A township (or municipality) is a settlement which has the status and powers of a unit of local government. A municipality is an administrative entity composed of a clearly defined territory and its population and commonly denotes a City, Town, or Village, or Specific use of the term to describe political subdivisions has varied by country.

The term township is a more common official term in English-speaking countries than municipality. In a number of countries (including Canada and the United States), the terms township and municipality are both used, with differing legal senses. However such differences are specific to the given country and represent no actual difference in the general sense of the words. Such a distinction is possible only in English-speaking countries, since other languages have only one word for the concept (Canada must therefore use canton for French-speakers instead of township). .

The existence of two English words corresponding to a single word in other languages is a common phenomenon due to the mixed Germanic and Romance origins of English. The word township is Germanic in origin, derived from Old English tún meaning "manor", while the word municipality is ultimately derived from Latin.

Uses of the term

Township (or municipality) is generally associated with an urban area. However there are many exceptions to this rule, especially in the U.S. In the Scottish Highlands the term describes a very small agricultural community, usually describing a local rural or semi-rural government within a county. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Scottish Highlands ( Scottish Gaelic: A' Ghàidhealtachd, Scots: Hielans) include the rugged and Mountainous

In most countries, a municipality is the smallest administrative subdivision to have its own democratically elected representative leadership. In Political geography and International politics, a country is a Political division of a geographical entity A municipality is an administrative entity composed of a clearly defined territory and its population and commonly denotes a City, Town, or Village, or Democracy is a form of government in which the supreme power is held completely by the people under a free electoral system An election is a Decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold formal office A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its

The largest municipalities can be found in Canada and Greenland. Possibly the largest municipality in the world is Baie-James in northern Quebec, Canada, with a land area of 297,330 km² (114,800 sq. The Municipality of Baie-James ( 2006 Population 1394 ( Municipalité de Baie-James) is in northern Quebec, Canada, to the east of Quebec (kwɨˈbɛk Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page miles), which is larger than either Italy or the United Kingdom. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located

