Canton (country subdivision)


A canton is a type of administrative division of a country. 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 best-known cantons - and the most politically important - are those of Switzerland. As the constituents of the Swiss Confederation, theoretically, the Swiss cantons are semi-sovereign states.
The term is derived from the French word :fr:canton|canton, meaning corner or district.

In specific countries

Cantons exist in the following countries: