A full description of parameters and corresponding references and field data can be found in [38]. Burden parameters assume January 1st as day 0.Definitions of parameters appearing in the R0 model and point parameter values for the Connecticut and Block Island populations.

Peridomestic exposure to Borrelia burgdorferi-infected Ixodes scapularis nymphs is considered the dominant means of infection with black-legged tick-borne pathogens in the eastern United States. Population level studies have detected a positive association between the density of infected nymphs and Lyme disease incidence. At a finer spatial scale within endemic communities, studies have focused on individual level risk behaviors, without accounting for differences in peridomestic nymphal density. This study simultaneously assessed the influence of peridomestic tick exposure risk and human behavior risk factors for Lyme disease infection on Block Island, Rhode Island. Tick exposure risk on Block Island properties was estimated using remotely sensed landscape metrics that strongly correlated with tick density at the individual property level. Behavioral risk factors and Lyme disease serology were assessed using a longitudinal serosurvey study. Significant factors associated with Lyme disease positive serology included one or more self-reported previous Lyme disease episodes, wearing protective clothing during outdoor activities, the average number of hours spent daily in tick habitat, the subject’s age and the density of shrub edges on the subject’s property. The best fit multivariate model included previous Lyme diagnoses and age. The strength of this association with previous Lyme disease suggests that the same sector of the population tends to be repeatedly infected. The second best multivariate model included a combination of environmental and behavioral factors, namely hours spent in vegetation, subject’s age, shrub edge density (increase risk) and wearing protective clothing (decrease risk). Our findings highlight the importance of concurrent evaluation of both environmental and behavioral factors to design interventions to reduce the risk of tick-borne infections.

The United States Virgin Islands Summary File contains data on population and housing subjects compiled from questions on the 2010 United States Virgin Islands Census questionnaire. Population subjects include age, sex, children ever born, citizenship status, foreign-born status, disability status, educational attainment, race, Hispanic or Latino origin, family type, grandparents as caregivers, group quarters population, health insurance coverage status, household type and relationship, employment status, work experience, class of worker, industry, occupation, place of work, journey to work, travel time to work, language spoken at home and ability to speak English, marital status, nativity, year of entry, place of birth, parents' place of birth, earnings, income, poverty status, residence in 2009, school enrollment, vocational training and veteran status. Housing subjects include acreage, agricultural sales, business on property, computer ownership, internet service, kitchen facilities, cooking fuel, mortgage status, number of rooms, number of bedrooms, occupancy status, occupants per room, plumbing facilities, purchase of water from water vendor, gross rent, condominium status and fee, mobile home costs, selected monthly owner costs, sewage disposal, source of water, telephone service available, tenure, units in structure, vacancy status, value of home, vehicles available, year householder moved into unit and year structure built. The data are organized in 548 tables, one variable per table cell, which are presented at up to 21 levels of observation, including the United States Virgin Islands as a whole, islands, census subdistricts, places (census designated places and towns), estates, census tracts, block groups, blocks and 5-digit ZIP Code Tabulation Areas. Altogether, 110 tables are presented at the block level and higher, 288 at the block group level and higher and 150 at the census tract level and higher. Additionally, the tables are iterated for the urban and rural geographic components of islands and 21 geographic components of the United States Virgin Islands as a whole: 15 urban components (total urban, urbanized areas, urban clusters, and urbanized areas and urban clusters of various population sizes) and 6 rural components (total rural, rural areas outside places, rural areas inside places and inside places of various population sizes). Due to problems in the initial version, the Census Bureau ultimately issued the Summary File as two data products. The first or main release comprises 50 data files with all the tables except 11 tables on selected monthly owner costs, the tables HBG66, HBG67, HBG68, HBG69, HBG70, HBG71, HBG72, HBG73, HCT19, HCT20 and HCT21. The second, supplemental release consists of a document file with the 11 tables on selected monthly owner costs. ICPSR provides each product as a separate ZIP archive. The archive with the supplemental release also includes additional technical documentation prepared by the Bureau.

Urban Heat Island images:MorningAfternoonEveningTacoma Heat Island StudyData collected on 7/25/2018, collected by Dr. Vivek Shandas, Capa StrategiesWhat Earth Economics is working on:Through grant funding, Earth Economics is working on building out an approach and methodology using Urban Heat Island modeling (LANDSAT data) to assume health impacts (mortality rates) on a census tract level, using research on how demographics and UHI impact community health outcomes.Variables:Name: Census Block Group NamePop: Census Block Group populationIncome: Average individual Census Block Group level annual incomeOver 65: Population over age 65Under14: Population under age 14AF: Afternoon temperature (C), averaged to Census Block Group (July 25, 2018). Data collected by Dr. Vivek Shandas using this methodologyPm: Evening temperature (C), averaged to Census Block Group (July 25, 2018)Combtemp: Average of evening and afternoon temperatureHighRiskAgeGroup: Percent of population in a high risk age group for heat related illness (over age 65 and under age 14)Density: Population DensityCity of Tacoma Contact: Vanessa Simpson, Senior Technical GIS Analyst, Environmental Servicesvsimpson@cityoftacoma.org

This dataset is the definitive of the annually released meshblock boundaries as at 1 January 2024 as defined by Stats NZ. This version contains 57,539 meshblocks, including 16 with empty or null geometries (non-digitised meshblocks).

