The municipalities of Brazil (Portuguese: municÃpios do Brasil) are
administrative divisions of the Brazilian states. Brazil currently has
5,570 municipalities, which, given the 2019 population estimate of
210,147,125, makes an average municipality population of 37,728
inhabitants. The average state in Brazil has 214 municipalities.
Roraima is the least subdivided state, with 15 municipalities, while
Minas Gerais is the most subdivided state, with 853.The Federal
District cannot be divided into municipalities, assuming the
constitutional and legal powers, attributions and obligations
equivalent to those of states and municipalities, being divided into
administrative regions.The 1988 Brazilian Constitution treats the
municipalities as parts of the Federation and not simply dependent
subdivisions of the states. Each municipality has an autonomous local
government, comprising a mayor (prefeito) and a legislative body
called municipal chamber (câmara municipal). Both the local
government and the legislative body are directly elected by the
population every four years. These elections take place at the same
time all over the country; the last municipal elections were held on
October 2, 2016. Each municipality has the constitutional power to
approve its own laws, as well as collecting taxes and receiving funds
from the state and federal governments. However, municipal governments
have no judicial power, and courts are only organised at the state or
federal level. A subdivision of the state judiciary, or comarca, can
either correspond to an individual municipality or encompass several
municipalities.The seat of the municipal administration is a nominated
city (cidade), with no specification in the law about the minimum
population, area or facilities. The city always has the same name as
the municipality, as they are not treated as distinct entities.
Municipalities can be subdivided, only for administrative purposes,
into districts (normally, new municipalities are formed from these
districts). Other populated sites are villages, but with no legal
effect or regulation. Almost all municipalities are subdivided into
neighbourhoods (bairros), although most municipalities do not
officially define their neighbourhood limits (usually small cities in
the countryside).
administrative divisions of the Brazilian states. Brazil currently has
5,570 municipalities, which, given the 2019 population estimate of
210,147,125, makes an average municipality population of 37,728
inhabitants. The average state in Brazil has 214 municipalities.
Roraima is the least subdivided state, with 15 municipalities, while
Minas Gerais is the most subdivided state, with 853.The Federal
District cannot be divided into municipalities, assuming the
constitutional and legal powers, attributions and obligations
equivalent to those of states and municipalities, being divided into
administrative regions.The 1988 Brazilian Constitution treats the
municipalities as parts of the Federation and not simply dependent
subdivisions of the states. Each municipality has an autonomous local
government, comprising a mayor (prefeito) and a legislative body
called municipal chamber (câmara municipal). Both the local
government and the legislative body are directly elected by the
population every four years. These elections take place at the same
time all over the country; the last municipal elections were held on
October 2, 2016. Each municipality has the constitutional power to
approve its own laws, as well as collecting taxes and receiving funds
from the state and federal governments. However, municipal governments
have no judicial power, and courts are only organised at the state or
federal level. A subdivision of the state judiciary, or comarca, can
either correspond to an individual municipality or encompass several
municipalities.The seat of the municipal administration is a nominated
city (cidade), with no specification in the law about the minimum
population, area or facilities. The city always has the same name as
the municipality, as they are not treated as distinct entities.
Municipalities can be subdivided, only for administrative purposes,
into districts (normally, new municipalities are formed from these
districts). Other populated sites are villages, but with no legal
effect or regulation. Almost all municipalities are subdivided into
neighbourhoods (bairros), although most municipalities do not
officially define their neighbourhood limits (usually small cities in
the countryside).
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