Dear translator-friends,


I am from Montevideo, Uruguay. I am translating the digital map of Montevideo, which has been done using the SIRGAS2000 software.


Nevertheless, my translation problem is due to the political-administrative divisions of Uruguay. The country is divided into 19 political-territorial divisions, called departments. Each department has its own government with a mayor and a city council, that to a great extent are independent of the central power, i. e. the President of the whole nation.
Each department's government is called “Intendencia de (+department name)” So we have:

  • Intendencia de San José
  • Intendencia de Maldonado
  • ....
  • Intendencia de Montevideo



As you can see, the department where Uruguay's capital, Montevideo, is located, has the same name as the city. So the Montevideo's department government is called:

  • Intendencia de Montevideo


The 'Intendencia de Montevideo' has its mayor and its city council, and is in itself the exception to all rules because of the following:


The department of Montevideo has been divided into 8 Local Government Zones called 'Municipios':

  1. Municipio A
  2. Municipio B
  3. Municipio C
  4. Municipio CH
  5. Municipio D
  6. Municipio E
  7. Municipio F
  8. Municipio G


In the same way as the 'Intendencia de Montevideo' has its mayor and its city council, each 'Municipio' has its own 'Alcalde' and its 'Concejo municipal'.

Now, each 'Municipio' has been further sub-divided into several lower rank Local Government Zones. Each one is called 'Centro Comunal Zonal'. A 'Centro Comunal Zonal' is the lowest rank of municipal government. So we have:

  • Centro Comunal Zonal 1
  • Centro Comunal Zonal 2
  • Centro Comunal Zonal 3
  • …..
  • Centro Comunal Zonal 18


So in brief, there are three levels of municipal government within the department of Montevideo:

Highest level: Intendencia de Montevideo

Medium level: Municipio A, Municipio B, … Municipio G.

Lowest level: Centro Comunal Zonal 1, Centro Comunal Zonal 2, … Centro Comunal Zonal 18.

According to this, each Municipio comprises 1, 2 or 3 Centros Comunales Zonales.

Now, after making an extensive research I decided myself for this translation:


As for the municipal executive power:

HIGHEST LEVEL:
Spanish
Intendencia de Montevideo
English
Municipality of Montevideo
Montevideo's Town Hall (for the building)

MEDIUM LEVEL:
Spanish
Municipio A
English
 Borough A
Borough A Hall (for the building)

LOWEST LEVEL:
Spanish
Centro Comunal Zonal 2
English
 Ward No. 2
Ward No. 2 Offices (for the building)


And as for the municipal deliberative bodies:

HIGHEST LEVEL:
Spanish
Junta Departamental
English
City Council (or Departmental Council?)

MEDIUM LEVEL:
Spanish
Concejo Municipal
English
 Borough Council

LOWEST LEVEL:
Spanish
Junta de Vecinos (non-governmental entity)
English
 Neighbourhood Council


The readers of this translation are supposed to be native English speakers. For this reason I want it to sound as natural as possible for an English reader. Therefore, I would like to receive some comments, suggestions and/or corrections on your part for these three-level governmental administrative units.


I thank you beforehand for any help you may be able to give me.
Thank you very much.
ALFREDO.