County

County is a geographical region of a country used for administrative or other purposes in certain modern nations. Its etymology derives from the Old French conte or cunte and could denote a jurisdiction in mainland Europe, under the sovereignty of a count or a viscount. The modern French is comté, and its equivalents in other languages are comté, contea, contado, etc.

History

The term county is derived from the term count, a high-ranking official in the medieval period. The role of the count varied widely from country to country, but they were typically appointed by the king and had a range of responsibilities including judicial, military, and administrative duties. The area of land over which a count had jurisdiction was known as his county.

Modern Usage

In modern times, the term county is used in several countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, and Australia. The specific powers and responsibilities of a county vary widely from country to country, and even within countries. In some cases, counties have significant powers of self-government, while in others they are largely administrative divisions of the state.

United States

In the United States, a county is a political and geographic subdivision of a state. Each of the 50 U.S. states is divided into counties (or parishes in Louisiana, or boroughs in Alaska). Counties have varying degrees of political and legal significance. In some states, they are the principal form of local government, while in others they have little or no power.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, a county is a geographical and administrative division of the country. There are 48 counties in England, 6 in Northern Ireland, 32 in Scotland, and 22 in Wales. Each county has a county council, which is responsible for providing certain local services such as education, transport, and social services.

See Also

• List of counties in the United States
• List of counties in the United Kingdom
• List of counties in Ireland
• List of counties in Canada
• List of counties in Australia

References

County Resources
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