There are 3 arrondissements in the Allier department. The French departments, and in other countries, are divided into arrondissements, which may be translated into English as districts (in some cases, as boroughs). The capital of an arrondissement is called a subprefecture.
If the prefecture (capital) of the department is in an arrondissement, that prefecture is the capital of the arrondissement, acting both as a prefecture and as a subprefecture.
The arrondissements are further divided into communes.
The arrondissements of the Allier department are:
History
Since its creation, the Allier department has had few changes: 1790 : creation of the Allier department with seven districts: Cérilly, Moulins, Le Donjon, Cusset, Gannat, Montmarault and Montluçon; Moulins was the capital. 1800 : the seven districts were changed into four arrondissements: Moulins, Gannat, Lapalisse and Montluçon. 1926 : the arrondissement of Gannat was eliminated. 1942 : the capital of the arrondissement of Lapalisse was moved to Vichy, then capital of the French State; because of this change, the arrondissement changed its name to arrondissement of Vichy.