 2011, modern [[Greece]] was divided into {{Transliteration|el|[[Nome (Greece)|nomoi]]}} ({{Langx|el|νομοί}}, singular {{lang|el|νομός}}, {{Transliteration|el|nomos}}) which formed the country's main administrative units. These are most commonly translated into English as "prefectures" or "counties".

Each {{lang|el|nomos}} was headed by a prefect ({{lang|el|νομάρχης}}, {{Transliteration|el|[[nomarch]]es}}), who was a ministerial appointee until ca. 1990, but was then elected by direct popular vote in a process of decentralization that saw the prefectures become local government units. Municipal elections in Greece are held every four years and voting for the election of prefects and mayors was carried out concurrently but with separate ballots.

The 2010 [[Kallikratis plan]], which took effect on 1 January 2011, abolished the prefectures as separate administrative units, and transformed them into [[regional units of Greece|regional units]] within the country's thirteen [[administrative regions of Greece|administrative regions]].

===Chinese equivalents of ''prefecture''===
{{Main|Prefecture (China)}}

====The ancient sense====
;Xian ({{lang|zh|縣}})
{{Main|County (Taiwan)#History}}
When used in the context of [[Chinese history]], especially China before the [[Tang dynasty]], the word "prefecture" is used to translate ''xian'' ({{lang|zh|縣}}). This unit of administration is translated as "county" when used in a contemporary context, because of the increase of the number of "xian" and the decrease of  their sizes over time in the Chinese history.

;Zhou ({{lang|zh|州}}) or Fu ({{lang|zh|府}}) 
{{Main|Zhou (country subdivision)}}
In the context of Chinese history during or after the [[Tang dynasty]], the word "prefecture" is used to translate ''zhou'' (Wade–Giles ''chou'' ({{lang|zh|州}}), another ancient unit of administration in China, equivalent to the modern ''province''.

==== The modern sense ====
In modern-day China, the prefecture ({{lang|zh|地区}}; [[pinyin]]: {{Transliteration|zh|dìqū}}) is an administrative division found in the [[Province-level divisions of China|second level]] of the administrative hierarchy. In addition to prefectures, this level also includes autonomous prefectures, [[League (China)|leagues]], and [[prefecture-level city|prefecture-level cities]]. The prefecture level comes under the [[Province-level divisions of China|province level]], and in turn oversees the [[County-level division|county level]].

===Italian ''prefettura''===
In Italy a ''prefettura'' is the office of a ''[[prefetto]]'', the representative of the Government in each [[Provinces of Italy|province]].

===French ''préfecture''===
{{Main|Prefectures in France}}
In France, a ''préfecture'' is the capital city of a [[Departments of France|department]], and by metonymy also designates the office and residence of the prefect. As there are 101 departments in France, there are 101 prefectures. A ''préfecture de région'' is the capital city of an administrative [[Regions of France|region]]. This is the city where the prefect – the appointed government representative – resides.

===Japanese sense of ''prefecture''===
{{Main|Prefectures of Japan}}

In English, "prefecture" is used as the translation for {{Nihongo|''todōfuken''|[[wikt:都道府県|都道府県]]}}, which are the main subdivisions of Japan. They consist of 43 prefectures (県 ''ken'') proper, two urban prefectures (府 ''fu'', Osaka and Kyoto), one "circuit" or "territory" (道 ''dō'', Hokkaido) and one "metropolis" (都 ''to'', Tokyo). Before the end of World War II, the word was also used for overseas areas 庁 (''chō'')、州 (''shū'') and 道 (''dō'', in Korea).

===Korean equivalents of ''prefecture''===
Until 1894 {{Transliteration|ko|Hyeon}} ({{Korean|hangul=현|hanja=縣}}) was the lowest level administrative division in Korea and can be translated into "Petty Prefecture" in the modern sense. It was below {{Transliteration|ko|Gun}} ({{lang|ko|군}}, {{lang|ko|郡}}; "county") in the administrative hierarchy.

