Counties of England

England has been divided into counties for hundreds of years. The divisions originated as administrative areas, but have been adopted for geographic purposes.

Changes in 1974 and the 1990s

In 1974 the Local Government Act came into force. This abolished the existing local government structure. The county council areas were not called 'administrative counties' but simply 'counties' in the new legislation. Many new counties were created, such as Avon, Cleveland, Cumbria, Humberside along with the new metropolitan counties of Greater Manchester, Merseyside, South Yorkshire, Tyne and Wear, West Midlands, and West Yorkshire. The counties of Cumberland, Herefordshire, Rutland, Westmorland and Worcestershire vanished from the administrative map, as did the county boroughs.

Related Topics:
1974 - Local Government Act - Avon - Cleveland - Cumbria - Humberside - Metropolitan counties - Greater Manchester - Merseyside - South Yorkshire - Tyne and Wear - West Midlands - West Yorkshire - Cumberland - Herefordshire - Rutland - Westmorland - Worcestershire

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Local government reforms in the 1990s grouped the counties into regions, created many small unitary authorities possessing county level status and restored Herefordshire, Rutland and Worcestershire as administrative entities.

Related Topics:
Local government reforms in the 1990s - Regions - Unitary authorities - Herefordshire - Rutland - Worcestershire

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There are now exactly 81 county level entities, excluding Greater London. Of these, 34 are 'shire counties' with county councils and district councils, and 40 are unitary authorities. Six are metropolitan counties. The remaining one is Berkshire, whose county council has been abolished and its districts have become unitary authorities.

Related Topics:
Greater London - County council - District - Berkshire

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