Borough

A borough or burgh is a political division originally used in England and in Scotland. Borough rhymes with burrow; burgh rhymes with burra. The name derives from the Old English word burg, meaning "fortified town". Boroughs had a Royal Charter and returned Members of Parliament.

It is also the name used for the county divisions within New York City. The five boroughs that make up the city are:

• Bronx
• Brooklyn
• Manhattan
• Queens
• Staten Island (formerly known as Richmond)

The U.S. state of Alaska is divided into boroughs, corresponding to the counties of most other States. Each borough has a borough seat which serves a purpose similar to a county seat in other U.S. states.

A self-governing city or town in some U.S. States, such as Pennsylvania, is called a borough, sometimes spelled boro. In some states (although not in Pennsylvania), boroughs may be grouped together under a governing township.

In Quebec, the term borough is used as the English translation of the French arrondissement, meaning an administrative division of a major city.

New Zealand formerly used the term "borough" (pronounced 'burra') to designate self-governing towns of smaller than city size.