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| Liberty County, Texas |
Liberty County, TexasLiberty County is a county located in the state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown Metropolitan Area. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the population is 70,154. Its county seat is Liberty6.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 3,046 km² (1,176 mi²). 3,004 km² (1,160 mi²) of it is land and 43 km² (17 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 1.41% water.
Adjacent counties
- Polk County (north)
- Hardin County (east)
- Jefferson County (southeast)
- Chambers County (south)
- Harris County (southwest)
- Montgomery County (west)
- San Jacinto County (northwest)
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 70,154 people, 23,242 households, and 17,756 families residing in the county. The population density is 23/km² (60/mi²). There are 26,359 housing units at an average density of 9/km² (23/mi²). The racial makeup of the county is 78.90% White, 12.82% Black or African American, 0.47% Native American, 0.32% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 6.03% from other races, and 1.43% from two or more races. 10.92% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 23,242 households out of which 38.10% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.50% are married couples living together, 11.40% have a female householder with no husband present, and 23.60% are non-families. 20.40% of all households are made up of individuals and 8.90% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.80 and the average family size is 3.23.
In the county, the population is spread out with 27.60% under the age of 18, 9.20% from 18 to 24, 31.60% from 25 to 44, 21.40% from 45 to 64, and 10.30% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 34 years. For every 100 females there are 95.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 92.40 males.
The median income for a household in the county is $38,361, and the median income for a family is $43,744. Males have a median income of $37,957 versus $22,703 for females. The per capita income for the county is $15,539. 14.30% of the population and 11.10% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 18.30% of those under the age of 18 and 15.00% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Cities and towns
External links
- [http://www.co.liberty.tx.us/ Liberty County government’s website]
- [http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/LL/hcl8.html Liberty County in Handbook of Texas Online] from The University of Texas at Austin
Category:Texas counties
ja:リバティー郡 (テキサス州)
CountyOriginally, 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 "county" and "earldom." Rather, the term "county," from French comté, was simply used by the Normans after 1066 to replace the native English term scir ("sheer") or "shire," in Modern English. A shire was an administrative division of an Anglo-Saxon kingdom (Wessex, Mercia, East Anglia, etc.), usually named after its administrative centre (e.g., Gloucester > Gloucestershire, Worcester > Worcestershire, etc.).
Thus, whereas the word comté denoted a sovereign jurisdiction in the original French, the English word "county" denotes a subdivision of a sovereign jurisdiction.
Overview
Australia
New South Wales
While New South Wales was divided into counties in the early days of the colony, often preceding European settlement, hundreds, parishes and counties became dead letters for most purposes other than the registration of land ownership, which, under the Torrens title system, is centralised in the state capital of Sydney. Sydney lies in the County of Cumberland.
Local government is organised as municipalities for urban areas, and shires for rural areas. Large urban areas are called "cities".
Canada
shire
Main article: Census division
Five of Canada's ten provinces are divided into counties. In Ontario, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, these are local government units, whereas in 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.
See also:
- List of New Brunswick counties
- List of Nova Scotia counties
- List of Prince Edward Island counties
- List of Ontario counties
- List of Quebec counties
- List of Quebec county regional municipalities
Divisions of the other provinces:
- In Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland and Labrador, instead of counties, divisions are used. (Though Alberta has "counties," they are not equivalent to Census Divisions). See list of Alberta Census Divisions.
- In British Columbia, regional districts are used. (see List of British Columbia Regional Districts)
- The Yukon Territory is one district in itself
- The Northwest Territories and Nunavut are divided into districts.
Statistics
- Census division statistics of Canada
China
Main article: County of China
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.
The number of counties in China proper numbers about 2,000, and has remained more or less constant since the Han dynasty. The county remains one of the oldest levels of government in China and significantly predates the establishment of provinces in the Ming dynasty. The county government was particularly important in imperial China because this was the lowest layer at which the imperial government functioned.
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.
The head of a county is the magistrate.
See also: Political divisions of China, Counties of Taiwan
Croatia
Counties have been units of regional self-government in Croatia since 1990. There are twenty counties and the city of Zagreb which has the same status. They are called županije and they are each headed by a župan (whose replacement is called a dožupan).
See also: Counties of Croatia
Hungary
The administrative unit of Hungary is called megye, or in Latin: comitatus, which can be translated with the word county. Presently Hungary is subdivided into 19 "proper" counties, 22 city counties and 1 capital, Budapest. See the list of counties of Hungary.
The comitatus was also the historic administrative unit in the Kingdom of Hungary, which included present-day neighboring countries of Hungary. See the list of historic counties of Hungary.
Ireland
The island of Ireland is divided into 32 counties, of which 26 later formed the Republic of Ireland and 6 made up Northern Ireland (for current status on Northern Irish counties, see under 'United Kingdom,' below). The counties are traditionally grouped into 4 provinces - Leinster (12), Munster (6) Connacht (5) and Ulster (9). Historically, the counties of Meath, West Meath and Dublin constituted the province of Meath - one of the "Five Fifths" of Ireland; 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.
The number and boundaries of administrative counties in the Republic of Ireland were reformed in the 1990's. 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, though sometimes called the 'twenty-six counties', the Republic of Ireland now has thirty-four 'county-level' authorities.
For almost all sporting, cultural and other purposes, the traditional 32 counties and 4 provinces remain in common usage. Each county has its own flag/colours (and often a nickname too), and county allegiances are taken quite seriously. See the counties of Ireland.
