Verbandsgemeinde
Template:Short description Template:Italic title Template:For A {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} ({{#invoke:IPA|main}}; plural {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} {{#invoke:IPA|main}}) is a low-level administrative unit in the German federal states of Brandenburg, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saxony-Anhalt. A {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} is typically composed of a small group of municipalities.
Rhineland-Palatinate
The state of Rhineland-Palatinate is divided into 163 {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}, which are municipal associations grouped within the 24 districts of the state and subdivided into 2,257 Ortsgemeinden (singular Ortsgemeinde {{#invoke:IPA|main}}) which comprise single settlements.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Most of the {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} were established in 1969. Formerly the name for an administrative unit 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.
Saxony-Anhalt
The 11 districts of Saxony-Anhalt are divided into Verwaltungsgemeinschaften and, since 1 July 2009 also {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}. Since the January 2010 government reform, there are 18 {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} in Saxony-Anhalt.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
See also
Other German states have similar administrative units: