Quebec is the second-most populous province in Canada with 8,501,833 residents as of 2021 and is the largest in land area at . For statistical purposes, the province is divided into 1,282 census subdivisions, which are municipalities and equivalents. Quebec's 1,218 municipalities include 87 regional county municipalities at the supralocal level and 1,131 local municipalities ( of its census subdivisions). Generally, most local municipalities, as well as some unorganized territories, are nested within regional county municipalities. The 1,218 municipalities are directly responsible for the provision of public transit, fire protection, potable water, water purification, and waste management services to its residents. They also share responsibility with the province in the provision of housing, road networks, police protection, recreation and culture, parks and natural spaces, and land use planning and development. Below the regional county municipality level, the Government of Quebec's Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing recognizes 10 types of local municipalities – cities, towns, village municipalities, parish municipalities, township municipalities, united township municipalities, Cree village municipalities, Naskapi village municipalities, northern village municipalities, and simply "municipalities". Cities and towns are legislated primarily by the Loi sur les cités et villes (Cities and Towns Act). The Cree Villages and the Naskapi Village Act presides over the province's Cree and Naskapi village municipalities, while the Act Respecting Northern Villages and the Kativik Regional Government presides over northern villages. The 5 other types of municipalities are legislated primarily by the Code municipal du Québec (Municipal Code of Quebec). The Municipal Powers Act and 40 other pieces of legislation also apply to municipalities. Of Quebec's 1,131 local municipalities, 656 or of them are simply "municipalities". Among the remaining 475, there are 230 towns, 43 village municipalities, 135 parish municipalities, 42 township municipalities, 2 united township municipalities, 8 Cree village municipalities, 1 Naskapi village municipality, and 14 northern village municipalities. Despite still being a legal municipal status type, there are no longer any cities in Quebec, although one town is permitted to brand itself as a city in its official name. In 2021, Quebec's local municipalities covered of the province's land mass yet were home to of its population. Montreal is the province's largest municipality with 1,762,949 residents. Chisasibi, Eastmain, Kawawachikamach, Nemaska, Saint-Louis-de-Gonzague-du-Cap-Tourmente, Waskaganish, Waswanipi, Wemindji, and Whapmagoostui are Quebec's smallest municipalities each with a population of 0. The largest municipality by land area is Eeyou Istchee James Bay at , while the smallest by