• In Australia, municipalities are subdivisions of a state or territory. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. The Commonwealth of Australia is made up of 8 states and territories controlled under a federal system of government (See Local Government Areas in Australia). Local Government Area (abbreviated LGA) is a term used in Australia (and especially by the Australian Bureau of Statistics) to refer to areas controlled In Australia and New Zealand the designation of "township" traditionally refers to a small town: a place that in Britain might qualify as a village or a hamlet. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet, but smaller than a Town or City. A hamlet is (usually&mdashsee below a Rural community — that is a small settlement — which is too small to be considered a Village.
• In Bolivia, a municipality (municipio) is part of a province, which is part of a departamento. The Republic of Bolivia (República de Bolivia) named after Simón Bolívar, is a Landlocked country in central South America. A province is a territorial unit almost always an Administrative division. In the Terminology of Political geography and Historiography a National department (département departamento is an administrative
• In Bosnia and Herzegovina, a municipality (općina or opština) is
  • part of a canton (kanton)
  • a subdivision (grouped in regions)
• In Brazil, a municipality (município) is part of a state (estado). Bosnia and Herzegovina ( Latin script: Bosna i Hercegovina, Cyrillic script: Босна и Херцеговина is a country on the Balkan Cantons are the second-level units of local autonomy in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Political divisions of Bosnia and Herzegovina: Federacija Bosne i Hercegovine Republika Srpska Brčko District |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld The Federative Republic of Brazil is a union of twenty-six estados ("states" singular estado) and formed by the states and one district the Distrito However, the Federative Republic of Brazil is defined as a Tripartide Federal Republic. |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld A federal republic is a Federation of States with a republican form of government In other words, there isn't a federal hierarchy in Brazil.
• In Canada, two kinds of township occur in common use. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page See: Township (Canada)
  • In eastern Canada a township is one form of the subdivision of a county. The term Township generally means the district or area associated with a town A county is a Land area of Regional Government within a larger State. In Canadian French, this is a canton. Canadian French is an Umbrella term for the varieties of the French language used in Canada. A canton is an Administrative division of a country eg a region or state Townships are referred to as "lots" in Prince Edward Island and merely form census subdivisions and are not administrative units. Prince Edward Island (ˌprɪns ˌɛdwɚd ˈaɪlɨnd ( PEI or P The census geographic units of Canada are the Country subdivisions defined and used by Canada's federal government statistics bureau Statistics Canada to In Canada, a municipality is a city, town, township, county, or regional municipality which has been incorporated by statute by the legislatures of the provinces and territories. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page A Regional Municipality (or Region) is a type of Canadian Municipal Government similar to and at the same municipal government level as A statute is a formal written enactment of a Legislative authority that governs a Country, State, City, or County. The provinces and territories of Canada combine to make up the world's second largest country in total area. It is also a specific designation for certain municipalities in Quebec, Nova Scotia and Ontario. Quebec (kwɨˈbɛk Nova Scotia (ˌnəʊvəˈskəʊʃə ( Latin for New Scotland; Alba Nuadh Nouvelle-Écosse is a Canadian province located on Canada 's Ontario (ɒnˈtɛrioʊ is a province located in the central part of Canada, the largest by population and second largest after Quebec Certain areas of Saskatchewan and Manitoba are designated as rural municipalities, while equivalent areas in Alberta are designated as municipal districts and some in British Columbia are designated as district municipalities. Saskatchewan (səˈskætʃəwən) is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of 588276 Manitoba (English ˌmænɨˈtoʊbə French /manitoba/ is a province of Canada, spanning 647797 square kilometres (250116  sq mi of North America A rural municipality, often abbreviated RM, is a form of Municipality in the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, perhaps Alberta (ælˈbɝtə is one of Canada's prairie provinces. It became a province on September 1 1905 A municipal district is an administrative entity composed of a clearly defined territory and its population and commonly referring to a City, Town, or Village British Columbia (ˌbrɪtɨʃ kəˈlʌmbiə ( BC) ( (la Colombie-Britannique C
  • In western Canada townships exist only for the purpose of land division by the Dominion Land Survey and do not form administrative units. The Dominion Land Survey is the method used to divide most of Western Canada into one-square- Mile sections for agricultural and other purposes These townships are six miles by six miles (36 square miles, or roughly 93. 24 km²).
• In Chile, a municipality (municipalidad) is a legal entity which administers one or more communes (comuna) which are the third-level division of the country. Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the A commune (comuna is the smallest administrative subdivision in Chile and may contain Cities, Towns Villages, Hamlets as well as Rural The first division are regions which a next divided into provinces (provincia). ||-||} Chile is divided into 15 Regions (in Spanish, regiones; singular región) each of which is headed by an Intendant ( intendente Chile is divided into 53 Provinces grouped into 15 regions. Each province is headed by a governor ( gobernador) appointed by the president These provinces are next divided into comunas which are assigned to a municipality for administration. In most cases the municipality and the comuna have the same name, but the constitution permits a single municipality to be responsible for more than one commune.
• In Colombia, a municipality (municipio) is a decentralized entity that group to form a department (departamento). Colombia (kəˈlʌmbɪə officially the Republic of Colombia () is a country in northwestern South America. Colombia is a unitary republic conformed by thirty-two departments ( Spanish: departamentos, sing Municipalities are formed by Corregimientos and Veredas. Corregimiento is Spanish language term used for Country subdivisions It is used in Corregimientos of Colombia, below departments Vereda is a subdivisional administrative part of a municipality in Colombia

