A canton is a type of
administrative division of a country.[1] In general, cantons are relatively small in terms of area and population when compared with other administrative divisions such as
counties,
departments, or
provinces. Internationally, the most politically important cantons are the
Swiss cantons. As the constituents of the
Swiss Confederation, theoretically and historically, they are semi-sovereign states.[2]
The term is derived from the
French word canton, meaning "corner" or "district" (from which "
cantonment" is also derived).[3]
In specific countries
Cantons exist or previously existed in the following countries:
Canada:
Canadian French equivalent for the English word "
township", since the translation municipalité is already used for a different level of government (see
township).
Cantons of El Salvador: divisions of a
municipality outside the more urban caserios, which border the town or city. Cantones can be thought as the more rural parts of a city or town, generally far from the actual urban population.[11]
^Balleine, G. R.; Marguerite Syvret; Joan Stevens (1998). Balleine's history of Jersey (Rev. and enlarged ed.). Chichester: Phillimore.
ISBN1-86077-065-7.
OCLC963688358.