An administrative division of a county is a type of local government unit that is responsible for providing services to the citizens of the county. The three most common types of administrative divisions are parishes, townships, and shires. A PARISH is a territorial division of a county, usually based on a church PARISH. A TOWNSHIP is a subdivision of a county, typically with its own local government. A SHIRE is a local government area in certain countries, such as Australia, that is similar to a county.