A county is generally a sub-unit of regional self-government within a sovereign jurisdiction. Originally, in continental Europe, a county was the land under the jurisdiction of a count. Counts are called earls in post-Celtic Britain and Ireland—the term is from Old Norse jarl and was introduced by the Vikings—but there is no correlation between counties and earldoms. Rather, county, from French comté, was simply used by the Normans after 1066 to replace the native English term scir ([ʃir])—Modern English shire, as the Anglo-Saxon system of Shires was unique and thus hard for the Norman invaders to comprehend so they resorted to calling them Counties. A shire was an administrative division of an Anglo-Saxon kingdom (Wessex, Mercia, East Anglia, etc.), usually named after its administrative centre: for example, Gloucester, in Gloucestershire; Worcester, in Worcestershire; etc.^[1] Thus, whereas the word comté denoted a sovereign jurisdiction in the original French, the English county denotes a subdivision of a sovereign jurisdiction. A count is a nobleman in most European countries, equivalent in rank to a British earl, whose wife is also still a countess (for lack of an Anglo-Saxon term). ... For other uses, see Earl (disambiguation). ... Old Norse is the Germanic language spoken by the inhabitants of Scandinavia and their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300. ... The term Viking commonly denotes the ship-borne warriors, pirates and traders of Norsemen (literally, men from the north) who originated in Scandinavia and raided the coasts of Britain, Ireland and mainland Europe as far east as the Volga River in Russia from the late 8th–11th century. ... Comté (also called Gruyère de Comté) is a French cheese made from unpasteurized cows milk in the Franche-Comté region of eastern France. ... Norman conquests in red. ... Events January 6 - Harold II is crowned September 20 - Battle of Fulford September 25 - Battle of Stamford Bridge September 29 - William of Normandy lands in England at Pevensey. ... Note: This page or section contains IPA phonetic symbols in Unicode. ... Map of the British Isles circa 802 Wessex was one of the seven major Anglo-Saxon kingdoms (the Heptarchy) that preceded the Kingdom of England. ... The Kingdom of Mercia at its greatest extent (7th to 9th centuries) is shown in green, with the original core area (6th century) given a darker tint. ... Norfolk and Suffolk, the core area of East Anglia. ... Gloucester (pronounced ) is a city and district in the English county of Gloucestershire, close to the Welsh border. ... Gloucestershire (pronounced ; GLOSS-ter-sher) is a county in South West England. ... Worcester (pronounced ) is a city in the West Midlands of England, and is the county town of Worcestershire. ... Worcestershire (pronounced ; abbreviated Worcs) is a county located in the West Midlands region of central England. ...

Overview

* The 32 refers to the counties of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland combined. For more information, see the sections on Ireland and United Kingdom below. Census division is the next smallest political region below province or territory, in Canada, similar to a county. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... The counties are primary territorial subdivisions of the Republic of Croatia. ... Denmark is divided into 13 counties (amter), and 271 municipalities (kommuner): Copenhagen County comprise the municipalities in metropolitan Copenhagen, except Copenhagen Municipality and Frederiksberg Municipality. ... A County (est: maakond) is an administrative subdivision of Estonia. ... Finland consists of 6 provinces (Finnish: läänit, Swedish: län). ... There are 439 German districts (Kreise), administrative units in Germany. ... Counties of Hungary Hungary is subdivided administratively into 43 regions. ... Counties of Hungary Hungary is subdivided administratively into 43 regions. ... For much of its history, the island of Ireland was divided into 32 counties (Irish language contae or condae, pronounced IPA: ). Two historical counties, County Desmond and County Coleraine, no longer exist. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... The district (郡; gun) was most recently used as an administrative unit in Japan between 1878 and 1921 and is roughly equivalent to the county of the United States. ... Latvia is divided into 26 counties (singular - rajons): Aizkraukles Rajons Aluksnes Rajons Balvu Rajons Bauskas Rajons Cesu Rajons Daugavpils Rajons Dobeles Rajons Gulbenes Rajons Jekabpils Rajons Jelgavas Rajons Kraslavas Rajons Kuldigas Rajons Liepajas Rajons Limbazu Rajons Ludzas Rajons Madonas Rajons Ogres Rajons Preilu Rajons Rezeknes Rajons Rigas Rajons Saldus Rajons... There are 15 counties in Liberia, as of 2005. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Map of counties and their capitals The territory of Lithuania is divided into 10 counties (Lithuanian: apskritys, singular - apskritis), all named after their capitals. ... Moldova is divided into 32 Rayons, or judeţe, 3 municipalities (Chişinău, Bălţi and Bender), one semi-autonomous, non-contiguous region (Gagauzia), and the breakaway region of Transnistria, the status of which is still disputed. ... Romanian (limba română, IPA: ) is a Romance language spoken by around 24 to 28 million people[1], primarily in Romania and Moldova. ... In the Netherlands there were the following counties: County of Holland County of Zeeland County of Zutphen See also Seventeen Provinces Counties of the Holy Roman Empire Categories: Netherlands geography stubs ... Dutch (  ) is a West Germanic language spoken by around 21 million people, mainly in the Netherlands, Belgium and Suriname, but also by smaller groups of speakers in parts of France, Germany and several former Dutch colonies. ... Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions, called counties (fylker, singular - fylke, Nynorsk: singular and plural fylke; until 1918 known as singular and plural- amt), and 433 municipalities (kommuner - Nynorsk: kommunar). ... Norwegian (norsk) is a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is an official language. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Polish (jÄ™zyk polski, polszczyzna) is the official language of Poland. ... Administrative map of Romania. ... Romanian (limba română, IPA: ) is a Romance language spoken by around 24 to 28 million people[1], primarily in Romania and Moldova. ... Russian ( , transliteration: , ) is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia and the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages. ... Serbia and Montenegro consists of two states, Serbia and Montenegro. ... Serbian (српски језик; srpski jezik) is one of the standard versions of the Shtokavian dialect, used primarily in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia, and by Serbs in the Serbian diaspora. ... A county, or län, is an administrative and political subdivision of Sweden. ... Swedish ( ) is a North Germanic language (also called Scandinavian languages) spoken predominantly in Sweden and in parts of Finland, especially along the coast and on the Ã…land islands, by more than nine million people. ... In the United Kingdom a county is a historic type of subnational division; which by the Middle Ages had become established as a unit of local government. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... United States of America, showing states, divided into counties. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Northern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom lying in the northeast of the island of Ireland, covering 5,459 square miles (14,139 km², about a sixth of the islands total area). ...