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.
Presently, "counties" have no political power or administrative function. The division is mainly significant in postal services.
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.
New Zealand
After New Zealand abolished its provinces in 1876, a system of counties similar to other countries' systems was instituted, lasting until 1989.
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.
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).
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".
Norway
Norway is divided into 19 counties (sing. fylke, plur. 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. kommuner), the ones with incorporated cities being called city municipalities (sing. bykommune, plur. bykommuner). The county of Oslo is equivalent to the municipality of Oslo.
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 Conservatives, Høyre, call for the abolishment of the counties once and for all, while others merely want to merger some of them into larger regions.
Poland
Polish second-level administration unit powiat is usually translated into English as county or district.
See also:
- List of counties in Poland
- List of counties in Poland by voivodships
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 40 counties and the capital, Bucharest having a separate status. See the list of counties of Romania.
Serbia and Montenegro
Subdivisions of Serbia (okrug) are sometimes translated as counties, though more often as districts. See District#Serbia and Montenegro
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.
The Swedish term used is län, which literally means "fief."
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom is divided into a number of metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties. There are also ceremonial counties and traditional counties which have no administrative function but exist as geographic areas. The metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties had replaced in 1974 a system of administrative counties which were introduced in 1889.
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 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.
The thirteen traditional 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.
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).
For centuries, the counties were used mainly for legal administration and tax raising. Modern local government did not come into being until 1889, when administrative counties (county councils) were created which were based upon the traditional county areas. 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. In 1986, however, the metropolitan county councils were abolished, and divided into a series of unitary authorities, although the counties still exist in name and for some administrative and ceremonial purposes. Traditionalists still refer to traditional counties for geographic purposes rather than administrative ones. Uniquely, the Isle of Wight is a unitary authority with county status.
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.
See also:
- Association of British Counties
- County Watch
United States
Main article: County (United States)
County (United States)
The term "county" is used in 48 of the 50 states of the United States for the tier of state government authority immediately below the statewide tier and above the township tier, in those states that sub-divided counties into civil townships.
Each county contains a county seat, which is where county offices are located (this is usually, but not always, an incorporated municipality). In some states, counties are subdivided into townships, which typically provide some or all of the local government services provided by cities and towns. The State of Michigan additionally has "charter townships", which are self-governing townships that have many of the rights of a city but fewer of the responsibilities, e.g., a charter township can have its own police force but it can also opt merely to use the county sheriff's deputies; and whereas ordinary townships cannot refuse to release land that a neighbouring city wishes to annex, charter townships, by virtue of having a charter from the state, have right of refusal.
In most western states, the county controls all unincorporated land within its boundaries. In states with a township tier, unincorporated land is controlled by the township. Residents of unincorporated land who are dissatisfied with county-level or township-level resource allocation decisions can incorporate as a city or village. In turn, depending on the state, the city or village government can then choose to provide all its own services, or provide only some and allow the county to provide the rest. Usually, the key difference between "city" and "village" is that a city must provide all of its own services and equivalent county authorities have no jurisdiction without the city's permision; while villages (which remain subject to township governments in those states that have them), being usually rural or semi-rural jurisdictions, are typically required to provide only those services that they can, with the rest being provided by the county or township.
Lists of counties by state can be found through U.S. counties; for more comparative information on U.S. counties, see county statistics of the United States.
Exceptions in Louisiana and Alaska
Louisiana uses the term parishes and Alaska uses boroughs. The U.S. Census Bureau lists 3,141 counties or county-equivalent administrative units. The power of the county government varies widely from state to state as does the relationship between counties and incorporated municipal governments, but counties (parishes, boroughs) are always administrative divisions of the state and the power they exercise is state government power. Unlike cities, which are municipal corporations with a degree of sovereignty granted by the state, counties have no powers of their own but merely exercise powers of state government that have assigned to their jurisdiction, either by the state constitution or the state legislature.
New England
In New England, counties function primarily as judicial districts, as most local government is exercised by towns. In Connecticut and Rhode Island, they have even lost all governmental function and are solely geographic designations. Outside New England, counties typically maintain law enforcement agencies, public utilities, library systems, collect vital statistics and prepare, and/or process to the state, certificates of births, deaths, marriages, and dissolutions (divorce decrees). In some states, the county sheriff is the principal law enforcement officer in the county, usually limited to areas outside the jurisdiction of cities and towns. In parts of the U.S., counties are "policed" by sheriffs, and cities are policed by police. In other areas, county law enforcement is called "County Police" with county sheriffs providing court services.
Massachusetts
As of 2005, Massachusetts has terminated 6 of 14 County Governments and put these county governments under state control.
Independent Cities in the U.S.
In Virginia, all municipalities incorporated as cities are organized as separate political units that are not part of any county (i.e., independent cities). In Maryland, the city of Baltimore is independent of any county, and Baltimore County is a separate entity outside the city. In Missouri, the city of St Louis is independent of any county, and St Louis County is a separate entity outside the city. There are also a small number of independent cities (not part of any county) in other states. However, independent cities are the exception rather than the rule, as are metropolitan municipalities. (In addition, until November 7, 1997, the portion of Yellowstone National Park that was within Montana was not part of any county, but as of that date, that portion has been added to Gallatin County.) The City of Atlanta is planning to merge with Fulton County to become an independent city or a consolidated city.
