Administrative divisions are geographic areas that are established by governments for the purpose of managing and governing a particular region. These divisions are commonly referred to as political subdivisions, regional divisions, or territorial units, among other terms. Other synonyms for administrative division include district, province, state, county, municipality, and parish. These terms are often used interchangeably to describe different levels of government and regions around the world. For example, in the United States, a county may be part of a state, while in some European countries, provinces are subdivisions of the national government. Regardless of the terminology used, administrative divisions play an important role in organizing and managing government activities at the local, regional, and national levels.