Australia

Main article: Cadastral divisions of Australia

The eastern Australian states, and parts of the western states were divided into counties, mostly in the nineteenth century. These were further subdivided into parishes in New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and Queensland; and hundreds in South Australia. The counties currently have no political function, and became dead letters for most purposes other than the registration of land ownership, and are unknown by most of the population today. Local Government Areas including shires, municipalities and others are instead used in Australia as the second level subdivision. Most of the Western and Central parts of Australia were never divided into counties;  No counties  Has been subdivided into counties Cadastral divisions of Australia refers to the parts of Australia which are divided into the cadastral units of counties, parishes, hundreds, and other divisions for the purposes of land... A hundred is an administrative division which historically was used to divide a larger region into smaller geographical units. ... Local Government Area (abbreviated LGA) is a term used in Australia (and especially by the Australian Bureau of Statistics) to refer to areas controlled by each individual Local Government. ...

Canada

Outline map of Canada's Census Divisions in 2001

Main article: Census divisions of Canada Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1388x1214, 104 KB) modified from Canadian government map File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1388x1214, 104 KB) modified from Canadian government map File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The census geographic units of Canada are the country subdivisions defined and used by Canadas federal government statistics bureau Statistics Canada[1] to conduct the countrys five-yearly census. ...

Five of Canada's ten provinces are divided into counties. In Ontario and Nova Scotia, these are local government units, whereas in New Brunswick, Quebec and Prince Edward Island they are now only geographical divisions. Most counties consist of several municipalities, however there are a few that consist of a single large city. In sparsely populated northern Ontario and Quebec, these units are called districts not counties, and in densely populated areas of south-central Ontario new regional municipalities are used for local government instead of counties. Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Latin: Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Official languages English Government - Lieutenant-Governor James K. Bartleman - Premier Dalton McGuinty (Liberal) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 106 - Senate seats 24 Confederation July 1, 1867 (1st) Area [1] Ranked... Motto: Munit Haec et Altera Vincit(Latin) One defends and the other conquers Capital Halifax Largest city Halifax Regional Municipality Official languages English Government - Lieutenant-Governor Mayann E. Francis - Premier Rodney MacDonald (PC) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 11 - Senate seats 10 Confederation July 1, 1867 (1st) Area... Motto: Spem reduxit (Hope restored) Capital Fredericton Largest city Saint John Official languages English, French (the only constitutionally bilingual province in the country) Government - Lieutenant-Governor Herménégilde Chiasson - Premier Shawn Graham (Liberal) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 10 - Senate seats 10 Confederation July 1, 1867 (1st... Motto: Je me souviens (French: I remember) Capital Quebec City Largest city Montreal Official languages French Government - Lieutenant-Governor Pierre Duchesne - Premier Jean Charest (PLQ) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 75 - Senate seats 24 Confederation July 1, 1867 (1st) Area  Ranked 2nd - Total 1,542,056 km² (595... Motto: i lost P.E.I. again mom:well, look under the couch Capital Charlottetown Largest city Charlottetown Official languages English Government - Lieutenant-Governor Barbara Oliver Hagerman - Premier Pat Binns (PC) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 4 - Senate seats 4 Confederation July 1, 1873 (7th) Area Ranked 13th...

See also:

• List of New Brunswick counties
• List of Nova Scotia counties
• Counties of Prince Edward Island
• List of Ontario counties
• List of Quebec counties
• List of Quebec county regional municipalities

Divisions of the other provinces: This is a list of the counties in the Canadian province of New Brunswick: (county seat) Albert County, New Brunswick, formed in 1845 from part of Westmorland County (Hopewell Cape) and a small part of Saint John County Carleton County, New Brunswick, formed in 1833 from part of York County... Counties in Nova Scotia shown with their county seats Annapolis County, Nova Scotia--Annapolis Royal Antigonish County, Nova Scotia--Antigonish Cape Breton County, Nova Scotia--Sydney Colchester County, Nova Scotia--Truro Cumberland County, Nova Scotia--Amherst Digby County, Nova Scotia--Digby Guysborough County, Nova Scotia--Guysborough Halifax County, Nova Scotia... There are only three counties in Prince Edward Island, shown with their shire towns: Kings County, Prince Edward Island--Georgetown Prince County, Prince Edward Island--Summerside Queens County, Prince Edward Island--Charlottetown Category: ... In the Canadian province of Ontario, there are three different types of census divisions: single-tier municipalities, upper-tier municipalities (of which can be regional municipalities or counties) and districts. ... Following is a list of the historic counties followed by their respective county seats, and territories in the province of Quebec. ... Following is a list of the regional county municipalites, territories, and newly amalgamated cities (villes) in the province of Quebec. ...

