A Samtgemeinde (see remark) is an administrative division in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is equivalent with the Amt (Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Brandenburg), and the Verbandsgemeinde (Rhineland-Palatinate). It is an association of municipalities, which executes administrative duties for its member municipalities. A Samtgemeinde should have at least 7,000 inhabitants (§71 paragraph 1 Lower Saxony law on local government).