The word department has a number of meanings:

It can mean an administrative sector of the government. It designates administrative areas of centralized countries,

spanish departamento

• Departments of Bolivia
• Departments of Colombia
• Departments of El Salvador
• Departments of Guatemala
• Departments of Honduras
• Departments of Nicaragua
• Departments of Paraguay
• Departments of Uruguay

french département

• Departments of Benin
• Départements of Côte d'Ivoire
• Départements, of France

In some countries (e.g. United States, Switzerland), department is a term used instead of ministry to define a specific sector of the federal government.

• See Department (US government)
• See Department (Swiss government)

• Department (US Army), is a term used, by the US Army, mostly prior to World War I.
• A Department (naval) is a section devoted to one of several major tasks.

• Department store
• Fire department
• Police department

In business, see departmentalization