• In Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland and Labrador, instead of counties, divisions are used.
• Alberta has several types of municipalities with varying degrees of local autonomy. While some rural municipalities are known as "counties", this no longer has any substantive meaning; Alberta counties were once rural municipalities which combined the local government and school board in one body.
• In British Columbia, regional districts are used. (see List of British Columbia Regional Districts) British Columbia is also divided into 8 counties, but these serve only as judicial districts. (see Supreme Court of British Columbia).
• The Yukon Territory is one district in itself
• The Northwest Territories and Nunavut are divided into districts.

Statistics Motto: Multis E Gentibus Vires (Latin: The Strength of Many Peoples) Capital Regina Largest city Saskatoon Official languages English Government - Lieutenant-Governor Gordon Barnhart - Premier Lorne Calvert (NDP) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 14 - Senate seats 6 Confederation September 1, 1905 (Split from NWT) (9th (province)) Area  Ranked... Motto: Gloriosus et Liber (Latin: Glorious and free) BC AB SK MB ON QC NB PE NS NL YT NT NU Capital Winnipeg Largest city Winnipeg Official languages English Government - Lieutenant-Governor John Harvard - Premier Gary Doer (NDP) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 14 - Senate seats 6 Confederation... Motto: Quaerite Prime Regnum Dei (Latin: Seek ye first the kingdom of God) Capital St. ... Counties and municipal districts of Alberta are administrative subdivisions of the provinces census divisions. ... Motto: Splendor Sine Occasu (Latin: Splendour without diminishment) Capital Victoria Largest city Vancouver Official languages English Government - Lieutenant-Governor Iona Campagnolo - Premier Gordon Campbell (BC Liberal) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 36 - Senate seats 6 Confederation July 20, 1871 (6th province) Area  Ranked 4th - Total 944,735 km... The Canadian Province of British Columbia is divided into Regional Districts, analogous to counties in other jurisdictions. ... Supreme Court of British Columbia is the superior court for the Canadian province of British Columbia. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Motto: none Capital Yellowknife Largest city Yellowknife Official languages Chipewyan, Cree, English, French, Gwich’in, Inuinnaqtun, Inuktitut, Inuvialuktun, North Slavey, South Slavey, TłįchÇ« [1] Government - Commissioner Tony Whitford - Premier Joe Handley (Consensus government (no party affiliations)) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 1 - Senate seats 1 Confederation 1870... Motto: Nunavut Sannginivut (Inuktitut: Nunavut our strength or Our land our strength) Capital Iqaluit Largest city Iqaluit Official languages Inuktitut, Inuinnaqtun, English, French Government - Commissioner Ann Meekitjuk Hanson - Premier Paul Okalik (Consensus government) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 1 (Nancy Karetak-Lindell) - Senate seats 1 (Willie Adams) Confederation...

• Census division statistics of Canada

Canadas equivalent to Counties are known uniformly as Census Divisions which are called by different names in different provinces, or in different parts of provinces. ...

China

Main article: County of China In the context of Political divisions of China, county is the standard English translation of 县 (xiàn). ...

The word "county" is used to translate the Chinese term xiàn (县 or 縣). On Mainland China under the People's Republic of China, counties are the third level of local government, coming under both the province level and the prefecture level. On Taiwan, the streamlining of Taiwan Province has left the county the major governmental level below the Republic of China central government. ... Due to Chinas large population and area, the political divisions of China have always consisted of several levels since ancient times. ... Due to Chinas large population and area, the political divisions of China have always consisted of several levels since ancient times. ... Due to Chinas large population and area, the political divisions of China have always consisted of several levels since ancient times. ... Taiwan Province can refer to an existing administrative division under the government of the Republic of China or the claimed 23rd province of the Peoples Republic of China. ... Motto none Anthem National Anthem of the Republic of China Capital Taipei (formerly and de jure Nanking) Largest city Taipei Official languages Standard Mandarin (GuóyÇ”) Government Semi-presidential system  -  President Chen Shui-bian  -  Vice President Annette Lu  -  Premier Chang Chun-hsiung Establishment Xinhai Revolution   -  Independence declared October 10, 1911...

The number of counties in China proper numbers about 2,000, and has remained more or less constant since the Han Dynasty (206 BC - AD 220). The county remains one of the oldest levels of government in China and significantly predates the establishment of provinces in the Yuan Dynasty (1279 - 1368). The county government was particularly important in imperial China because this was the lowest layer at which the imperial government functioned. The head of a county during imperial times was the magistrate. China proper refers to the historical heartlands of China in the context of that paradigm which contrasts these heartlands with frontier regions of Outer China (including sections of Inner Asia and other regions). ... Han Dynasty in 87 BC Capital Changan (202 BC–9 AD) Luoyang (25 AD–190 AD) Language(s) Chinese Religion Taoism, Confucianism Government Monarchy History  - Establishment 206 BC  - Battle of Gaixia; Han rule of China begins 202 BC  - Interruption of Han rule 9 AD - 24 AD  - Abdication to Cao... Second Punic War: Scipio Africanus Major destroyed the combined Carthaginian army of Mago Barca and Hasdrubal Gisco in the Battle of Ilipa, thus ending Carthaginian hold in Spain. ... Events Han Xiandi abdicates his throne to Cao Pi, symbolizing the end of the Han Dynasty and the beginning of the Three Kingdoms period in China. ... The four successor Khanates of the Mongol Empire Capital Dadu Language(s) Mongolian Chinese Government Monarchy Emperor  - 1260-1294 Kublai Khan  - 1333-1370 Ukhaatu Khan History  - establishing the Yuan Dynasty 1271  - Fall of Dadu September 14, 1368 Population  - 1330 est. ... For broader historical context, see 1270s and 13th century. ... Events Timur ascends throne of Samarkand. ... A magistrate is a judicial officer. ...

