Acanton is a type ofadministrative division of a country.[1] In general, cantons are relatively small in terms of area and population when compared with other administrative divisions such ascounties,departments, orprovinces. Internationally, the most politically important cantons are theSwiss cantons. As the constituents of theSwiss Confederation, theoretically and historically, they are semi-sovereign states.[2]
The term is derived from theFrench wordcanton, meaning "corner" or "district" (from which "cantonment" is also derived).[3]
Canada:Canadian French equivalent for the English word "township", since the translationmunicipalité is already used for a different level of government (seetownship).
Cantons of El Salvador: divisions of amunicipality outside the more urbancaserios, 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.
