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Greater London and the historic counties explained
Greater London, established in 1965, overlays historic counties like Middlesex and Kent, illustrating distinct administrative and geographical identities that coexist without replacement.
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Greater Manchester and Merseyside are not geographic counties: what are they?
Greater Manchester and Merseyside are not geographic counties. They are names used for later local-government and lieutenancy geographies spanning parts of several…
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Counties corporate explained: did Bristol, York, Norwich and other cities become separate geographic counties?
Counties corporate gave certain cities and towns their own county-type legal jurisdictions. They did not make those places separate geographic counties.
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Why do different maps show different county boundaries?
Why do maps show different county boundaries? Often because they are mapping different geographical layers: geographic counties, council areas, lieutenancy areas or…
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Have historic county boundaries ever changed?
Historic county geography is exceptionally stable. The principal statutory exception was the mainly nineteenth-century removal of detached status from many small areas,…
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Gwynedd, Dyfed and Gwent: why an ancient name does not make a modern administrative area ancient
The 1974 Welsh local government reorganisation used ancient names like Gwynedd, Dyfed, and Gwent for newly constructed areas, which did not reflect…
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Detached parts of counties explained: what they are, how they work and why they matter
A detached part has an inherited affiliation with its parent county while also being locally situate in a host county. This explainer…
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Why a council with a county name is not the county
A council can borrow a county name without defining the geographic county. This explainer shows why the body, its council area and…
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Geography
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Which county a place lies in, county boundaries, detached parts and boundary interpretation.
Foundations
Explainers & County Geography
County geography, terminology, legal distinctions and the history behind common county questions.
Public policy
Government & Policy
Local-government reform, council naming, lieutenancy reform, consultations and HCI policy interventions.
Evidence
Research, Evidence & Mapping
Census work, official sources, Ordnance Survey evidence, statistics and RealCounties mapping developments.
Identity
County Identity & Culture
County days, flags, boundary signs, heritage, celebrations, sport and cultural identity.
Institute
HCI News & Campaigns
Announcements, campaigns, corrections secured, Parliamentary engagement and organisational progress.
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