In older context, "prefecture" and "district" are alternative terms to refer to xiàn before the establishment of the Republic of China. The English nomenclature "county" was adopted following the establishment of the ROC. Motto none Anthem National Anthem of the Republic of China Capital Taipei (formerly and de jure Nanking) Largest city Taipei Official languages Standard Mandarin (GuóyÇ”) Government Semi-presidential system  -  President Chen Shui-bian  -  Vice President Annette Lu  -  Premier Chang Chun-hsiung Establishment Xinhai Revolution   -  Independence declared October 10, 1911...

See also: Political divisions of China, Counties of Taiwan Due to Chinas large population and area, the political divisions of China have always consisted of several levels since ancient times. ... The Republic of China (ROC) currently administers two historical provinces of China (one completely and one for a small part) and centrally administers two municipalities: Taiwan Province; consists of the Taiwanese main island, except the two municipalities, plus Penghu county (Pescadores Islands) Sixteen counties Five provincial cities Fukien (Fuchien) Province...

Denmark

Denmark was divided into counties from 1662 to 2006. On January 1, 2007, the counties were replaced by five Regions. At the same time, the number of municipalities was slashed from 270 to 98. Events February 1 - The Chinese pirate Koxinga seizes the island of Taiwan after a nine-month siege. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... is the 1st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is now the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... Administrative division of Denmark. ...

The counties were first introduced in 1662, replacing the 49 fiefs (len) in Denmark-Norway with the same number of counties. This number does not include the subdivisions of the Duchy of Schleswig, which was only under partial Danish control. The number of counties in Denmark (excluding Norway) had dropped to c. 20 by 1793. Following the reunification of South Jutland with Denmark in 1920, four counties replaced the Prussian Kreise. Aabenraa and Sønderborg County merged in 1932 and Skanderborg and Aarhus were separated in 1942. From 1942 to 1970, the number stayed at 22.[1] The number was further decreased by the 1970 Danish municipal reform, leaving 14 counties plus two cities unconnected to the county structure; Copenhagen and Frederiksberg. Events February 1 - The Chinese pirate Koxinga seizes the island of Taiwan after a nine-month siege. ... The Kingdom of Denmark-Norway, consisting of Denmark and Norway, including Norways possessions Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands, is a term used for the two united kingdoms after their amalgamation as one state in 1536. ... The region of Schleswig (former English name: Sleswick, Danish: Sønderjylland or Slesvig, Low German: Sleswig, North Frisian: Slaswik or Sleesweg) covers the area about 60 km north and 70 km south of the border between Germany and Denmark. ... Map over South Jutland (1918) South Jutland (Danish: Sønderjylland) is the name for the region south of the KongeÃ¥ in Jutland. ... Motto Suum cuique Latin: To each his own Prussia at its peak, as leading state of the German Empire Capital Königsberg, later Berlin Government Duke1  - 1525–68 Albert I (first)  - 1688–1701 Frederick III (last) King1  - 1701–13 Frederick I (first)  - 1888–1918 William II (last) Prime Minister1,2... Kreis, (plural Kreise) , is the German word for circle. ... Aabenraa County. ... Sønderborg County. ... Aarhus Amt (English Aarhus County) is a county in central Denmark, on the peninsula of Jutland. ... Copenhagen (IPA: or ; Danish: IPA: ) is the capital of Denmark and the countrys largest city. ... Frederiksberg is a municipality of Denmark. ...

In 2003, Bornholm County merged with the local four municipalities, forming the Bornholm Regional Municipality. The remaining 13 counties were abolished on effective January 1, 2007 where they were replaced by five new regions. In the same reform, the number of municipalities was slashed from 270 to 98 and all municipalities now belong to a region. Bornholms Amt (English: Bornholm County) is a former county (Danish, amt) in easternmost Denmark. ... Bornholm is a Danish island in the Baltic Sea. ... is the 1st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is now the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... Administrative division of Denmark. ...

See also: Counties of Denmark Denmark is divided into 13 counties (amter), and 271 municipalities (kommuner): Copenhagen County comprise the municipalities in metropolitan Copenhagen, except Copenhagen Municipality and Frederiksberg Municipality. ...

Hungary

The administrative unit of Hungary is called megye, (historically, they were also called comitatus in Latin), which can be translated with the word county. It is the highest level of the administrative subdivisions of the country, although counties are grouped into seven statistical regions. Counties are subdivided to kistérségs, which literally means "little area", though translating this as a commune is more proper. Communes have statistical and organizational functions only, whilst they have there own "capital cities". Presently Hungary is subdivided into 19 "proper" counties, 22 urban counties (cities with the same rights as a whole county) and 1 capital, Budapest. See the list of counties of Hungary. Comitatus can be: an old Latin word meaning company or retinue or an armed group of men attached to a leader in the Classical Times and in the Middle Ages, a political term used in various meanings: see Comitatus (Classical meaning) in the Middle Ages, the Latin word for county... Latin was the language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... Commune can refer to various things: commune (subnational entity) of various European and African countries Commune in France. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Counties of Hungary Hungary is subdivided administratively into 43 regions. ...

The comitatus was also the historic administrative unit in the Kingdom of Hungary, which included areas of present-day neighbouring countries of Hungary. See the list of historic counties of Hungary. The Kingdom of Hungary (Hungarian: Magyar Királyság) is the name of a multiethnic kingdom that existed in Central Europe from 1000 to 1918. ... The following lists show the administrative divisions of the lands belonging to the Hungarian crown (1000 -1918) at selected points of time. ...

