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 entity, they constitute a detailed, relatively stable network of geographic units at a single geographic/governmental level for the entire United States and its territories. As such, they provide convenient units for data dissemination purposes. Of course, because most of these entities represent local governmental units, their officials, as well as the officials of State and Federal agencies and other data users, require statistics for the counties from each specific census. Because most censuses and sample surveys use a single common set of counties and statistically equivalent entities, the identification of individual county units constitutes an important element in the Census Bureau’s work and in its data products.

Rhode Island’s counties exist only for the purpose of judicial administration and have no associated governmental structure. In 1960, Connecticut abolished its county governments and transferred their functions to the State government; however, the State retained the former counties for election and judicial purposes. Nevertheless, in both States, the Census Bureau continues to report many types of data for these county-type entities, in part to retain data comparability with earlier censuses and the data sets of other government agencies.

For Puerto Rico and the Outlying Areas, the Census Bureau uses various geographic units as the statistical equivalent of stateside counties. This occurs where the size, geography, or administrative framework make the units appropriate entities for such use. As in the 50 States, the statistical equivalents of counties in the Outlying Areas provide complete geographic coverage for the entire area and population of each jurisdiction (see ).

To effectively collect, process, and tabulate data for States, counties, and their statistically equivalent entities, the Census Bureau must ensure that it has accurate records of the boundaries of, and names for, these entities. The Census Bureau also must develop appropriate geographic 4-12States, Counties, Equivalent Entities