Further information: Municipalities of Colombia

• In Croatia, a municipality (općina) is part of a county (županija)
• In the Czech Republic, a municipality (obec) is part of a district (okres)
• In Denmark, a municipality (kommune) is part of a region. The Municipalities of Colombia are decentralized subdivisions of the Republic of Colombia. Croatia (Hrvatska ˈxȓvatska officially the Republic of Croatia ( Republika Hrvatska) is a southern Central European country at the crossroads between Opština or Obshtina, Cyrillic општина or община may refer to The counties are primary territorial subdivisions of the Republic of Croatia. The Czech Republic ( ˈt͡ʃɛskaː ˈrɛpuˌblɪka short form in Česko ˈt͡ʃɛskɔ also called Czechia, Okres ( Czech and Slovak term meaning "district" in English; from Old Slavic окрьсть - around refers to administrative entities in the The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe Legal foundation of municipalities The Constitution of Denmark states "Article 82 The Regions of Denmark were created on 1 January 2007 as part of the 2007 Danish Municipal Reform which created five new administrative units to replace the country's Counties (amter) were abandoned in Denmark on January 1, 2007. Denmark was until December 31, 2006 divided into 15 counties ( Danish: amter) and 270 municipalities (
• In the Dominican Republic a municipality (municipio) is a subdivision of a province (see municipalities of the Dominican Republic). The Dominican Republic ( Spanish: República Dominicana;) is a nation located in the Caribbean region and shares the island of Hispaniola with Municipio ( Spanish and Italian) and Município ( Portuguese) are terms used for subnational entities. See also Ranked list of Dominican Provinces See also Geographic Regions of the Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic is divided into thirty-one The provinces of the Dominican Republic are divided into two or more municipalities ( Municipios ' singular municipio) with the exception
• In England the term township referred to a subdivision used to administer a large parish. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland A parish is a Local church; it is an administrative unit typically found in episcopal or presbyterian churches ^[1] This use became obsolete a long time ago. Recently, some councils, normally in the north of England, have revived the term (see Township (England)). In England, township (latin - vill) usually means a village or hamlet
• In Estonia, a municipality (omavalitsus) is the smallest division. Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia ( Eesti or Eesti Vabariik) is a Country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region A Municipality (omavalitsus is the smallest administrative subdivision of Estonia.
• In Finland, a municipality (kunta) co-operates with municipalities nearby in a sub-region (seutukunta) and region (maakunta); a region belongs to a province (lääni) of the state. Finland, officially the Republic of Finland ( is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. ||-||}The municipalities ( kunta in Finnish, kommun in Swedish) represent the local level of administration in Finland and The state of Finland consists of 6 provinces ( Finnish: läänit, Swedish: län) A municipality can freely call itself a "city" (kaupunki).
• In France, a municipality (commune) is the lowest level of administrative division. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. A commune can be either a village, a small town, or a large city. The word municipalité is usually used to designate the administration running a large commune.
• In Germany, a municipality (Gemeinde) is part of a district (Kreis). Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Municipalities ( Gemeinde) are the lowest level of territorial division in Germany. German districts (de ''Kreise'' or de ''Landkreise'' in the states of Nordrhein-Westfalen and Schleswig-Holstein, singular de ''Kreis'' and de ''Landreis'' Larger entities of the same level are called towns (Stadt). In less populated regions, municipalities are often put together into collective municipalities (Verbandsgemeinde)
• In Greece, a municipality is either an urban demoi or rural koinotetes which is then part of a prefecture (nomos) and then a larger region known as a periphery. Municipalities ( Gemeinde) are the lowest level of territorial division in Germany. Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία For subsequent types of praefectura, see Prefect. Prefecture (from the Latin Praefectura) indicates the office The peripheries ( Περιφέρειες) are the official regional Administrative divisions of Greece.
• In Hungary, a municipality (települési önkormányzat) is part of a county (megye). Hungary (Magyarország 'mɔɟɔrorsaːg) officially in English the Republic of Hungary ( Magyar Köztársaság, literally Magyar (Hungarian Republic
