List of counties of the United Kingdom

These counties are sometimes called historic counties, traditional counties or ancient or geographical counties.[1] People argue about how much they exist in law. They are useful for genealogical and historic matters. Anyone may choose to use traditional counties or not.

The traditional counties have had nothing to do with government since 1889. However until 1974 most local government counties were very like them.

The United Kingdom has 92 traditional counties.

See also

Local government administrative areas have different functions and powers in each of the different countries in the United Kingdom (England and the devolved administrations of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales) This resulted from devolution of administrative, executive, or legislative authority to the new institutions operating. The areas administered by local government have different types of names in the different parts of the United Kingdom.

• Districts of England

There is a total of 326 English districts. As the structure of local government in England is not uniform, there are currently four principal types of district-level subdivision (numbers shown in brackets)

1. Metropolitan borough (36)
2. Non-Metropolitan district (Shire District) (201)
3. Unitary authority (55)
4. London boroughs (32)

As a result, in parts of England there are local government counties with districts in them.^[1] In other parts there are counties with just one district, and in those parts there is only one council, which is the district council or the county council.^[2] Greater London is not a county; it has City of London, London Borough Councils, and a Greater London Authority. The Council of the Isles of Scilly is unique but is in effect a county council operating as unitary authority.

• Scotland

In Scotland there are "local government areas"^[3] but most people call them "council areas".

• Wales

In Wales there are "principal areas".^[4] Some councils' areas in Wales are called "counties" and others "county boroughs".

• Northern Ireland

In 1972, administrative functions in the Counties of Northern Ireland were replaced by 26 unitary authorities.^[5]

The Queen appoints officers called "lord-lieutenants" and High Sheriff in ceremonial counties and lieutenancy areas. The UK area in which their duties are carried out is usually called a ceremonial county except in Scotland, where they are called "Lieutenancy Areas". In Scotland only a lord-lieutenant is appointed to each lieutenancy area.

• The Gazetteer of British Place Names
• Local Government directory – British Government