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A ministry is a department of a government, led by a minister. Ministries are usually subordinate to the cabinet, and prime minister, president or chancellor. A government will usually have numerous ministries, each with a specialised field of service. National ministries vary greatly between countries, but some common ones include Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of Health. Some countries such as Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, the Philippines and the United States do not use the term "ministry" for their government departments, and instead simply call them departments. In Hong Kong the term "bureau" is used. In Canada, some provincial-level government departments are called "ministries" (such as in Ontario and British Columbia) but most, along with their federal analogues, are termed "departments." Their heads are referred to as "ministers" in both levels of government, however.
Fictional ministries
The term "ministry" has also been widely used in satire and parody to describe fictional departments.
- Ministry of Sound, a nightclub
- Ministry of Silly Walks, a sketch from Monty Python's Flying Circus
- Ministry of Magic in the Harry Potter series
- Ministries of Truth, Love, Plenty and Peace in Nineteen Eighty-Four