• In Italy, a comune is part of a province (provincia) which is part of a region (regione). Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest In Italy, the comune, (plural comuni) is the basic Administrative division of both provinces and regions and may be properly approximated in In Italy, a Province (in Italian provincia) is an administrative division of intermediate level between Municipality ( Comune The term "municipality" is reserved for subdivisions of larger comuni (in particular, the comune of Rome). Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2
• In Japan, a municipality is the sphere of government within the prefectures, the sub-division of the state. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics.
• In Jersey, a municipality refers to the honorary officials elected to run each of the 12 Parishes into which it is subdivided. The Bailiwick of Jersey ( Jèrriais: Jèrri) is a British Crown dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. The Channel Island of Jersey is divided into twelve administrative districts or parishes All have access to the sea and are named after the saints to whom their
• In Kenya, a municipality is one of four types of local authorities. The Republic of Kenya is a country in East Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia to the north Somalia to the northeast Tanzania to the south Nearly 50 major towns are given the municipality status.
• In Lebanon, a municipality is part of a district (Arabic: Qadaa) which is part of a Governorate (Region or Province, Arabic: Mouhafazah). Lebanon (ˈlɛbənɒn Arabic: ar لبنان Lubnān) officially the Republic of Lebanon or Lebanese Republic (ar الجمهورية اللبنانية The governorates of Lebanon are divided into 25 Districts ( Aqdya, singular Qadaa) Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language A Governorate is an Administrative division of a country It is headed by a Governor. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language
• In Lithuania, a municipality (savivaldybė) is a part of a district (apskritis) and is subdivided into elderates (seniūnija). Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania (Lietuvos Respublika is a Country in Eastern often referred to as Northern Europe or in the ||} Seniūnija ( elderate or eldership in English is the smallest administrative division of Lithuania.
• In Mexico, a municipality (municipio) is a subdivision of a state (estado) and a borough (delegación) is a subdivision of a city, the most known boroughs are those in Mexico City (see municipalities of Mexico and Boroughs of the Mexican Federal District). The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. Municipalities ( municipios in Spanish) are the second-level administrative division in Mexico (where the first-level administrative division is the In Mexico, boroughs in which some municipalities and the Federal District are divided for administrative purposes are known as delegaciones (sing Municipalities ( municipios in Spanish) are the second-level administrative division in Mexico (where the first-level administrative division is the Mexico City —politically and administratively constituted as the Federal District—is divided into sixteen boroughs ( Spanish: delegaciones) for administrative
• In the Netherlands, a municipality (gemeente) is part of a province (provincie). The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands |||} All provinces of the Netherlands are divided into municipalities ( gemeenten) together 443 (2007 A Dutch province represents the administrative layer in between the national government and the local municipalities having the responsibility for matters of subnational or regional
• Every part of mainland New Zealand is part of either a "city" (mostly urban) or a "district" (mostly rural). New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island The term "municipality" has become rare in New Zealand since about 1979 and has no legal status.
• In Nicaragua, a municipality (municipio) is subdivision of a department (departamento) or of one of the two Autonomous Regions, Región Autónoma del Atlántico Norte and Región Autónoma del Atlántico Sur. Nicaragua (ˌnɪkəˈrɑgwə officially the Republic of Nicaragua () is a representative democratic republic and the largest nation in Central America An autonomous area is an area of a Country that has a degree of Autonomy, or freedom from an external authority Región Autónoma del Atlántico Norte ( Spanish for "Autonomous Region of the Northern Atlantic" sometimes shortened to RAAN is one of two Autonomous regions Región Autónoma del Atlántico Sur ( Spanish for "Autonomous Region of the Southern Atlantic" sometimes shortened to RAAS is one of two Autonomous regions
• In Norway, a municipality (kommune) is part of a county (fylke)
