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 Table 2-2. Number of Geographic Entities of the 1992 Economic and Agriculture Censuses

showing the geographic hierarchies used in recent U.S. censuses provide a general picture of the most significant geographic patterns (see and ). shows how several categories of small-area geographic entities subdivide a county.

The value of statistical data is directly related to the appropriateness of the geographic entities for which it is reported. Existing legal and administrative entities suffice for some purposes. For others, it is better to use a set of statistical entities; still other applications require both kinds of entities. Some Geographic Overview2-5