Counties switching into Regional or Metropolitan Municipalities
Metropolitan municipalities are consolidated city and county governments, which simultaneously operate as administrative divisions of and subordinate to state power and as municipal corporations that exercise whatever degree of sovereignty the state government or constitution confers upon them. Examples are San Francisco, California, Denver, Colorado, Honolulu, Hawaii, Indianapolis, Indiana, Louisville, Kentucky, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Nashville, Tennessee. The City of Greater New York is a unique metropolitan municipality in the world, being coextensive with five counties, each with their own administrative organs but all of them subject to one, integrated citywide government. With the exception of Denver and Broomfield, Colorado, both city and county councilors are the same.
County seats overlapping two or more counties
Some cities lie within two or more counties with state approval: Houston, Texas; Chicago, Illinois; Atlanta, Georgia; Columbus, Ohio; Kansas City, Missouri.
Atlanta and Fulton County
As Atlanta has grown, its relationship with Fulton County has become more complicated. Below are several plans for reconciliation.
Secession
One solution which has come up frequently during the 2000s is for north Fulton to secede, again becoming Milton County. This time it would include Roswell, as well as its original county seat of Alpharetta, and the neighborhood incorporated as Mountain Park. Some proposals call for it to include Sandy Springs as well, though it has always been in Fulton County and not in Milton. One of those proposals is being studied by a commission set up by the Georgia General Assembly during its 2005 session.
Any change in Georgia's county borders requires the consent of any county whose territory is involved, and the state legislature. In addition, any attempt to divide Fulton would require a constitutional amendment to the Georgia state constitution, in order for more than 159 counties to exist.
Municipalization
Since the 1970s, the longest-running battle has been allowing Sandy Springs to incorporate. With over 80,000 residents, it is already one of the largest cities in the state. It has not become a city however, due to the fact that it will take at least 20 million dollars away from the county every year, which will not be offset by the services the new city would take over. In 2005, the legislature finally allowed a referendum on the matter, and on June 21 Sandy Springs residents voted 94% in favor of incorporation. The new city will take over on the first day of 2006, though the county will continue to provide most services under contract through sometime in 2007.
Since 2004, municipalization of the entire county is also being considered, which would incorporate every area into a city. This would esentially eliminate the county's home rule powers (granted in the 1960s) to act as a municipality in unincorporated areas, and return it to being entirely a local extension of state government. At least one proposal would create several small cities, even where there are no longer towns to base them in.
If Milton were to become a county again, incorporating the relatively undeveloped northern and eastern corners of it would eliminate the need for much new government for a new county, though it would also create a need for two new city governments, possibly without a large enough tax base to support one or either of them. Incorporating the southwest of the county (formerly part of Campbell County) would be difficult, as the cities are really only smaller towns, and the unincorporated areas are quite large and not necessarily near any of them.
Other options
Other options which may be considered:
- Under current Georgia law, the city of Atlanta could merge government with Fulton County's, becoming a consolidated city-county. This could be complicated by the fact that part of Atlanta is in another county, and by the presence of other large cities in Fulton.
- Consolidation could also occur by reducing Fulton County down to only Atlanta, or to Atlanta and its immediate neighbors, leaving no unincorporated areas. This would also put the Atlanta-in-DeKalb area into Fulton, and require two new counties in the north and southwest.
- Atlanta could be made an independent city and if possible, they may change the official city name as The Corporation of Fulton County(simply as City of Fulton County), taking it out of both Fulton and DeKalb entirely. This would be difficult until more urban development can improve the city's tax base, and until the state begins to give significant support for MARTA and Grady Hospital (which serve the entire metro area but are paid for almost entirely by the city and county). Doing this would split Fulton County, requiring the remaining parts to become another two counties.
- Extraterritorial jurisdiction could be allowed, though statutory restrictions on the distance this could extend from an existing city may make it difficult to reach the far corners of the unusually-shaped and very unevenly-populated county. ETJ could also become a problem if boundaries are not organized and agreed upon at the beginning, which could spark further confusion and political discord if it becomes a first-come, first-served situation. ETJ is also mainly a zoning function, and thus may not be a complete solution.
- A different type of municipal or civil division could be created, such as a town or township. This could give independent local boards certain ETJ-like powers, but unlike a new city still allow for annexation by existing cities. This option could be politically complicated, as it would make a change which would likely have a statewide effect. The only neighboring state with townships is North Carolina, where they are considered county divisions.
- With the approval of the legislature, the far ends of the county could join other counties with their consent. The north end could rejoin Forsyth County, bringing the heavy business tax base of Alpharetta into the heavily-residential and still largely rural exurban county. The largely-undeveloped southwest end could rejoin with Douglas County, as they were originally under Campbell County.
Some of those options (except the first two and last) would also require an amendment passed by two-thirds of both the state house and senate, and a statewide referendum. Most have not yet been widely discussed, though the idea of consolidation has recently been mentioned by at least one state legislator.
Notes
# [http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=county&searchmode=none Etymology of the word county.]
References
Category:Subnational entities
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simple:County
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the fifty states (four of which officially favor the term commonwealth) which, together with the District of Columbia and Palmyra Atoll (an uninhabited incorporated unorganized territory), form the United States of America. The separate state governments and the U.S. federal government share sovereignty, in that an "American" is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of residence.
