Unincorporated area facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Imagine a piece of land that isn't officially part of a city or town. That's what an unincorporated area is! It's a place that doesn't have its own local government, like a city council or mayor. Instead, a larger government, like a county or even the military, takes care of it. You can find many unincorporated communities in countries like the United States and Canada. However, many other countries around the world don't have this kind of area at all.

A sign at Contra Costa Centre, an unincorporated community in Contra Costa County, California, United States

Understanding Unincorporated Areas Around the World
Countries Without Unincorporated Areas
See also

Understanding Unincorporated Areas Around the World

Unincorporated Areas in Argentina

In Argentina, some parts of the country are not governed by a local city or town. These areas are found in several provinces, like Chubut and Córdoba. They are managed by the larger provincial government instead.

Australia's Local Government Structure

Australia has a unique system. Most of the country is divided into local government areas. These areas often include many towns and even big cities. Unincorporated areas in Australia are usually very remote. They cover huge spaces or have very few people living there. Even without a local government, addresses in these areas are clear. They use names approved by the state or territory.

Unincorporated Settlements in Canada

In Canada, an unincorporated settlement is a place without its own local council. These places can be small villages called hamlets. They can also be large areas that feel like a city. For example, in Alberta, places like Fort McMurray and Sherwood Park are unincorporated. They are part of a larger regional government. Some parts of Canada are vast wilderness. These are called unorganized areas. The provincial government directly manages them. Sometimes, special groups help provide services in these areas.

Military Training Areas in the Czech Republic

Sign prohibiting entry to the Boletice Military Training Area

The Czech Republic is mostly covered by cities and towns. The only exceptions are military training areas. These special zones are managed by the Ministry of Defence. They do not have their own local governments. For example, the Boletice Military Training Area is one such place. In 2015, one large military area, Brdy, was changed. It became a protected park, and its land joined nearby towns.

Denmark's Unique Islands: Ertholmene

Denmark has a special group of islands called Ertholmene. They are the only part of mainland Denmark not in a municipality. These islands are about 20 kilometers (12 miles) northeast of Bornholm. Since 1685, the military has managed them. Today, they are also a protected cultural heritage site. Fewer than 100 people live there.

Germany's Municipality-Free Zones

Almost all of Germany is organized into municipalities, which are like local towns or cities. However, there are some special areas called gemeindefreie Gebiete. These are 'municipality-free areas'. Most of these areas are uninhabited. They are often large forests, lakes, or military training areas. For example, in 2007, Germany had 248 such areas. Only a few of these areas had people living in them, mostly military training zones.

Unincorporated Areas in Israel

Most of Israel is divided into different types of municipalities. These local governments provide important services. However, a few unincorporated areas still exist. Some of these areas are home to important national facilities. This includes places like Ben Gurion Airport. The largest unincorporated area is called the 'Reservation area'. It's a region in the Negev desert. In this area, some communities do not receive municipal services. In 2012, two new regional councils were created to help manage some of these communities.

The Netherlands: From Unincorporated to Fully Governed

The Netherlands used to have unincorporated land. This happened when new land, called polders, was reclaimed from the sea. A special officer, called a Landdrost, would manage these areas. For example, parts of Flevoland were unincorporated after being reclaimed. The Landdrost helped set up the new communities. In 1984, the Landdrost of Almere became its first mayor. Since then, all land and water in the Netherlands is part of a municipality.

New Zealand's Outlying Islands

New Zealand has several outlying island groups. Most of these islands are not part of any local region or district. They are called 'Area Outside Territorial Authority'. The Chatham Islands are an exception. They are populated and have their own local government.

Norway's Remote Territories

In Norway, some remote islands are not part of any county or municipality. These include Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, and Svalbard. The national government directly rules them. Svalbard has a governor who manages the area. Jan Mayen has no permanent residents, only staff for weather stations.

