France is divided into 83 <i id="mwlw"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Departments_of_France" id="mwmA" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="Departments of France">départements</a></i>, cutting across the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provinces_of_France" id="mwmQ" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="Provinces of France">former provinces</a> in an attempt to dislodge regional loyalties based on ownership of land by the nobility.