• In the Philippines, a municipality (bayan) is part of a province (lalawigan) — except for the independent municipalities of Navotas, Pateros and San Juan in the National Capital Region — and is composed of barangays. Norway ( Norwegian: Norge ( Bokmål) or Noreg ( Nynorsk) officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Constitutional ||} Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions called counties ( fylker, singular fylke) and 430 municipalities ( kommuner, cf ||-||} Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions, called counties ( Norwegian: singular fylke, plural fylker ( Bokmål The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP A municipality ( bayan, sometimes munisipyo in Cebuano or used infrequently in Tagalog) is a local government unit in the Philippines The provinces of the Philippines are the primary administrative divisions of the Philippines. Navotas is a city in Metro Manila, Philippines. The city occupies a narrow strip of land along the eastern Pateros refers to the following places Pateros Metro Manila, a municipality in Metro Manila, Philippines Pateros Washington For the capital city of Puerto Rico see San Juan Puerto Rico. Metropolitan Manila ( Filipino: Kalakhang Maynila, Kamaynilaan) or the National Capital Region (NCR ( Filipino: Pambansang This article refers to a political administrative division See Barangay Ginebra Kings for other uses
• In Poland, a municipality (gmina) is a part of a county (powiat). Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland The gmina or Municipality (frequently translated commune) plural gminy, is the principal unit (lowest level of territorial division in Poland A powiat (pronounced; Polish plural powiaty) is the second-level unit of Local government and administration in Poland, equivalent to a County
• In Portugal, a municipality (município) is a directly elected local area authority generally consisting of a main city and surrounding villages, with wide-ranging local administration powers. Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. It is also a subdivision of a district for central government purposes(distritos).
• In Puerto Rico, a municipality (municipio) is a town or city with a popularly elected administration, including a mayor. Puerto Rico (ˌpwertoˈriko officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ("Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico" {{lang-en|"Associated Free State of Puerto Rico"}} Puerto Rico census statistical areasThere are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the United States Government but Puerto Rico has 78 Municipalities
• In Romania, a municipality (municipiu) is a town or a city ranked by law at this level. Romania ( dated: Rumania, Roumania County capitals of Romania A municipality ( municipiu in A commune is the lowest subdivision of a judeţ . A commune ( comună in Romanian) is the lowest level of administrative subdivision in Romania A judeţ /ʒu'deʦ/ is an Administrative division in Romania and was also used for some time in Moldova.
• In parts of north west Scotland (Highlands and Islands), a "township (Scotland)" is a crofting settlement. Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. The Highlands and Islands of Scotland are broadly the Scottish Highlands plus Orkney, Shetland and the Hebrides. In the Highlands and Islands of Scotland a crofting township is a group of agricultural smallholdings (each with its own few Hectares
• In Serbia, a municipality (opština) is part of a county (okrug)
• In Slovakia, a municipality (obec) is part of a district (okres). Serbia (Србија Srbija) officially the Republic of Serbia (Република Србија Republika Srbija) is a Landlocked Country Opština or Obshtina, Cyrillic општина or община may refer to Okrug (окръг Serbian and о́круг округа translit Slovakia (long form Slovak Republic; Slovak:, long form, is a Landlocked country in Central Europe with a population of over five million Obec (plural obce is the Czech and Slovak word for a Municipality (both in Czechia Slovakia and abroad Okres ( Czech and Slovak term meaning "district" in English; from Old Slavic окрьсть - around refers to administrative entities in the There are 2 891 municipalities in the state. This is a comprehensive list of Municipalities and Towns in Slovakia.
• In South Africa, district municipalities and metropolitan municipalities are subdivisions of the provinces, and local municipalities are subdivisions of district municipalities. The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa In South Africa, a district municipality or Category C municipality is a Municipality which executes some the functions of local government for a district In South Africa, a metropolitan municipality or Category A municipality is a Municipality which executes all the functions of local government for a South Africa is currently divided into nine provinces On the eve of the 1994 general election, South Africa's former homelands also known as Bantustans, were reintegrated In South Africa, a Local municipality or Category B municipality is a type of municipality that serves as the third and most local tier of local government
• In South Africa under Apartheid the term township came to mean a residential development which confined non-whites (Africans, "coloureds" and Indians) who lived near or worked in white-only communities. The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa Soweto ("SOuth-WEst Townships") furnishes a well-known example. Soweto is an urban area in the City of Johannesburg, in Gauteng, South Africa. However, the term township also has a precise legal meaning, and is used on land titles (in all areas, not only traditionally non-white areas). See Township (South Africa)
