Canton (country Subdivision)

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 to 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 (and historically) the Swiss cantons are sovereign states.

The term is derived from the French word canton meaning corner or district (from which "Cantonment" is also derived).