Counties of the United Kingdom

In some areas of England and Wales, counties still perform the functions of modern local government.

[3] Additionally, there are vice-counties, which are geographic areas based on the historic counties, and used in scientific data gathering.

Their purpose is to maintain the stability of the geographic area for scientific studies, and thus ignore changes in political demarcations.

[6] England is also divided into 84 metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties (outside Greater London and the Isles of Scilly).

These correspond to areas used for the purposes of local government and may consist of a single district or be divided into several.

They were abolished in 1975 under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, in favour of regions and districts and islands council areas.

These were changed in 1996 and since then Wales has been entirely divided into a system of unitary authorities (also known as principal areas).

Combined with the boroughs of Belfast and Derry, the counties do serve for organisational purposes within government, and often with private businesses and sporting clubs.