• In Sweden, a municipality (kommun) is part of a county (län). In South Africa, the term Township usually refers to the (often underdeveloped urban living areas that under Apartheid, were reserved for non-whites "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. The Municipalities of Sweden ( kommun) are the Local government entities of Sweden. The Counties of Sweden, or Län, are the first level administrative and political Subdivisions of Sweden.
• In Switzerland, a municipality (commune/Gemeinde/comune) is part of a canton (canton/Kanton/cantone) and defined by cantonal law. Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation Municipalities (sometimes called communities or communes, after the French/Italian names are the smallest government division in Switzerland and are called The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the states of the Federal state of Switzerland.
• In Ukraine, a (village,town,city)municipality (mistseva rada) is part of district (raion) which is part of province (oblast)
• In the United States, townships are often distinct from other types of municipalities. Ukraine (Україна Ukrayina, /ukrɑˈjinɑ/ is a country in Eastern Europe. For the manufactured regenerated fiber see Rayon A raion (or rayon) (райо́н ra'jon rayon раён რაიონი Oblast (во́бласць oblast о́бласт oblast о́бласть област/ oblast; oblasť област о́бласть is a type of Administrative division The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Two kinds of township occur. A state may have only one or both of these. A US state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States of America that share Sovereignty with the federal government In states that have both, the boundaries usually coincide. See Township (United States)
  • A survey township is a unit of land measure defined by the Public Land Survey System. A township in the United States refers to a small geographic area Survey township, sometimes called Congressional township, as used by the United States Public Land Survey System, refers to a square unit of The Public Land Survey System (PLSS is a method used in the United States to survey and identify land parcels particularly for titles and deeds of rural wild or undeveloped These are generally referenced by a numbering system.
  • A civil township is a widely-used yet loose term applied to varying entities of local government, with and without municipal status. A civil township is a widely used unit of Local government in the United States, subordinate to a county. Local governments are administrative offices that are smaller than a State. Though all townships are generally given names and abbreviated "Twp. ," their function differs greatly from state to state. While cities, towns, boroughs, or villages are common terms for municipalities; townships, counties, and parishes are sometimes not considered to be municipalities. A borough is an Administrative division of various countries In principle the term borough designates a self-governing Township although in practice A parish is a Local church; it is an administrative unit typically found in episcopal or presbyterian churches In many states, counties and townships are organized and operate under the authority of state statutes. In contrast, municipal corporations are often chartered entities with a degree of home rule. However, there are some exceptions. Most notably, in New Jersey, townships are a class of incorporation with fixed boundaries and equal standing to a village, town, borough or city, analogous to a New England town. New Jersey ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. A township, in the context of New Jersey Local government, refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government The New England town is the basic unit of local government in each of the six New England states
• In Venezuela, a municipality (municipio) is part of a state, as well as a subdivision of the Capital District (estado). Venezuela (ˌvɛnəˈzweɪlə) officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish República Bolivariana de Venezuela) is a country on the Municipio ( Spanish and Italian) and Município ( Portuguese) are terms used for subnational entities. The Capital District (Distrito Capital of Venezuela is a Federal district corresponding to the Capital Caracas. | | |} Venezuela is divided into 23 states (estados, 1 Capital District (Distrito Capital and the Federal Dependencies (Dependencias
• In Zimbabwe during colonial years of Rhodesia, the term township referred to a residential area reserved for non-white (black) citizens and no town was necessary. See also Great Zimbabwe National Monument. For information about the March and June 2008 presidential elections see Zimbabwean presidential election Rhodesia was the name adopted when the formerly British colony of Southern Rhodesia declared itself independent ( Unilateral Declaration of Independence In modern Zimbabwe it refers to a residential area within close proximity of a rural growth point. See also Township (South Africa). In South Africa, the term Township usually refers to the (often underdeveloped urban living areas that under Apartheid, were reserved for non-whites