The United States Constitution allocates power between the two levels of government in general terms; the general idea is that by ratifying the Constitution, each state has transferred certain aspects of its sovereign powers to the federal government while retaining the remainder for itself. The tasks of education, health, transportation, and other infrastructure are generally the responsibility of the states.
Over time, the Constitution has been amended, and the interpretation and application of its provisions have changed. The general tendency has been toward centralization, with the federal government playing a much larger role than it once did.
Legal relationship
At the time of the Declaration of Independence from Great Britain in 1776, the 13 colonies became 13 independently sovereign states, which became fourteen in 1777 with the formation of the Vermont Republic; for a brief period, they were in effect legally separate nations. But upon the adoption of the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, the states became a single sovereign political entity as defined by international law, empowered to levy war and to conduct international relations, albeit with a very loosely structured and inefficient central government. After the failure of the union under the Articles of Confederation, the thirteen states joined the modern union via ratification of the United States Constitution, beginning in 1789.
Under Article IV of the Constitution, which outlines the relationship between the states, the Congress has the power to admit new states to the union. The states are required to give "full faith and credit" to the acts of each other's legislatures and courts, which is generally held to include the recognition of legal contracts, marriages, criminal judgments, and - at the time - slave status. The states are guaranteed military and civil defense by the federal government, which is also required to ensure that the government of each state remains a republic.
The Constitution is silent on the issue of the secession of a state from the union. The Articles of Confederation had stated that the earlier union of the colonies "shall be perpetual", and the preamble to the Constitution states that Constitution was intended to "form a more perfect union". In 1860 and 1861, several states attempted to secede, but were brought back into the Union by force of arms during the Civil War. Subsequently, the federal judicial system, in the case of Texas v. White, established that states do not have the right to secede without the consent of the other states.
- Four of the states bear the formal title of Commonwealth: Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. In these cases, this is merely a name and has no legal effect. However, the United States has non-state areas called commonwealths (Puerto Rico and the Northern Marianas) which do have a legal status different from the states.
- States are free to organize their judicial systems differently from the federal judiciary, as long as due process is protected. See state supreme court for more information. For example, most lawsuits in the state of New York are filed in the Supreme Court, and then appealed to the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court. The highest court in New York is the Court of Appeals.
- The joint resolution which admitted the Republic of Texas to the Union as a state guaranteed Texas the right to divide itself up into up to 5 states. This clause may be redundant, however, as any such state would arguably require Congressional approval, just as when Maine was split off from Massachusetts; it may also be unconstitutional, as reducing the equal suffrage of the other states in the United States Senate.
List of states
The states, with their U.S. postal abbreviations, traditional abbreviations, capitals and largest cities, are as follows. For a complete list of non-state dependent areas and other territory under control of the U.S., see United States dependent areas.
State names speak to the circumstances of their creation. (See the lists of U.S. state name etymologies and U.S. county name etymologies for more detail.)
- Southern states on the Atlantic coast originated as British colonies named after British monarchs: Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia, and Maryland. Some northeastern states, also former British colonies, take their names from places in the British Isles: New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York.
- Many states' names are those of Native American tribes or are from Native American languages: Kansas, Massachusetts, Hawaii, Connecticut, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, the Dakotas, Mississippi, Texas, Utah, and others.
- Because they are on territories previously controlled by Spain or Mexico, many states in the southeast and southwest have Spanish names. They include Colorado, New Mexico, Florida, and Nevada.
- Because it was previously a French colony, Louisiana is named after the Louis XIV (King of France at the time).
- The origins of the names of California, Oregon, Idaho, and Rhode Island are unknown, although various theories exist.
Trivia
Names
- "Georgia" can refer to either a U.S. state or to an independent country in the Caucasus.
- The name "New York" can refer to any one of three geographical levels: a state, a city in that state, or a county (coterminous with the borough of Manhattan) in that city.
- "Washington" is a state, a city corresponding to the District of Columbia (and thus not part of any state), and a number of cities and counties in various states. See the list of places named for George Washington.
- The state of Washington is the only state named after a U.S. President (or after a person born within the area now comprising the U.S., for that matter).
- The official name of Rhode Island is "the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations."
- Only two states have state capitals named for the state (however, such name-sharing occurs commonly with states and provinces in some other countries, where the state or province actually often takes its name from a capital city): Oklahoma, with capital Oklahoma City, and Indiana, with capital Indianapolis (which means Indiana City). Iowa City, Iowa was the first state capital of Iowa but the capital was later moved to Des Moines, Iowa.
- Maine is the only state with a one-syllable name.
Geography
- Colorado and Wyoming are bounded by two circles of latitude and two meridians each, i.e. they appear to be rectangles in a cylindrical map projection.
- Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming are the only states whose borders are made up of only straight lines (taking meridians and circles of latitude as straight lines) and, thus, the only states whose borders completely ignore natural features.
- Every state—except Hawaii, which has no land boundaries—has straight lines as at least part of its boundaries. These are usually combined with rivers (see river borders of U.S. states), ridge lines and other natural boundaries. Pennsylvania and Delaware are unique in that their common border is an arc of a circle, see The Twelve-Mile Circle.
- The lower peninsula of Michigan is shaped like a mitten; Louisiana is shaped like a boot.
- Alaska, Florida, Idaho, Maryland, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas and West Virginia have panhandles.
