A county is a geographic area that divides up a state or country for purposes of local government. In the United States, most states are split into counties, each with its own seat of government where officials handle things like maintaining roads, running libraries, managing parks, and keeping records of property ownership and births.

Counties vary enormously in size and population. Los Angeles County in California contains over 10 million people, while Loving County in Texas has fewer than 200 residents. Some counties are huge: San Bernardino County in California is larger than nine entire states. Others are tiny urban areas.

The word comes from the French comté, meaning the land controlled by a count (a type of noble). When you write your address, you rarely include your county, but it matters for things like where you vote, which schools you attend, and which sheriff’s department serves your area. In some states, counties are called parishes (Louisiana) or boroughs (Alaska). When you hear news about “county officials” or the “county fair,” they’re talking about this level of government between your town or city and your state.