First-level entities

• In the People's Republic of China, townships are found at the fourth level of the administrative hierarchy, together with ethnic townships, towns and subdistricts. Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES See also Administrative divisions of the Republic of China Due to China 's large Population and area the political divisions of China have consisted In a similar fashion to the former Soviet Union 's Titular nations a number of areas associated with one or more ethnic minorities are designated as '''autonomous''' When referring to Political Divisions of China, town is the standard English translation of the Chinese 鎮 (simplified 镇; pinyin zhèn Wade-Giles Subdistrict is a low level Administrative division of a country See Township (China). Township ( is the basic level of political divisions in China. A direct-controlled municipality (直辖市 in pinyin: zhíxiáshì) is a city with equal status to a province: Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, and Chongqing (see Municipality of China)
• In the Republic of China on Taiwan, a municipality (直轄市 in Wade-Giles: chi-hsia-shih) is a city with equal status to a province: Taipei and Kaohsiung. Direct-controlled municipality (直辖市 zhíxiáshì) is the highest level classificiation for Cities used by Chinese governments with status equal to Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use A city is an Urban area with a large Population and a particular Administrative, Legal, or Historical status A province, in the context of China, is a translation of sheng ( which is an administrative division ( Postal map spelling: Tientsin) is the second largest city in northern coastal China. Shanghai ( 上[[wikt 海|海]] is the largest city in China in terms of population and one of the largest urban areas in the world with over 20 million Chongqing ( Postal map spelling: Chungking; Wade-Giles: Ch'ung-ch'ing) is the largest and most populous of the People's Republic of China Direct-controlled municipality (直辖市 zhíxiáshì) is the highest level classificiation for Cities used by Chinese governments with status equal to REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia. Wade-Giles (ˌweɪdˈʤaɪlz) sometimes abbreviated Wade, is a Romanization system (phonetic notation and Transcription) for the Mandarin The Republic of China currently administers two historical Provinces of China (one completely and a small part of another one and centrally administers two Direct-controlled Taipei ( Taiwanese Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tâi-pak-chhī Jhuyin Fuhao: ㄊㄞˊ ㄅㄟˇ ㄕˋ Hakka: Thòi-pet-sṳ has been the capital of (see Municipality of China)
• In Macedonia, 84 municipalities (opštini; singular: opština) were established in 2004, reduced from 123 created in 1996. Direct-controlled municipality (直辖市 zhíxiáshì) is the highest level classificiation for Cities used by Chinese governments with status equal to The Republic of Macedonia (Република The municipalities of the Republic of Macedonia are first-order Administrative divisions In August 2004 the Republic of Macedonia was reorganised into 84 municipalities
• In Portugal, a municipality (município/concelho) is the primary local administrative unit. Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. In Portugal, municipality (município or concelho (meaning "council" is the most stable Subdivision of Portugal since the foundation This is a list of the municipalities of Portugal. Portugal is divided into 18 districts (distritos and 2 autonomous regions (Portuguese regiões autónomas) Although it is a part of a district (distrito) for certain national administrative purposes, the municipality is not subordinate to the district and decentralization is doing away with the districts. The administrative divisions of Portugal are undergoing changes A municipality contains one or more freguesias. "Freguesia" ( pron fɾɛgɨ'ziɐ is the Portuguese term for Civil parish, a secondary Local administrative unit in Portugal
• In Puerto Rico, there are no first order administrative divisions, and the municipalities (municipio) serves as second-order, but first level, administrative divisions. Puerto Rico (ˌpwertoˈriko officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ("Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico" {{lang-en|"Associated Free State of Puerto Rico"}} Puerto Rico census statistical areasThere are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the United States Government but Puerto Rico has 78 Municipalities
• In Montenegro, a municipality (opština) is the topmost regional division
• Municipalities of Libya, some very large. Montenegro ( British English) Montenegrin / Serbian: PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE THE LANGUAGES WITHOUT CONSENSUS ON THE TALK PAGE! Opština or Obshtina, Cyrillic општина or община may refer to There are thirty-four municipalities of Libya, known by the Arabic term sha'biyat (singular Sha'biyah)
• In Slovenia, a municipality (občina) is the primary local administrative unit. Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia (Republika Slovenija) is a Country in southern Central Europe bordering Italy to the west Slovenia is divided into 210 municipalities ( občine, singular Občina) of which 11 have urban status There are 193 of them, 11 of which have a special "Urban" status with additional autonomy.
• In Spain, a municipality (municipio) is the primary local administrative unit. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Municipio ( Spanish and Italian) and Município ( Portuguese) are terms used for subnational entities. It is a part of a province (provincia) for all national administrative purposes. In addition to its autonomous communities, Spain is divided into fifty Provinces. A municipality contains one or more parroquias. Parroquia is a population entity typical of Galicia (Spain and Asturias. In the Galicia region, the municipalities are called concellos.

See also

• Administrative division
• Council of European Municipalities and Regions
• Council-manager government
• Croft (Scotland)
• Large list of European Municipalities
• Mayor
• Mayor-council government
• Muni
• Municipal government
• Municipal services
• Category:Lists of municipalities (with lists for countries)
• Political science
• Special-purpose district
• Town
• Urban-type settlement

References

1. ^ Winchester, A. Examples of administrative divisions English terms In many of the following terms corresponding to British cultural influence areas of relatively low mean population The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CCRE - CEMR is the largest organisation of local and regional government in Europe; its members are national associations In the council-manager form of government an elected city council (typically between five and 11 people is responsible for making Policy, passing Ordinances voting Appropriations A croft is a fenced or enclosed area of land usually small and arable with a crofter's Dwelling thereon A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning "greater" is a modern title used in many countries for the highest ranking officer in a municipal government The Mayor-Council government system sometimes called the Mayor-Commission government system is one of two variations of Government used for the most part in modern Local governments are administrative offices that are smaller than a State. Municipal services or city services refer to basic services that residents of a City expect the City government to provide in exchange for Political science is a branch of Social sciences that deals with the theory and practice of Politics and the description and analysis of Political systems There are two types of special-purpose districts in the United States school districts and special districts A town is a type of settlement ranging from a few to several thousand (occasionally hundreds of thousands inhabitants although it may be applied loosely even to huge metropolitan Urban-type settlement (посёлок городско́го ти́па posyolok gorodskogo tipa; селище міського типу selyshche mis'koho typu; (2000). Discovering parish boundaries. Shire Publications:Princes Riseborough, UK. ISBN 0747804702. pages 21-29.