2006-12-20 04:35:53 · 7 answers · asked by Lily 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
I'm just guessing, but it sounds to me as if it means something like, "Land which provides." It might have been a word coined in feudal times by nobles or by a king to refer to farmland in the countryside, from which came the food and wine for his table. The word gathered an "institutional" meaning and came to be used in reference to a political subunit of a country.
2006-12-20 04:42:54 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
in Canada it is similar to a state in the US. With their own government and set of rules and laws. You can travel across the Country visiting the provinces just like travelling for state to state.
Provinces in modern countries
In many countries, a province is a relatively small non-constituent level of sub-national government (similar to a county in many English-speaking countries). In others it is an autonomous level of government and constituent part of a federation or confederation, often with a large area (similar to a US state).
For instance, a province is a local unit of government in Belgium, Spain and Italy, and a large constituent autonomous area in Canada and Argentina.
The "Province of Northern Ireland" is the only British territory called "province" today. In this case, the title province suggests separateness along the lines of Canadian usage. The title "province" above all reflects Northern Ireland's unique autonomy within the UK immediately after its foundation in 1921, but today Northern Ireland varies between a devolved government and direct rule. Northern Ireland is effectively a constituent nation of the United Kingdom.
Various overseas parts of the British Empire had the colonial title of Province (in a more Roman sense), such as the Province of Canada and the Province of South Australia (the latter to distinguish it from the penal 'colonies' elsewhere in Australia). Equally, for instance, Mozambique was a "province" as a Portuguese colony.
2006-12-20 04:45:45 · answer #2 · answered by c0mplicated_s0ul 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A province is a territorial unit, almost always a country subdivision
2006-12-20 04:37:44 · answer #3 · answered by kosmoistheman 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A province is a territorial unit, almost always a country subdivision.
2006-12-20 04:43:08 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is a large administrative division of a kingdom, country or state or a territory under the authority of an archbishop or metropolitan.
2006-12-20 04:46:26 · answer #5 · answered by lanisoderberg69 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's a territorial unit, sort of like a state.
2006-12-20 04:39:06 · answer #6 · answered by ehs1193 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
us canucks say it's like a state, it's an area of land, within a country.
2006-12-20 04:42:55 · answer #7 · answered by happyday to you 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