Ortsgemeinde

A Verbandsgemeinde (German pronunciation: [fɐˈbants.ɡəˌmaɪndə]; plural Verbandsgemeinden) is an administrative unit in the Germanfederal states of Rhineland-Palatinate and Saxony-Anhalt.

The state is divided into 163 Verbandsgemeinden, which are municipal associations grouped into the 24 districts and subdivided into nearly 2200 Ortsgemeinden (singular Ortsgemeinde).

Most of the Verbandsgemeinden were established in 1969. Formerly the name of the administrative units was Amt. Most of the functions of municipal government for several municipalities are consolidated and administered centrally from a larger or more central town or municipality among the group, while the individual municipalities (Ortsgemeinden) still maintain a limited degree of local autonomy.

The 11 districts of Saxony-Anhalt are divided in Verwaltungsgemeinschaften and, since 1 July 2009 also Verbandsgemeinden. Since the January 2010 government reform, there are 18 Verbandsgemeinden in Saxony-Anhalt.

Other German states have similar administrative units:

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