- Alabama, Missouri, New Mexico and Mississippi have bootheels.
- Alaska and Hawaii are the only states that are not physically connected to other states; Maine is the only state that borders only one other state. Missouri and Tennessee each border eight other states, the most for any state.
- Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah are the only four states to share a common border, known as the "Four Corners."
- Appearances given by the stereographic projection to the contrary, Minnesota is the northernmost of the forty-eight contiguous United States, as a northern spur of the state contains a portion of Lake of the Woods. At one time it was thought that Lake of the Woods contained the headwaters of the Mississippi River (now known to be at Lake Itasca).
- Alaska is the northernmost state and the westernmost state. Some would argue that it is also the easternmost state, as the Aleutian island chain crosses the 180º line of longitude.
Grouping of the states in regions
Alaska, The South and The Northeast. Note that Alaska and Hawaii are shown at different scales, and that the Aleutian Islands and the uninhabited Northwestern Hawaiian Islands are omitted from this map.]]
States may be grouped in regions; there are endless variations and possible groupings, as most states are not defined by obvious geographic or cultural borders. For further discussion of regions of the U.S., see the list of regions of the United States.
State lists
- List of U.S. state capitals
- List of current and former capital cities within U.S. states
- List of U.S. states' largest cities
- List of U.S. states by date of statehood
- List of U.S. states that were never territories
- List of U.S. state name etymologies
- List of U.S. states by area
- List of U.S. states by elevation
- List of U.S. states by population
- List of U.S. states by population density
- List of U.S. states by time zone
- List of U.S. states by unemployment rate
- Traditional U.S. state abbreviations
- U.S. postal abbreviations
- U.S. state temperature extremes
- Codes: FIPS state code, ISO 3166-2:US
- Lists of U.S. state insignia
- List of U.S. state amphibians
- List of U.S. state beverages
- List of U.S. state birds
- List of U.S. state butterflies
- List of U.S. state colors
- List of U.S. state dances
- List of U.S. state dinosaurs
- List of U.S. state fish
- List of U.S. state flags
- List of U.S. state flowers
- List of U.S. state foods
- List of U.S. state fossils
- List of U.S. state grasses
- List of U.S. state insects
- List of U.S. state instruments
- List of U.S. state license plates
- List of U.S. state mammals
- List of U.S. state minerals, rocks, stones and gemstones
- List of U.S. state mottos
- List of U.S. state nicknames
- List of U.S. state reptiles
- List of U.S. state seals
- List of U.S. state slogans
- List of U.S. state soils
- List of U.S. state songs
- List of U.S. state sports
- List of U.S. state tartans
- List of U.S. state trees
See also
- Geography of the United States
- List of regions of the United States
- Political divisions of the United States
- United States territory
- United States territorial acquisitions
- List of U.S. counties that share names with U.S. states
- States' rights
- Statehood Quarter
References
External links
- [http://factfinder.census.gov/bf/_lang=en_vt_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U_GCTPH1R_US9S_geo_id=01000US.html Tables with areas, populations, densities and more (in order of population)]
- [http://factfinder.census.gov/bf/_lang=en_vt_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U_GCTPH1_US9_geo_id=01000US.html Tables with areas, populations, densities and more (alphabetical)]
- [http://www.usnewspapers.org US Newspapers by State]
- [http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0854966.html Origin of State Names]
United States, States of the
Category:Subdivisions of the United States
- U.S. State
ja:アメリカ合衆国の地方行政区画
ko:미국의 주
simple:List of U.S. states
th:มลรัฐของสหรัฐอเมริกา
zh-min-nan:Bí-kok ê hêng-chèng-khu
Houston Metropolitan Area
The Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown Metropolitan Area, a title designated by the U.S. Census as of 2003, is the seventh largest and most diverse metropolitan area in the United States and consists of ten counties within the state of Texas.
Its former title was Houston–Galveston–Brazoria. The area is colloquially referred to as either the "Houston metropolitan area" or the "greater Houston area" and is situated in the region of East Texas.
The Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolital statistical area (MSA) has a population of 5.2 million as of the 2004 U.S. Census estimate. The metropolitan area comprises ten counties, centering in Houston. Houston was named a "Gamma World City" by the Globalization and World Cities Study Group & Network (GaWC).
The population of the metropolitan area grew 25.2 percent between the 1990 and 2000 censuses while the nation's population increased 13.2 percent over the same period. Among the largest United States metropolitan areas, the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown MSA ranks fifth in Hispanic population and 8th in Asian and Pacific Islander.
Economic activities
The area's economic activity is centered in Houston, the county seat of Harris County. Houston is a major port and financial center for oil companies. Sugar Land is home to the second-largest economic activities and third largest city in the metropolitan area. Sugar Land has the most important and booming economic center in Fort Bend County.
Baytown and Galveston also have ports. Galveston also has the largest cruise ship terminal in Texas (and the twelfth in the world) and is a recreational area for people in the region. Sugar Land holds the Nalco/Exxon and Western Airways headquarters. Engineering firms and other related industries have managed to take the place as an economic engine.
Houston's largest airport (and Texas' second-largest), George Bush Intercontinental Airport, is located in north Houston. Continental Airlines is headquartered in Downtown Houston. The southeast of Houston has William P. Hobby Airport, the second-largest commercial passenger airport. Houston's third-largest airport is Ellington Field, which houses several National Guard and Air National Guard units, as well as the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center's fleet of jets that are used to train astronauts. Sugar Land, southwest of Houston, has the Sugar Land Regional Airport. Sugar Land Regional is the fourth largest airport in the metropolitan area and the only general reliever airport in the southwest sector.
