  We extend the notion of a tame covering of a pair (X,D) where X is a regular
scheme and D is a normal crossing divisor (cf. SGA1), to pairs (X,Y) where X is
an arbitrary scheme and Y is a closed subset in X. We show that the abelianized
tame fundamental group of a regular scheme which is flat and of finite type
over Spec(Z) is finite and does not depend on the choice of a particular
compactification.
