In order to establish the meaning of the term canton, it is necessary, first, to discover its etymological origin. In this case, we can indicate that it is a word that derives from Latin, specifically “cantus” or “canthus”, which can be translated as “edge” or “metal wheel rim”.
Canton It is a concept with multiple meanings. The Royal Spanish Academy (RAE ) mentions in the first meaning of its dictionary that the term can refer to a edge, ledge or corner .
The most frequent use of the notion, however, is associated with a administrative divition . The cantons are territorial entities that subdivide a municipality , a Province , a Department or other type of district .
Ecuador It's one of the countries They have cantons. The twenty-four Ecuadorian provinces are divided into more than two hundred cantons, which in turn are subdivided into parishes.
He canton Guayaquil , belonging to the Province from Guayas , is the most populous Ecuadorian canton, with more than two million inhabitants. Other cantons are much smaller: the Canton Pablo Sixth , in the province of Morona Santiago , does not reach two thousand inhabitants.
Costa Rica , France , Luxembourg and Switzerland They are other countries that have cantons. Even state that ceased to exist, such as Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.R.S.S. ) had cantons.
Among the most important cantons we can highlight some such as the following:
-The Canton of Geneva, which is one of the most important in Switzerland. It is located in the western area, became a canton in the nineteenth century and is subdivided into a total of 45 communes.
-The Canton of Bern, is also located in the Swiss country and stands out as one of the only three of the same where two languages are spoken officially. Its capital is Bern and its origin is in the fourteenth century.
On a historical level, it is relevant to know what was called Cantón de Cádiz. This was proclaimed in the second half of the nineteenth century, specifically on July 19, 1873, and came to support the Spanish cantonal movement that had begun in the Murcian city of Cartagena. In this way, the population of Cadiz took its own course before the disappointment that existed at that time with the Spanish monarchy. However, that Canton of Cádiz would only be functioning until August 3 of the aforementioned 1873, until the troops of General Pavia entered the Andalusian city, which was responsible for ending the First Spanish Republic.
In the field of heraldry , the cantons are the four angles They are part of a shield. It can also be called a canton very narrow street which interrupts two more important ones.
A city southern of China , on the other hand, is known as Canton or Guangzhou . From its denomination, a canton is called a cotton fabric It has similar characteristics to cashmere.
The idea Canton, finally, can refer to a cantonment : a territory where there are military stationed (distributed and housed in the area).