{{Transliteration|ko|Dohobu}} ({{Korean|hangul=도호부|hanja=都護府|labels=no}}) was a higher level administrative division and can be translated into "Protectorate General", "Greater Prefecture", "Metropolitan Prefecture", or "Martial Prefecture" in the modern sense. The capital, Hanyang ([[Seoul]]), can sometimes be translated as "Hanseong Prefecture".

In 1895, {{Transliteration|ko|Hyeon}} and {{Transliteration|ko|Dohobu}} divisions were abolished. From 1910 to 1949, the term "prefecture" was used to translate {{Transliteration|ko|[[Fu (administrative division)#Korea|Bu]]}} ({{Korean|hangul=부|hanja=府|labels=no}}). Since 1949 neither {{Transliteration|ko|Hyeon}} nor {{Transliteration|ko|Bu}} have been used, and there has been no division in either the South Korean or North Korean administrative system which translates as "prefecture".

===Mongolian equivalent===
Mongolian prefectures ([[Aimags of Mongolia|Aimags]]) were adopted during [[Mongolia during Qing rule|Qing dynasty's rule]]. Today these are usually translated as "provinces".

===Moroccan ''Préfecture''===
{{Main|Prefectures and provinces of Morocco}}
In [[Morocco]], the 75 [[Prefectures and provinces of Morocco|second-level administrative subdivisions]] are 13 prefectures  and 62 [[provinces]]. They are subdivisions of the 12 [[regions of Morocco]]. Each prefecture and province are subdivided in their turn into districts (''cercles'', sing. ''cercle''), municipalities (''communes'', sing. ''commune'') or urban municipalities (''communes urbaines'', sing. ''commune urbaine''), and ''[[arrondissement]]s'' in some metropolitan areas.

===Romanian ''prefectură''===
{{Main|Prefect (Romania)}}

===Swiss ''préfecture''===

In Switzerland, ''préfecture'' dates back to the [[Helvetic Republic]] and were inspired by France.<ref>{{HDS|010357|Préfet|author=Lucienne Hubler|date=10 November 2014}}</ref> As of 2025, five [[Cantons of Switzerland|cantons]] still have ''préfectures'', including Berne, Fribourg, Valais, Vaud.<ref>{{Cite news |author=Célia Bertholet et  Antoine Michel |title=Quel est le rôle des préfets et des préfètes? |url=https://www.rts.ch/info/monde/2025/article/podcast-c-est-quoi-exactement-le-fascisme-28824539.html |work=[[RTS Info]] |date=17 March 2025 |access-date=19 March 2025}}</ref> The ''préfecture'' is a local representative of the regional government.

===Venezuelan equivalent===
Traditionally, the term prefecture referred to a [[City Hall]] and the prefect was the equivalent of a mayor and commissioner. After recent changes, the prefectures and prefects are analogous with the figure of [[Town Clerk]].

<big>'''Quebec Equivalent'''</big>

In the province of Quebec, a prefect (préfet in French) is the head of a [[Regional county municipality|Regional County Municipality]] (RCM / MRC). The method of selecting the prefect varies: in some RCMs, the prefect is elected by the mayors of the municipalities within the RCM, while in others, the prefect is elected directly by all voters during municipal elections. The prefect coordinates regional planning, infrastructure, and shared municipal services, while [[List of municipalities in Quebec|municipalities]] retain authority over local matters. The prefect also serves as a liaison between the RCM and the [[Quebec government|provincial government]].

==See also==
{{Wiktionary|prefecture}}
*[[Apostolic prefecture]]
*County
*[[Prefectures of China]]
*[[Politics of the People's Republic of China]]
*[[Prefectures of Japan]]
*[[Politics of Japan]]
*[[Politics of the Republic of China]]
*[[Politics of Mongolia]]
*Province
*[[Subprefecture]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Terms for types of administrative territorial entities}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Prefectures|*]]
[[Category:Types of administrative division]]