Stats NZ maintains an annual meshblock pattern for collecting and producing statistical data. This allows data to be compared over time.

A meshblock is the smallest geographic unit for which statistical data is collected and processed by Stats NZ. A meshblock is a defined geographic area, which can vary in size from part of a city block to a large area of rural land. The optimal size for a meshblock is 30–60 dwellings (containing approximately 60–120 residents).

Each meshblock borders on another to form a network covering all of New Zealand, including coasts and inlets and extending out to the 200-mile economic zone (EEZ) and is digitised to the 12-mile (19.3km) limit. Meshblocks are added together to build up larger geographic areas such as statistical area 1 (SA1), statistical area 2 (SA2), statistical area 3 (SA3), and urban rural (UR). They are also used to define electoral districts, territorial authorities, and regional councils.

Meshblock boundaries generally follow road centrelines, cadastral property boundaries, or topographical features such as rivers. Expanses of water in the form of lakes and inlets are defined separately from land.

Meshblock maintenance

Meshblock boundaries are amended by:

1. Splitting – subdividing a meshblock into two or more meshblocks.
2. Nudging – shifting a boundary to a more appropriate position.

Reasons for meshblock splits and nudges can include:

· to maintain meshblock criteria rules.

· to improve the size balance of meshblocks in areas where there has been population growth

· to maintain alignment to cadastre and other geographic features.

· Stats NZ requests for boundary changes so that statistical geography boundaries can be moved

· external requests for boundary changes so that administrative or electoral boundaries can be moved

· to separate land and water. Mainland, inland water, islands, inlets, and oceanic are defined separately

Meshblock changes are made throughout the year. A major release is made at 1 January each year with ad hoc releases available to users at other times.

While meshblock boundaries are continually under review, 'freezes' on changes to the boundaries are applied periodically. Such 'freezes' are imposed at the time of population censuses and during periods of intense electoral activity, for example, prior and during general and local body elections.

Meshblock numbering

Meshblocks are not named and have seven-digit codes.

When meshblocks are split, each new meshblock is given a new code. The original meshblock codes no longer exist within that version and future versions of the meshblock classification. Meshblock codes do not change when a meshblock boundary is nudged.

Meshblocks that existed prior to 2015 and have not changed are numbered from 0000100 to 3210003. Meshblocks created from 2015 onwards are numbered from 4000000.

Digitised and non-digitised meshblocks

The digital geographic boundaries are defined and maintained by Stats NZ.

Meshblocks cover the land area of New Zealand, the water area to the 12mile limit, the Chatham Islands, Kermadec Islands, sub-Antarctic islands, offshore oil rigs, and Ross Dependency. The following 16 meshblocks are not held in digitised form.

Meshblock / Location (statistical area 2 name)

• 0016901 / Oceanic Kermadec Islands
• 0016902 / Kermadec Islands
• 1588000 / Oceanic Oil Rig Taranaki
• 3166401 / Oceanic Campbell Island
• 3166402 / Campbell Island
• 3166600 / Oceanic Oil Rig Southland
• 3166710 / Oceanic Auckland Islands
• 3166711 / Auckland Islands
• 3195000 / Ross Dependency
• 3196001 / New Zealand Economic Zone
• 3196002 / Oceanic Bounty Islands
• 3196003 / Bounty Islands
• 3196004 / Oceanic Snares Islands
• 3196005 / Snares Island
• 3196006 / Oceanic Antipodes Islands
• 3196007 / Antipodes Island

​

For more information please refer to the Statistical standard for geographic areas 2023.

High definition version

This high definition (HD) version is the most detailed geometry, suitable for use in GIS for geometric analysis operations and for the computation of areas, centroids and other metrics. The HD version is aligned to the LINZ cadastre.

Digital Data

Digital boundary data became freely available on 1 July 2007.

The 2015 TIGER Geodatabases are extracts of selected nation based and state based geographic and cartographic information from the U.S. Census Bureau's Master Address File/Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (MAF/TIGER) database. The geodatabases include feature class layers of information for the fifty states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Island areas (American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the United States Virgin Islands). The geodatabases do not contain any sensitive data. The 2015 TIGER Geodatabases are designed for use with Esriâ s ArcGIS.