Counties
Sugar Land Regional Airport
There are ten counties in the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan statistical area (MSA) defined by the U.S. Census as of 2003. They are listed below with population figures as of the 2004 U.S. Census estimates.
- Harris County — 3,644,285
- Fort Bend County — 442,620
- Montgomery County — 362,382
- Galveston County — 271,743
- Brazoria County — 271,130
- Liberty County — 74,821
- Waller County — 34,757
- Chambers County — 28,227
- Austin County — 25,800
- San Jacinto County — 24,678
Cities and towns
Principal cities
There are four principal cities defined by the U.S. Census as of 2003. Population figures are within the city limits as of the 2005 U.S. Census estimates.
- Houston — 2,553,362
- Sugar Land — 73,721
- Baytown — 67,321
- Galveston — 57,355
Cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants
- Houston
- Pasadena
Cities and towns with 10,000 to 100,000 inhabitants
Cities and towns with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants
See also
- United States metropolitan area
- List of United States metropolitan statistical areas by population
- Texas metropolitan areas
Category:Texas metropolitan areas
Category:Houston, Texas
Category:Harris County, Texas
Category:Fort Bend County, Texas
Category:Montgomery County, Texas
Category:Galveston County, Texas
Category:Metropolitan areas of the United States
U.S. Census
The United States Census is mandated by the United States Constitution. The population is enumerated every 10 years and the results are used to allocate Congressional seats ("congressional apportionment"), electoral votes, and government program funding. (Some states also conduct statewide censuses as the need arises; these are called state censuses.)
The census is performed by the United States Census Bureau. The first census after the American Revolution was taken in 1790; there have been 21 federal censuses since that time. The next census will be taken in 2010. A detailed page on the most recent census can be found at United States 2000 Census.
About Census records
Census records and data are not available to the public until 72 years after they were taken. Every census up to 1930 is currently available to the public and can be viewed on microfilm released by the National Archives and Records Administration, the official keeper of old federal census records. These census records are also available online from various sources such as [http://www.ancestry.com Ancestry.com], which has all released census records available for a subscription. The 1940 census will be available for review in 2012.
History of the U.S. Census
Censuses had been taken prior to the Constitution's ratification; in the early 1600s, a census was taken in Virginia, and people were counted in nearly all of the British colonies that became the United States.
Down through the years, the country's needs and interests became more complex. This meant that there had to be statistics to help people understand what was happening and have a basis for planning. The content of the decennial census changed accordingly. In 1810 the first inquiry on manufactures, quantity and value of products; in 1840 on fisheries were added, and in 1850, the census included inquiries on social issues, such as taxation, churches, pauperism and crime. The censuses also spread geographically, to new States and Territories added to the Union, as well as to other areas under U.S. sovereignty or jurisdiction. There were so many more inquiries of all kinds in the censuses of 1880 and 1890 that almost a full decade was needed to publish all the results.
For the first five censuses (1790-1840) enumerators recorded only the names of the heads of household and did a general demographic accounting of the remaining members of the household. Beginning in 1850, all members of the household were named by the enumerator. The first slave schedules were done in 1850, with the second (and last) in 1860. Censuses of the late 19th century also included agricultural and industrial schedules to gauge the productivity of the nation's economy. Mortality schedules (taken between 1850 and 1880) captured a snapshot of life-spans and causes of death throughout the country.
The first nine censuses (1790-1870) were not managed by the U.S. Executive Branch, but by the U.S. Judicial Branch. The United States Federal Court districts assigned a U.S. marshals who hired assistant marshals to do the actual census-taking.
First Census of the United States (1790)
The first Census was taken August 2, 1790. The federal census records for the first census are missing for five states: Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey and Virginia. They were destroyed some time between the time of the census-taking and 1830. The census estimated the population of the United States at 3,900,000.
Second Census of the United States (1800)
The second Census was taken August 4, 1800.
Third Census of the United States (1810)
The third Census was taken August 6, 1810.
Fourth Census of the United States (1820)
The fourth Census was taken August 7, 1820.
Fifth Census of the United States (1830)
The fifth Census was taken June 1, 1830.
Sixth Census of the United States (1840)
The sixth Census was taken June 1, 1840. The census estimated the population of the United States at 17,100,000. The results were tabulated by 28 clerks in the Bureau of the Census.
Seventh Census of the United States (1850)
The seventh Census was taken June 1, 1850. The 1850 census was a landmark year in American census-taking. It was the first year in which the census bureau attempted to count every member of every household, including women, children and slaves. Accordingly, the first slave schedules were produced in 1850. Prior to 1850, census records had only recorded the name of the head of the household and broad statistical accounting of other household members, (three children under age five, one woman between the age of 35 and 40, etc.).
Eighth Census of the United States (1860)
The eighth Census estimated the population of the United States at 31,400,000. The results were tabulated by 184 clerks in the Bureau of the Census.
Eleventh Census of the United States (1890)
The eleventh Census was taken June 1, 1890. The 1890 census announced that the frontier region of the United States no longer existed and therefore the tracking of westward migration would no longer be tabulated in the census. This trend prompted Frederick Jackson Turner to develop his milestone Frontier Thesis.
