United Kingdom Administrative Divisions
What is the hierarchy of administrative divisions in United Kingdom?
Here’s a breakdown of the hierarchy:
1. Countries: The United Kingdom is made up of 4 countries: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
2. Regions (England only): England is subdivided into 9 regions for statistical purposes.
3. Counties and Unitary Authorities: Regions are further subdivided into non-metropolitan counties, 62 unitary authorities, 6 metropolitan counties, and Greater London.
4. Districts, London boroughs, Metropolitan boroughs: These are the smallest administrative units, often found within non-metropolitan counties, unitary authorities, metropolitan counties, and Greater London (which has 32 London boroughs and the City of London).
List of United Kingdom's administrative divisions with their counts and names
These are the summarized administrative divisions. The full dataset is available in the Download Center.
| iso | country | admin level 1 | admin level 2 | admin level 3 | admin level 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB | United Kingdom | British Forces (British Force) | This level doesn’t exist for this country. | This level doesn’t exist for this country. | This level doesn’t exist for this country. |
| GB | United Kingdom | England (Constituent country) | 9 Regions | 21 Non-metropolitan counties, 63 Unitary Authorities, 6 Metropolitan counties | 164 Non-metropolitan districts, 33 London boroughs, 36 Metropolitan boroughs |
| GB | United Kingdom | Northern Ireland (Constituent country) | 11 Local Government Districts | This level doesn’t exist for this country. | This level doesn’t exist for this country. |
| GB | United Kingdom | Scotland (Constituent country) | 32 Council areas | This level doesn’t exist for this country. | This level doesn’t exist for this country. |
| GB | United Kingdom | Wales (Constituent country) | 22 Principal areas | This level doesn’t exist for this country. | This level doesn’t exist for this country. |
Why is building an Administrative Divisions Database complex?
The complexity arises from inconsistent global standards, frequent boundary changes, non-uniform naming conventions (e.g., “suburb” in Australia vs. “county” in the US), and variations in administrative levels across countries. Integrating and harmonizing data from multiple sources requires advanced normalization, versioning, and geospatial validation techniques.
How does GeoPostcodes solve the problem for you?
Our standardized database overcomes the complexity of different administrative division
systems worldwide. Our database follows a unified structure that you can integrate
seamlessly into your system or platform of choice without needing to become an expert in
each country’s unique administrative hierarchy.
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Frequently Asked Questions
The United Kingdom is divided into 4 constituent countries, 3 crown dependencies, 12 overseas territories, and 1 british force, which form the top-level administrative units. These are subdivided into 9 regions, 11 local government districts, 32 council areas, and 22 principal areas. At the next level, there are 6 metropolitan counties, 24 shire counties, and 59 unitary authorities. The smallest administrative level consists of 33 london boroughs, 36 metropolitan boroughs, and 181 non-metropolitan districts. Major constituent countries include British Forces, England, and Northern Ireland.
The United Kingdom has 4 administrative levels. Level 1: 4 constituent countries, 3 crown dependencies, 12 overseas territories, and 1 british force. Level 2: 9 regions, 11 local government districts, 32 council areas, and 22 principal areas. Level 3: 6 metropolitan counties, 24 shire counties, and 59 unitary authorities. Level 4: 33 london boroughs, 36 metropolitan boroughs, and 181 non-metropolitan districts.
United Kingdom operates on a 4‑level system starting with 4 countries, then regions (in England), after that non-metropolitan counties, 62 unitary authorities, 6 metropolitan counties, and non-metropolitan districts, 32 London boroughs plus the City of London, and 36 metropolitan boroughs as the smallest administrative units. Note that British Forces do not have sub-divisions at the next level.
In the United Kingdom, constituent countries and crown dependencies both sit at administrative level 1 but serve different functions. Constituent countries — there are 4 — typically group multiple smaller municipalities under a shared administration. Crown dependencies — there are 3 — are a larger city or urban area that handle its own administration independently.
Administrative boundaries in the United Kingdom change as governments reorganize regions, merge municipalities, or create new administrative units to reflect population shifts and political decisions. Changes most commonly affect the london boroughs level, where the United Kingdom currently has 250 units. Businesses that rely on British administrative data should use a regularly updated reference dataset to avoid mismatches in geocoding, tax jurisdiction mapping, and compliance reporting.