India

The administrative unit in India immediately next to the state is called a Zila in Hindi and district (never County) in English. Local government areas called districts are used, or have been used, in several countries. ...

Ireland

The island of Ireland was historically divided into 32 counties, of which 26 later formed the Republic of Ireland and 6 made up Northern Ireland. For much of its history, the island of Ireland was divided into 32 counties (Irish language contae or condae, pronounced IPA: ). Two historical counties, County Desmond and County Coleraine, no longer exist. ... Northern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom lying in the northeast of the island of Ireland, covering 5,459 square miles (14,139 km², about a sixth of the islands total area). ...

These counties are traditionally grouped into 4 provinces - Leinster (12), Munster (6) Connacht (5) and Ulster (9). Historically, the counties of Meath ,West Meath and small parts of surrounding counties constituted the province of Meath was one of the "Five Fifths" of Ireland , In the Irish language the word province means a fifth ; but these have long since become the three northernmost counties of Leinster province. In the Republic each county is administered by an elected "county council", and the old provincial divisions are merely traditional names with no political significance. During late Gaelic and early historic times Ireland was divided into provinces to replace the earlier system of the tuatha. ... Statistics Area: 19,774. ... Statistics Area: 24,607. ... Statistics Area: 17,713. ... Statistics Area: 24,481 km² Population (2006 estimate) 1,993,918 Ulster (Irish: Cúige Uladh, IPA: ) forms one of the four traditional provinces of Ireland. ... Meath (An Mhí in Irish) is a county in the Republic of Ireland, the county is often informally called The Royal County. ... Percentage of Irish speakers by county; Northern Ireland is also included. ... In the British Isles, a county council is a council that governs a county. ...

The number and boundaries of administrative counties in the Republic of Ireland were reformed in the 1990s. For example County Dublin was broken into three: Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal, and South Dublin - the City of Dublin had existed for centuries before. In addition "County Tipperary" is actually two administrative counties, called North Tipperary and South Tipperary while the major urban centres Cork, Galway, Limerick, and Waterford have been separated from the town and rural areas of their counties. Thus, the Republic of Ireland now has thirty-four 'county-level' authorities, although the borders of the original twenty-six counties are still officially in place [2]. Statistics Province: Leinster County Town: Dublin Code: D Area: 921 km² Population (2006) 1,186,821 County Dublin (Irish: Contae Bhaile Átha Cliath), or more correctly today the Dublin Region[1] (Réigiúin Átha Cliath), is the area that contains the city of Dublin, the capital and largest city... Dun Laoghaire–Rathdown1 (Irish: Dún Laoghaire–Ráth an Dúin) is an administrative county in the Republic of Ireland forming part of the traditional county of Dublin. ... Statistics Province: Leinster County Town: Swords Code: D (FL proposed) Area: 448. ... Statistics Province: Leinster County Town: Tallaght Code: D (SN proposed) Area: 222. ... This article is about the city in Ireland. ... Statistics Province: Munster County Town: North: Nenagh South: Clonmel Code: North: TN South: TS Area: 4,303 km² Population (2006) 149,040[[1]] County Tipperary (Contae Thiobraid Árann in Irish) is a county in the Republic of Ireland, and situated in the province of Munster. ... North Tipperary (Tiobraid Árann Thuaidh in Irish), known until 2002 as Tipperary North Riding, is a local government area in Ireland, consisting of the northern part of County Tipperary. ... South Tipperary (Tiobraid Árann Theas in Irish), known until 2002 as Tipperary South Riding, is a local government area in Ireland, consisting of the southern part of County Tipperary. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: , Statistics Province: Munster County: Area: 37. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: , Statistics Province: Connacht County: Dáil Éireann: Galway West European Parliament: North-West Dialling Code: 091 Postal District(s): G Area: 50. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: , Irish Grid Reference R574572 Statistics Province: Munster County: Area: 20. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: 52. ...

In Northern Ireland, the six county councils and the smaller town councils were abolished in 1973 and replaced by a single tier of local government. However, in the north as well as in the south, the traditional 32 counties and 4 provinces remain in common usage for many sporting, cultural and other purposes. County identity is heavily reinforced in the local culture by allegiances to county teams in Hurling and Gaelic football. Each GAA county has its own flag/colours (and often a nickname too), and county allegiances are taken quite seriously. See the counties of Ireland and the Gaelic Athletic Association. For the Cornish sport, see Cornish Hurling. ... Gaelic football (Irish: Peil or Caid ), commonly referred to as football, Gaelic or GAA (gah), is a form of football played mainly in Ireland. ... GAA county or a county board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is a geographic region of control within the GAA, based on the counties of Ireland as they were in 1884. ... For much of its history, the island of Ireland was divided into 32 counties (Irish language contae or condae, pronounced IPA: ). Two historical counties, County Desmond and County Coleraine, no longer exist. ... A stylised Celtic cross serves as the traditional logo of the GAA. The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) (Irish: Cumann Lúthchleas Gael) is an organisation which is mostly focussed on promoting Gaelic Games - traditional Irish sports, such as hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball, and rounders. ...

Japan

"County" is one of the translations of gun (郡), which is a subdivision of prefecture. It is also translated as rural district, rural area or district. The translation "district" is not preferred, because it comes into conflict with the usual translation of "district", chome. In this encyclopedia, district is used for gun. See Japanese translation note. The term prefecture (from the Latin Praefectura) indicates the office, seat, territorial circonscription of a Prefect. ... In local government on the British Isles, a rural district was a predominantly rural area used for local government. ... Rural area in Dalarna, Sweden Sheep eating grass in rural Australia Rural areas are sparsely settled places away from the influence of large cities and towns. ... Local government areas called districts are used, or have been used, in several countries. ...