The 1890 census was the first to be compiled on a tabulating machine, developed by Herman Hollerith. This introduction of technology reduced the time taken to tabulate the census from seven years for the 1880 census to two and a half years for the 1890 census despite the fact the U.S. population had almost doubled during that period. The total population of 62,622,250 was announced after only six weeks of processing. Ironically, the public reaction to this tabulation was disbelief, as it was widely believed that the "right answer" was at least 75,000,000.
The logistical difficulties in compiling the census drove computing technology for the next fifty years until computers became widespread in industry. IBM's first electronic computer was created primarily to deal with the needs of the census in addition to military and academic uses.
This census is also notable for the fact it is the only one for which the original data is no longer available. Almost all the population schedules were destroyed in a fire in 1921.
Fifteenth Census of the United States (1930)
The fifteenth Census was taken on April 2, 1930, except in Alaska Territory, where census-taking began October 1, 1929.
22nd Census of the United States (2000)
See also
- IPUMS, a database providing statistical samples of census data
- Race (U.S. Census)
References
- Campbell-Kelly, Martin, and Aspray, William. Computer: A History of the Information Machine. New York: Basic Books, 1996. ISBN 0-465-02990-6.
External links
- [http://www.census.gov U.S. Census Bureau: Official site]
- [http://people.howstuffworks.com/census.htm howstuffworks.com: How the Census works]
- [http://www.1880uscensus.com 1880uscensus.com: 1880 United States Census search]
Category:Demographics of the United States
County seatA county seat is an administrative center for a county. In the U.S. New England states and the Canadian Maritime Provinces, the term "shire town" is also used, but officially so only in Vermont. In England, Wales and Ireland, the term county town is used. This term is probably still used colloquially in Scotland and Northern Ireland, but today neither are divided into counties - instead being divided, respectively, into regions and districts. Counties are called "parishes" in Louisiana and Alaska is divided into "boroughs" (here, meaning a very large district or region of the state). Their seats of county government are called "parish seat" and "borough seat," respectively. The Canadian province of Ontario, in addition to counties, also has territorial districts, regional muncipalities, and at least one metropolitan municipality, which are effectively different types of counties in that they perform county government functions.
In America as in England and Canada, a county is an administrative division of a state which has no sovereign jurisdiction of its own, so it would not be correct to say that a county seat is equivalent to a capital city since it's just an administrative centre. (See also the article, Counties of the United States.) Counties administer state or provincial law at the local level as part of the decentralisation of state/provincial authority. In many U.S. states, state government is further decentralised by dividing counties into townships, to provide local government services to residents of the county who do not live in incorporated cities or towns.
A county seat is often, but not always, an incorporated municipality. The county courthouse and county administration are usually located in the county seat, but some functions may also be conducted in other parts of the county, especially if it is geographically large.
Most counties have only one county seat. However, some counties in Arkansas, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, and Mississippi have two or more county seats, usually located on opposite sides of the county. An example is Harrison County, Mississippi, which lists both Biloxi and Gulfport as county seats. The practice of multiple county towns dates from the days when travel was difficult. There have been few efforts to eliminate the two-seat arrangement since a county seat is a source of pride (and jobs) for the towns involved.
In Virginia, all cities are independent cities, which are legally distinct from the counties that surround them. An independent city interacts with the commonwealth (state) government directly whereas villages and other local government authorities do so through the county government apparatus. However, many of Virginia's independent cities act as the county seat for their neighbouring counties. For example, the City of Fairfax is separate from Fairfax County, but is still the county's seat.
Uniquely, because it was formerly part of the District of Columbia, Arlington County, Virginia, which is the smallest county in the United States, has no county seat - because it has no muncipalities within its boundaries. Prior to their retrocession to Virginia during the nineteenth century, Arlington and the neighboring independent city of Arlington were, respectively, Arlington County and Alexandria County - two of the three counties of the District of Columbia. The District as currently drawn was coextensive with the County of Washington, which disappeared in the twentieth century following the amalgamation of Tenley, Anacostia and the other rural and semi-rural towns and villages of Washington County, D.C., to the City of Washington.
References
Category:Capitals
Category:U.S. counties
ja:郡庁所在地
Square kilometerSquare metre
Polk County, TexasPolk County is a county located in the state of Texas. As of 2000, the population is 41,133. Its county seat is Livingston6. Polk is named for James Knox Polk, the eleventh president of the United States.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,874 km² (1,110 mi²). 2,738 km² (1,057 mi²) of it is land and 136 km² (53 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 4.74% water.
Adjacent counties
- Angelina County (north)
- Tyler County (east)
- Hardin County (southeast)
- Liberty County (south)
- San Jacinto County (southwest)
- Trinity County (northwest)
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 41,133 people, 15,119 households, and 10,915 families residing in the county. The population density is 15/km² (39/mi²). There are 21,177 housing units at an average density of 8/km² (20/mi²). The racial makeup of the county is 79.64% White, 13.17% Black or African American, 1.74% Native American, 0.38% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 3.74% from other races, and 1.32% from two or more races. 9.39% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 15,119 households out of which 28.80% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.90% are married couples living together, 10.80% have a female householder with no husband present, and 27.80% are non-families. 24.60% of all households are made up of individuals and 12.50% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.50 and the average family size is 2.95.
