Borough facts for kids
A borough is a type of administrative division used in many English-speaking countries. It usually refers to a town or a part of a city that has some form of self-government. The exact meaning of "borough" can be different depending on where you are in the world.
History of Boroughs
In the Middle Ages, a borough was a settlement in England that was given some power to govern itself. Scotland had similar places called "burghs." In medieval England, boroughs could also choose people to represent them in parliament.
The idea of a borough likely came from Alfred the Great. He created a system of strong, defended places called "Burhs." To help these places stay strong, he gave them some independence. After the Norman Conquest, when towns were given self-governance, the idea of a burh or borough was used again for self-governing settlements.
The idea of a borough has been used in many different ways around the world. Often, a borough is a single town with its own local government. But in some big cities, like New York City, London, and Montreal, a borough is just a part of the city. These boroughs might have limited powers given to them by the main city government, or sometimes no powers at all.
In other places, like Alaska in the United States, a "borough" can mean a whole region. For example, the North Slope Borough in Alaska is huge, almost as big as the entire United Kingdom. However, it has a much smaller population.
Today, boroughs as administrative units are found in Ireland and the United Kingdom (England and Northern Ireland). They also exist in the Canadian province of Quebec, in some states of the United States, and in Israel. There is only one borough left in Australia, and they used to exist in New Zealand.
What the Word "Borough" Means
The word borough comes from the Old English word burg or burh. This word meant a fortified settlement, like a castle or a walled town. You can still see this word in modern English words like bury (as in Canterbury) or -brough (as in Middlesbrough). Other languages have similar words, like burgh in Scots, borg in Scandinavian languages, and Burg in German.
Many other European languages also have words that came from this Germanic root. For example, bourg in French, borgo in Italian, and burgo in Spanish.
Sometimes, the word "burg" (meaning fortress) is confused with "berg" (meaning hill or mountain). So, places like Bergen or Heidelberg have "berg" because they are on hills, not because they are forts.
Boroughs Around the World
Australia
In Australia, "borough" is a term sometimes used for a local government area. Today, there is only one official borough left in Australia: the Borough of Queenscliffe in Victoria. In the past, there were more. Sometimes, "borough" is part of a council's name, like the Kingborough Council in Tasmania, but it's not an official title.
Canada
In Quebec, the word borough is the English translation for arrondissement. This refers to a part of a city that has its own administration, like a district. Eight municipalities in Quebec are divided into boroughs.
In Ontario, "borough" used to describe suburban areas in Metropolitan Toronto. These included places like Scarborough and North York before they became cities. East York was the last Toronto municipality to be called a borough, until it joined the City of Toronto government in 1998.
Colombia
In Colombia, cities are divided into "localidades," which are translated as boroughs. These boroughs have their own local leaders and administrative boards. They are further divided into neighborhoods. Some main cities like Bogotá and Medellín have these boroughs.
Ireland
In Ireland, there are four borough districts: Clonmel, Drogheda, Sligo, and Wexford. These were created in 2014.
Historically, Ireland had many parliamentary boroughs that could elect members to parliament. Most of these were later abolished. Some larger towns became "county boroughs," which were like counties themselves. These included Dublin, Belfast, and Cork. In 2001, county boroughs in the Republic of Ireland were renamed "cities."
Israel
In Israel, it is possible to create a municipal borough. The first full municipal boroughs were created in 2005–2006. These were Neve Monosson and Maccabim-Re'ut. They became self-governing parts of larger towns. The Interior Ministry plans to use this borough system more to help towns merge together.
Mexico
In Mexico, especially for Mexico City, the word borough is used to translate "delegación." These were the 16 administrative areas within Mexico City. They are now called "Alcaldías."
New Zealand
New Zealand used to have boroughs for self-governing towns with more than 1,000 people. If a borough had over 20,000 people, it could become a city. Boroughs and cities were separate from the surrounding counties.
In the 1980s, many boroughs and cities merged with their counties to form "districts." A big reform in 1989 abolished all counties and boroughs. Now, most local councils cover both urban and rural areas. More populated councils are called cities, and more rural ones are called districts.
Trinidad and Tobago
In Trinidad and Tobago, a Borough is a unit of Local Government. There are 5 boroughs in the country:
- Chaguanas
- Arima
- Point Fortin
- Diego Martin
- Siparia
United Kingdom
England and Wales
Old and Municipal Boroughs
In the Middle Ages, many towns in England were given self-governance by the King or Queen. These towns became known as boroughs. They were usually governed by a group of people who chose their own replacements.
In 1835, a law called the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 changed how municipal boroughs were governed. Many old boroughs were reformed, and their leaders had to be elected by people who owned property. New municipal boroughs were also created in growing industrial cities.
In 1974, a big reform of local government in England and Wales abolished municipal boroughs. However, many of their traditions continued. Successor councils were given a special status that allowed them to use the old borough's symbols and appoint ceremonial officers like a mayor.
Parliamentary Boroughs
From 1265, two representatives from each borough were called to the Parliament of England. This meant that parliamentary voting areas were based on these old boroughs. Over time, some very small settlements became boroughs just to have a representative in parliament, even if they weren't important towns.
After the 1832 Reform Act, many of these "rotten boroughs" (boroughs that had lost importance and had very few voters) lost their right to send representatives. This made parliamentary voting areas different from the old boroughs.
County Boroughs
The Local Government Act 1888 created a new type of borough called the county borough. These were like "counties on their own." They allowed large urban areas to be governed separately from the more rural areas around them.
Like the municipal boroughs, county boroughs were abolished in 1974. They were then reabsorbed into their larger counties for administrative purposes.
Metropolitan Boroughs
In 1899, the parishes in County of London were reorganized into "metropolitan boroughs." These were changed again in 1965 when Greater London was formed. Today, these areas are called "London boroughs."
When new metropolitan counties (like Greater Manchester and West Midlands) were created in 1974, their subdivisions also became metropolitan boroughs. These boroughs had a bit more independence than other local districts.
In 1986, the metropolitan county councils were abolished. This made the metropolitan boroughs independent, and they remain so today.
Other Current Uses
In other parts of England, many districts and unitary authority areas are called "boroughs." Since 1974, this is a special ceremonial title given by the King or Queen. A district with borough status can have its council chairman use the title of mayor. Councils can ask the British Crown for this status.
Northern Ireland
In Northern Ireland, local government was reorganized in 1973. A district council that included an existing municipal borough could choose to keep the borough status. Districts that didn't have a former borough could also apply for this status.
Scotland
In Scotland, the equivalent of a borough is called a Burgh.
United States
In the United States, a borough is a type of local government or administrative area below the state level. The term is used in seven states:
- Alaska: Here, a borough is like a county-equivalent.
- Connecticut: A borough is an incorporated town or city within a larger town.
- Michigan: This term was used in the past for villages becoming cities. Mackinac Island was a borough for a time.
- New Jersey: A borough is a type of independent incorporated municipality.
- New York: The five main parts of New York City are called boroughs. Each borough is also a county.
- Pennsylvania: A borough is a type of municipality similar to a town. However, some large cities like Pittsburgh are officially cities, not boroughs, even though they might have been boroughs in the past.
- Virginia: A borough can be a division within a city under certain conditions.
- Wisconsin: In the 1800s, "borough" was sometimes used for a type of civil township.
See also
In Spanish: Borough para niños