Presently, "counties" have no political power or administrative function. The division is mainly significant in postal services. It has been suggested that first class mail be merged into this article or section. ...

Liberia

Liberia has 15 counties, each of which elects two senators to the Liberian Senate.

Lithuania

Apskritis (pl. apskritys) is the Lithuanian word for county. Since 1994 Lithuania has 10 counties; before 1950 it had 20. The only purpose with the county is an office of a state governor who shall conduct law and order in the county. See counties of Lithuania. Map of counties and their capitals The territory of Lithuania is divided into 10 counties (Lithuanian: apskritys, singular - apskritis), all named after their capitals. ...

New Zealand

Main article: Counties in New Zealand

After New Zealand abolished its provinces in 1876, a system of counties similar to other countries' systems was instituted, lasting until 1989. After New Zealand abolished its provinces in 1876, a system of counties similar to other countries systems was instituted, lasting with little change (except mergers and other localised boundary adjustments) until 1989. ... (For the current top-level subdivision of New Zealand, see Regions of New Zealand) Provinces in New Zealand were used from 1841 until the Abolition of the Provinces Act came into force on November 1, 1876. ...

They had chairmen, not mayors as boroughs and cities had; many legislative provisions (such as burial and land subdivision control) were different for the counties. Look up Borough in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For the musician, see Burial (musician). ... Subdivision is the act of dividing up land into smaller pieces that are easier to sell, usually via a plat. ...

During the second half of the 20th century, many counties received overflow population from nearby cities. The result was often a merger of the two into a "district" (eg Rotorua) or a change of name to "district' (eg Waimairi) or "city" (eg Manukau). (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999... Rotorua is a city located on the southern shore of Lake Rotorua in the Bay of Plenty region of the North Island of New Zealand. ... Look up city, City in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Manukau City (orange). ...

The Local Government Act 1974 began the process of bringing urban, mixed, and rural councils into the same legislative framework. Substantial reorganisations under that Act resulted in the 1989 shake-up, which covered the country in (non-overlapping) cities and districts and abolished all the counties except for the Chatham Islands County, which survived under that name for a further 6 years but then became a "Territory" under the "Chatham Islands Council". The Chatham Islands from space. ...

Norway

Norway is divided into 19 counties (sing. fylke, plur. fylke/fylker, literally "folk") as of 1972. Up to this year Bergen was a separate county, but is today a municipality in the county of Hordaland. All counties are divided into municipalities, (sing. kommune, plur. kommunar/kommuner), the ones with incorporated cities being called city municipalities (sing. bykommune, plur. bykommunar/bykommuner). The county of Oslo is equivalent to the municipality of Oslo. Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions, called counties (fylker, singular - fylke, Nynorsk: singular and plural fylke; until 1918 known as singular and plural- amt), and 433 municipalities (kommuner - Nynorsk: kommunar). ... County Hordaland District Midhordland Municipality NO-1201 Administrative centre Bergen Mayor (2004) Herman Friele (H) Official language form Neutral Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 215 465 km² 445 km² 0. ... A municipality is an administrative entity composed of a clearly defined territory and its population and commonly referring to a city, town, or village, or a small grouping of them. ... Hordaland is a county in Norway, bordering Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Telemark and Rogaland. ... Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions, called counties (fylker, singular - fylke), and 431 municipalities/communes (kommuner). ... County District Viken Municipality NO-0301 Administrative centre Oslo Mayor (2004) Per Ditlev-Simonsen (H) Official language form BokmÃ¥l Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 224 454 km² 426 km² 0. ...

Each county has its own assembly (fylkesting) whose representatives are elected every 4 years together with representatives to the municipality councils. The counties handle matters as high schools and local roads, and until recently hospitals as well. This responsibility is now transferred to the state, and there is a debate on the future of the county as an administrative entity. Some people, and parties, such as the Conservative Party of Norway, call for the abolishment of the counties once and for all, while others merely want to merger some of them into larger regions. The Conservative Party (Høyre, H, meaning right) is a Norwegian political party. ...

Pakistan

The administrative unit in Pakistan immediately next to the state is called a Zilla in Urdu and district (never County) in English.

Poland

Polish second-level administration unit powiat is usually translated into English as county or district. See List of counties in Poland A county (Polish: powiat, pronounced povyat; plural, powiaty) is the Polish third-level unit of administration, equivalent to a county, district or prefecture (NUTS-4 or rather LAU-1) in other countries. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... The following is a list of powiats in Poland. ...

Romania

The administrative subdivisions of Romania are called judeţ (plural: judeţe), name derived from jude, a mayor and judge of a city (akin to English judge; both are derived from Latin) Presently Romania is subdivided into 41 counties and the capital, Bucharest having a separate status. See the list of counties of Romania. Status Capital of Romania Mayor Adriean Videanu, since 2005 Area 238 km² Population (2005) 1,924,959[1] Density 8,088 inh/km² Geographical coordinates Web site http://www. ... Administrative map of Romania. ...

Russia

Russian subdivisions is usually called municipality rayon (Russian: Муниципальный район) or okrug (Russian: округ). Rayons are named as Ulus(Улус) in Sakha Republic. The Sakha (Yakutia) Republic (Russian: ; Sakha: Саха Республиката) is a federal subject of Russia (a republic). ...

Rayon, Okrug and Ulus maybe translated into English as county or district. An ulus (Russian: улу́с) is the subdivision type of Sakha (Yakutia) Republic of the Russian Federation. ...

