:::::: You make some good points, but none of them explain how naming the article région makes it harder to use.  It's not hard to read or confusing.  You don't have to type "é" to find the article.  Regions of France will redirect there.   

 :::::: As you say, administrative subdivisions around the world are all distinctive.  But renaming everything in the world to generic names with a high level of "Englishness" is just going to start watering down the distinctive character.  People who fear the range of nuance in the English language and orthography can go to http://simple.wikipedia.org/ to feel comfortable.  —  2005-03-30 07:39 Z