gemeente [ɣəˈmeːntə] ⓘ) and three special municipalities (Dutch: bijzondere gemeenten [biˈzɔndərə -]) in the Netherlands.

Municipalities are the second-level administrative division, or public bodies (Dutch: openbare lichamen), in the Netherlands and are subdivisions of their respective provinces.

Their duties are delegated to them by the central government and they are ruled by a municipal council that is elected every four years.

[5] The different levels do, however, make work agreements, which give municipalities a certain degree of independence in their policy decisions.

[6] After the Dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles in 2010 three special municipalities (officially public bodies) were formed.

During this time, multiple mergers occurred simultaneously in large parts of individual provinces; the municipal boundaries were basically redrawn in these regions.

This policy changed in the end of the 20th century; local support for the merger is now a large part of the decision-making process.

The Hague,[19] Almere,[20] Breda, Eindhoven,[21] Enschede, Groningen,[22] Nijmegen,[23] Tilburg[24] and Utrecht have instituted Dutch: stadsdelen as well, although they do not have the same legal submunicipal status.