In the county, the population is spread out with 22.90% under the age of 18, 8.10% from 18 to 24, 26.80% from 25 to 44, 24.20% from 45 to 64, and 18.00% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 39 years. For every 100 females there are 108.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 109.50 males.
The median income for a household in the county is $30,495, and the median income for a family is $35,957. Males have a median income of $30,823 versus $21,065 for females. The per capita income for the county is $15,834. 17.40% of the population and 13.30% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 23.10% of those under the age of 18 and 12.30% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Cities and towns
- Corrigan
- Goodrich
- Livingston
- Onalaska
- Seven Oaks
- West Livingston
External links
- [http://www.co.polk.tx.us/ Polk County government’s website]
- [http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/PP/hcp6.html Polk County in Handbook of Texas Online] at the University of Texas
Category:Texas counties
Jefferson County, Texas
Jefferson County is a county located in the state of Texas. As of 2000, the population is 252,051. Its county seat is Beaumont6, and it is named for the former US president, Thomas Jefferson.
Geography
Jefferson County is located on the plains of the Texas Gulf Coast in the southeastern part of the state. The county is partially bounded on the north by Pine Island Bayou, and on the east by the Neches River and Sabine Lake. The southern part of the county is largely marshland, much of which is contained within Sea Rim State Park.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,878 km² (1,111 mi²). 2,340 km² (904 mi²) of it is land and 538 km² (208 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 18.69% water.
Adjacent counties
- Hardin County (north)
- Orange County (northeast)
- Cameron Parish, Louisiana (east)
- Gulf of Mexico (southeast)
- Chambers County (southwest)
- Liberty County (northwest)
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 252,051 people, 92,880 households, and 63,808 families residing in the county. The population density is 108/km² (279/mi²). There are 102,080 housing units at an average density of 44/km² (113/mi²). The racial makeup of the county is 57.24% White, 33.74% Black or African American, 0.34% Native American, 2.89% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 4.26% from other races, and 1.50% from two or more races. 10.53% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 92,880 households out of which 33.00% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.40% are married couples living together, 16.20% have a female householder with no husband present, and 31.30% are non-families. 27.30% of all households are made up of individuals and 11.00% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.55 and the average family size is 3.12.
In the county, the population is spread out with 25.90% under the age of 18, 10.00% from 18 to 24, 29.30% from 25 to 44, 21.10% from 45 to 64, and 13.60% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 35 years. For every 100 females there are 101.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 100.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county is $34,706, and the median income for a family is $42,290. Males have a median income of $36,719 versus $23,924 for females. The per capita income for the county is $17,571. 17.40% of the population and 14.60% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 24.60% of those under the age of 18 and 11.80% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
2004 Election
This is one of the few counties in Texas that gave Senator John Kerry a majority of the popular vote. Kerry received 47,050 votes while George W. Bush received 44,412.
Cities and towns
- Beaumont
- Bevil Oaks
- Central Gardens
- China
- Fannett
- Groves
- Nederland
- Nome
- Port Arthur
- Port Neches
External links
- [http://www.co.jefferson.tx.us/ Jefferson County government’s website]
- [http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/JJ/hcj5.html Jefferson County in Handbook of Texas Online] at the University of Texas
Category:Texas counties
Chambers County, TexasChambers County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown Metropolitan Area. As of 2000 U.S. Census, the population is 26,031. Its county seat is Anahuac6. The county is named for Thomas Jefferson Chambers, an early lawyer in Texas.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,258 km² (872 mi²). 1,552 km² (599 mi²) of it is land and 706 km² (273 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 31.27% water.
Adjacent counties
- Liberty County (north)
- Jefferson County (east)
- Galveston County (southwest)
- Harris County (west)
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 26,031 people, 9,139 households, and 7,219 families residing in the county. The population density is 17/km² (43/mi²). There are 10,336 housing units at an average density of 7/km² (17/mi²). The racial makeup of the county is 81.88% White, 9.77% Black or African American, 0.48% Native American, 0.67% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 6.02% from other races, and 1.18% from two or more races. 10.79% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 9,139 households out of which 40.60% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.70% are married couples living together, 9.00% have a female householder with no husband present, and 21.00% are non-families. 17.80% of all households are made up of individuals and 6.70% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.82 and the average family size is 3.20.
In the county, the population is spread out with 28.90% under the age of 18, 8.20% from 18 to 24, 29.90% from 25 to 44, 24.00% from 45 to 64, and 9.00% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 35 years. For every 100 females there are 100.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 99.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county is $47,964, and the median income for a family is $52,986. Males have a median income of $43,351 versus $25,478 for females. The per capita income for the county is $19,863. 11.00% of the population and 8.30% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 13.30% of those under the age of 18 and 12.60% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Cities and towns
External links
- [http://www.co.chambers.tx.us/ Chambers County government’s website]
- [http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/CC/hcc9.html Chambers County in Handbook of Texas Online] from The University of Texas at Austin
Category:Texas counties
ja:チェンバーズ郡 (テキサス州)
Harris County, Texas
Harris County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown Metropolitan Area. As of 2000 U.S. Census, the population is 3,400,578. Its county seat is Houston6. Harris County is named for John Richardson Harris, an early settler of the area.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 4,604 km² (1,778 mi²). 4,478 km² (1,729 mi²) of it is land and 127 km² (49 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 2.75% water.
Adjacent counties
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