Serbia and Montenegro

Subdivisions of Serbia (okrug) are sometimes translated as counties, though more often as districts. See District#Serbia and Montenegro Okrug is a term to denote administrative subdivision in some Slavic states. ... Local government areas called districts are used, or have been used, in several countries. ...

Sweden

The Swedish division into counties was established in 1634, and was based on an earlier division into Provinces. Sweden is today divided into 21 counties, and each county is further divided into municipalities. At the county level there is a county administrative board led by a governor appointed by the central government of Sweden, as well as an elected county council that handles a separate set of issues, notably hospitals and public transportation. A county, or län, is an administrative and political subdivision of Sweden. ... The provinces or landskap were the subdivisions of Sweden until 1634, when they were replaced by the counties of Sweden (län). ... The Municipalities or Kommuner represent the local level of self government in Sweden. ... A County Administrative Board is a Government appointed board of a County in Sweden. ... The government of Sweden is a constitutional monarchy with a representative democracy based on a parliamentary system. ... A County Council, or Landsting, is an elected assembly of a County in Sweden. ... For the record label, see Hospital Records. ... A taxi serving as a bus Public transport comprises all transport systems in which the passengers do not travel in their own vehicles. ...

The Swedish term used is län, which literally means "fief." Län and lääni are the Swedish and Finnish terms for the administrative divisions used in Sweden and Finland, and sometimes in other countries, especially as a translation of the Russian word oblast. The word literally means fief. ... Under the system of feudalism, a fiefdom, fief, feud or fee, consisted of heritable lands or revenue-producing property granted by a liege lord in return for a vassal knights service (usually fealty, military service, and security). ...

United Kingdom

Main article: Counties of the United Kingdom

The United Kingdom is divided into a number of metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties. There are also ceremonial counties which group small non-metropolitan counties into geographic areas broadly based on the historic counties of England. The metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties had replaced in 1974 a system of administrative counties and county boroughs which were introduced in 1889. In the United Kingdom a county is a historic type of subnational division; which by the Middle Ages had become established as a unit of local government. ... Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties are one of the four levels of English administrative division used for the purposes of local government. ... The Ceremonial counties of England are areas of England that are appointed a Lord-Lieutenant, and are defined by the government with reference to the metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England. ... The historic counties of England are ancient subdivisions of England. ... The division into counties is one of the larger divisions of England. ... County borough was a term introduced in 1889 in the United Kingdom to refer to a borough or a city independent of county administration. ...

Most non-metropolitan counties in England are run by county councils and divided into non-metropolitan districts, each with its own council. Local authorities in the UK are usually responsible for running education, emergency services, planning, transport, social services, and a number of other functions. In the British Isles, a county council is a council that governs a county. ... Non-metropolitan districts or commonly Shire districts are a type of local government district in England. ...

In England, in the Anglo-Saxon period, Shires were established as areas used for the raising of taxes, and usually had a fortified town at their centre. These became known as the shire town or later the county town. In most cases, the shires were named after their shire town (for example Bedfordshire) however exceptions to this rule exist, such as Wiltshire. In several other cases, such as Devon, the shire has a county town different from that which it is named after. The name 'county' was introduced by the Normans, and was derived from a Norman term for an area administered by a Count (lord). These Norman 'counties' were geographically based upon the Saxon shires, and kept their Saxon names. Several traditional counties, including Essex, Sussex and Kent, predate the unification of England by Alfred the Great, and originally existed as independent kingdoms. Motto (French) God and my right Anthem No official anthem - the United Kingdom anthem God Save the Queen is commonly used England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Unified  -  by Athelstan 927 AD  Area  -  Total 130... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Tax rates around the world Tax revenue as % of GDP Economic policy Monetary policy Central bank   Money supply Fiscal policy Spending   Deficit   Debt Trade policy Tariff   Trade agreement Finance Financial market Financial market participants Corporate   Personal Public   Banking   Regulation        A tax is a financial charge or other levy imposed on... A county town is the capital of a county in the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland. ... Wiltshire (abbreviated Wilts) is a large southern English county. ... “Devonshire” redirects here. ... Norman conquests in red. ... A count is a nobleman in most European countries, equivalent in rank to a British earl, whose wife is also still a countess (for lack of an Anglo-Saxon term). ... Essex is a county in the East of England. ... Sussex is a historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. ... coat of Arms of Kent For other uses, see Kent (disambiguation). ... Alfred (also Ælfred from the Old English: ÆlfrÄ“d //) (c. ...

The thirteen historic counties of Wales were fixed by Statute in 1539 (although counties such as Pembrokeshire date from 1138) and most of those of Scotland are of at least this age. Wales has thirteen historic counties. ... Pembrokeshire (Welsh: ) is a county in the southwest of Wales in the United Kingdom. ...

The county boundaries of England have changed over time. In the mediæval period, a number of important cities were granted the status of counties in their own right, such as London, Bristol and Coventry, and numerous small exclaves such as Islandshire were created. The next major change occurred in 1844, when many of these exclaves were re-merged with their surrounding counties (for example Coventry was re-merged with Warwickshire). The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... This article is about the English city. ... For other places with the same name, see Coventry (disambiguation). ... D is Bs exclave, but is not an enclave. ... Islandshire is a region in England, centred around Lindisfarne or Holy Island, including many villages on the mainland. ... A detailed map Stratford-upon-Avon Kenilworth Castle Warwickshire (pronounced // or //) is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in central England. ...