Unincorporated Areas in the United States

Nutbush, an unincorporated area in Haywood County, Tennessee

In the United States, an "unincorporated area" is usually a part of a county that is not inside a city or town. An unincorporated community is a place where people live together. It has a shared identity but no official city government.

There are two main types of these communities:

A community that exists within or across existing cities or towns. For example, Hyannis, Massachusetts, is a village inside the town of Barnstable.
A community that exists outside any city or town. These are completely unincorporated. Examples include Hovland, Minnesota, and Nutbush, Tennessee.

Most states allow counties to have similar powers to cities in these unincorporated areas. Some states use smaller divisions called townships for this purpose.

Different State Approaches

States have different rules for creating cities and towns. This leads to many differences in unincorporated areas. In some northeastern states, like New Jersey and Connecticut, almost all land is part of a city or town.

Other states, like Virginia, have "strong county" systems. Counties have many powers that cities usually have. This means large urban areas might not have a city government below the county level. Arlington County, Virginia, is an example. It has many tall buildings but no cities within its borders.

Rosslyn, one of many high-rise neighborhoods in Arlington County, Virginia. The county has no cities within its borders, and five times the population density of the state's most populous city, Virginia Beach.

Sometimes, a large city might expand its borders. It can take over all surrounding unincorporated areas. This creates a consolidated city–county government, like in Jacksonville, Florida. A "county island" is an unincorporated area completely surrounded by cities.

In California, all counties except City and County of San Francisco have unincorporated areas. Even in busy counties like Los Angeles County, over a million people live in unincorporated areas. Much of this land is national forest or sparsely populated regions.

Unincorporated U.S. Territories

For U.S. territories, "unincorporated" means that the United States Congress has decided that only certain parts of the Constitution of the United States apply there. These territories have not been formally made a part of the United States. The five main unincorporated U.S. territories are American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

U.S. Census Bureau and Unorganized Territories

The United States Census Bureau defines some unincorporated areas for statistical purposes. A census-designated place (CDP) is one example. It's a populated area that includes an unincorporated community and its surroundings. It has no legal government.

The Census Bureau also identifies "unorganized territories". These are parts of counties not included in any local government division. They exist in states like South Dakota and Maine. For example, in 2000, South Dakota had 102 unorganized territories. These covered over half of the state's land.

U.S. Mail Delivery and Addresses

The United States Postal Service (USPS) often recognizes unincorporated communities for mailing addresses. Sometimes, an unincorporated area might use the name of a nearby city in its address. Mailing addresses don't always change when an area becomes a city. For instance, Kingwood, Texas, kept its "Kingwood, TX" address after joining Houston. The USPS focuses on efficient mail delivery, not political borders.

Other Nations with Unincorporated Areas

Some other countries also have unique unincorporated areas:

In Hong Kong, the Lok Ma Chau Loop is an area not part of any local administrative division.
In Greenland, the Northeast Greenland National Park and the Pituffik Space Base are unincorporated.
Clipperton Island in France is a small overseas island directly managed by the French government.
India has several union territories. These are regions governed directly by the national government.
In Slovakia, some military areas are not part of any municipality. The Slovak Ministry of Defence administers them directly.
In Spain, regions like Navarre have unincorporated areas. The Bardenas Reales is a large example. It is governed by a board from surrounding communities.
Switzerland has a few exceptions, including 22 lakes and a forest, that are not part of any municipality.
In Ukraine, the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone is directly managed by a government agency. It is not part of a local community.

Countries Without Unincorporated Areas

Many countries, especially those with a long history of local government, do not have unincorporated areas. In these places, every piece of land belongs to a city, town, or other local government unit.

All land in countries like Albania, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Finland, Italy, Japan, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia, South Korea, and Sweden is divided into municipalities.
In countries like Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico, all land must belong to a municipality. Even large uninhabited areas are legally part of the nearest city or town. This is because a "municipality" in these countries can be similar to a "county" in the United States.