In 1965 and 1974 a major re-organisation of local government created several new administrative counties such as Hereford and Worcester and also created several new metropolitan counties which served large urban areas as a single administrative unit. Modern local government in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and a large part of England is based on the concept of smaller unitary authorities, a system similar to that proposed for most of Britain in the 1960s. Wyre Forest Bromsgrove Redditch Wychavon Worcester Malvern Hills Leominster Hereford South Herefordshire The County of Hereford and Worcester was an English administrative county created by the Local Government Act 1972 from the traditional counties of Herefordshire and Worcestershire. ... The six metropolitan counties shown within England The metropolitan counties are a type of county-level subnational entity in current use in England. ... Motto (Latin) No one provokes me with impunity Cha togar mfhearg gun dioladh (Scottish Gaelic) Wha daur meddle wi me?(Scots)1 Anthem (Multiple unofficial anthems) Scotlands location in Europe and the United Kingdom Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official languages English, Gaelic and Scots1 Government Constitutional monarchy... This article is about the country. ...

United States

Main article: County (United States) United States of America, showing states, divided into counties. ...

Map of the United States with county outlines.

The term county is used in 48 of the 50 states of the United States for a tier of organization immediately below the statewide tier and above (where created) the municipal or civil township tier. Download high resolution version (1513x983, 73 KB) Map of the USA showing borders of states and counties. ... Download high resolution version (1513x983, 73 KB) Map of the USA showing borders of states and counties. ... A U.S. state is any one of the 50 states which have membership of the federation known as the United States of America (USA or U.S.). The separate state governments and the U.S. federal government share sovereignty. ... A civil township is a widely-used unit of local government in the United States, subordinate to a county. ...

Louisiana has entities similar to counties but calls them parishes. Alaska is divided into boroughs, which typically provide fewer local services than most counties, as the state government provides more services directly. Some of Alaska's boroughs have merged geographical boundaries and administrative functions with their principal (and sometimes only) cities; these are known as unified city-boroughs and result in some of Alaska's cities ranking among the geographically largest "cities" in the world. However, Alaska officially considers such entities to be boroughs, not cities. Alaska is also unique in that over half the geographic area of the state is in the "Unorganized Borough", a legal entity where the state government also functions as the local government. Official language(s) de jure: none de facto: English & French Capital Baton Rouge Largest city New Orleans [1] Area  Ranked 31st  - Total 51,885 sq mi (134,382 km²)  - Width 130 miles (210 km)  - Length 379 miles (610 km)  - % water 16  - Latitude 29°N to 33°N  - Longitude 89°W... The U.S. state of Louisiana is divided into 64 parishes in the same way that 48 of the other states of the United States are divided into counties (Alaska is divided into boroughs and census areas). ... Official language(s) English[1] Spoken language(s) English 85. ... Map of Alaska boroughs and census areas The U.S. state of Alaska does not have counties in the sense of counties in the rest of the country. ...

In two states and parts of a third, county government has been abolished, and county refers to geographic governmental regions or districts. In Connecticut,^[2] Rhode Island^[3] and parts of Massachusetts^[4][5] counties exist only to designate boundaries for such state-level functions as park districts (Connecticut) or judicial offices (Massachusetts). In states where county government is weak or nonexistent, town government may provide some or all of the local government services. Official language(s) English Capital Hartford Largest city Bridgeport Largest metro area Hartford Area  Ranked 48th  - Total 5,543[2] sq mi (14,356 km²)  - Width 70 miles (113 km)  - Length 110 miles (177 km)  - % water 12. ... Official language(s) English Capital Providence Largest city Providence Area  Ranked 50th  - Total 1,214* [1] sq mi (3,144* km²)  - Width 37 miles (60 km)  - Length 48 miles (77 km)  - % water 32. ... Official language(s) English Capital Boston Largest city Boston Area  Ranked 44th  - Total 10,555 sq mi (27,360 km²)  - Width 183 miles (295 km)  - Length 113 miles (182 km)  - % water 13. ... The system of local government in use in New England is very different from that found throughout the rest of the United States. ...

When possessing a functioning government, each county will have a county seat (a center of county administration), usually in an incorporated municipality. A county seat is a term for an administrative center for a county, primarily used in the United States. ...

Independent cities and census districts are termed county equivalents when they function as the first jurisdiction below state level but are not part of any county. An independent city is a city that does not form part of another general-purpose local government entity. ...

In New York, there is a unique structure where an Independent city has five counties as subdivisions. New York City - officially known as The City of Greater New York, includes the counties of Bronx, Kings, New York, Queens, and Richmond, which are retained as the Boroughs of Brooklyn, The Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island. In this situation, the county governments have been subordinated to the City government. The Executive, re-named the Borough President, is elected, but subordinate to the Mayor. The Legislature has been made ex-officio, and consists of the City Council persons elected from the Borough, who are also assisted by one Community Board for each Council person; The Community Board is appointed by the Council person. The Judiciary has been retained intact, including the County District Attorney and the County Clerk, and has not been replaced by a City-wide Judiciary. The administrative functions of the City government are also organized at the Borough level. NY redirects here. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... Look up Borough in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Manhattan is a borough of New York City, New York, USA, coterminous with New York County. ... Queens County, often referred to as simply Queens, is the largest in area of the five boroughs of New York City, USA. It is home to New York Citys two major airports (John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia), the New York Mets baseball team, the USTA National Tennis Center, Silvercup... Staten Island (IPA: ) is one of the five boroughs of New York City. ...

References

1. ^ Etymology of the word county.
2. ^ National Association of Counties (U.S.A.): Connecticut Counties
3. ^ National Association of Counties (U.S.A.): Rhode Island Counties
4. ^ National Association of Counties (U.S.A.): Massachusetts Counties
5. ^ Massachusetts Leage of Women Voters: Massachusetts Government: County Government

• County Square Web Site