        The 2015 State Geodatabase for Utah contains multiple layers. These layers are the Block, Block Group, Census Designated Place, Census Tract,
        County Subdivision and Incorporated Place layers.

        Block Groups (BGs) are clusters of blocks within the same census tract. Each census tract contains at least one BG, and BGs are uniquely numbered
        within census tracts. BGs have a valid code range of 0 through 9. BGs have the same first digit of their 4-digit census block number from the same
        decennial census. For example, tabulation blocks numbered 3001, 3002, 3003,.., 3999 within census tract 1210.02 are also within BG 3 within that
        census tract. BGs coded 0 are intended to only include water area, no land area, and they are generally in territorial seas, coastal water, and
        Great Lakes water areas. Block groups generally contain between 600 and 3,000 people. A BG usually covers a contiguous area but never crosses
        county or census tract boundaries. They may, however, cross the boundaries of other geographic entities like county subdivisions, places, urban
        areas, voting districts, congressional districts, and American Indian / Alaska Native / Native Hawaiian areas. The BG boundaries in this release
        are those that were delineated as part of the Census Bureau's Participant Statistical Areas Program (PSAP) for the 2010 Census. 

        The primary purpose of census tracts is to provide a stable set of geographic units for the presentation of census data and comparison back to
        previous decennial censuses. Census tracts generally have a population size between 1,200 and 8,000 people, with an optimum size of 4,000 people.
        When first delineated, census tracts were designed to be homogeneous with respect to population characteristics, economic status, and living
        conditions. The spatial size of census tracts varies widely depending on the density of settlement. Physical changes in street patterns caused by
        highway construction, new development, and so forth, may require boundary revisions. In addition, census tracts occasionally are split due to
        population growth, or combined as a result of substantial population decline. Census tract boundaries generally follow visible and identifiable
        features. They may follow legal boundaries such as minor civil division (MCD) or incorporated place boundaries in some States and situations to
        allow for census tract-to-governmental unit relationships where the governmental boundaries tend to remain unchanged between censuses. State and
        county boundaries always are census tract boundaries in the standard census geographic hierarchy. In a few rare instances, a census tract may
        consist of noncontiguous areas. These noncontiguous areas may occur where the census tracts are coextensive with all or parts of legal entities
        that are themselves noncontiguous. For the 2010 Census, the census tract code range of 9400 through 9499 was enforced for census tracts that
        include a majority American Indian population according to Census 2000 data and/or their area was primarily covered by federally recognized American
        Indian reservations and/or off-reservation trust lands; the code range 9800 through 9899 was enforced for those census tracts that contained little
        or no population and represented a relatively large special land use area such as a National Park, military installation, or a business/industrial
        park; and the code range 9900 through 9998 was enforced for those census tracts that contained only water area, no land area. 

        An incorporated place is established to provide governmental functions for a concentration of people as opposed to a minor civil division (MCD),
        which generally is created to provide services or administer an area without regard, necessarily, to population. Places always nest within a state,
        but may extend across county and county subdivision boundaries. An incorporated place usually is a city, town, village, or borough, but can have
        other legal descriptions. CDPs are delineated for the decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places. CDPs are delineated
        to provide data for settled concentrations of population that are identifiable by name, but are not legally incorporated under the laws of the state
        in which they are located. The boundaries for CDPs often are defined in partnership with state, local, and/or tribal officials and usually coincide
        with visible features or the boundary of an adjacent incorporated place or another legal entity. CDP boundaries often change from one decennial
        census to the next with changes in the settlement pattern and development; a CDP with the same name as in an earlier census does not necessarily
        have the same boundary. The only population/housing size requirement for CDPs is that they must contain some housing and population. 

        The boundaries of most incorporated places in this shapefile are as of January 1, 2013, as reported through the Census Bureau's Boundary and
        Annexation Survey (BAS). Limited updates that occurred after January 1, 2013, such as newly incorporated places, are also included. The boundaries
        of all CDPs were delineated as part of the Census Bureau's Participant Statistical Areas Program (PSAP) for the 2010 Census.

        The primary legal divisions of most states are termed counties. In Louisiana, these divisions are known as parishes. In Alaska, which has no
        counties, the equivalent entities are the organized boroughs, city and boroughs, municipalities, and for the unorganized area, census areas. The
        latter are delineated cooperatively for statistical purposes by the State of Alaska and the Census Bureau. In four states (Maryland, Missouri,
        Nevada, and Virginia), there are one or more incorporated places that are independent of any county organization and thus constitute primary
        divisions of their states. These incorporated places are known as independent cities and are treated as equivalent entities for purposes of data
        presentation. The District of Columbia and Guam have no primary divisions, and each area is considered an equivalent entity for purposes of data
        presentation. The Census Bureau treats the following entities as equivalents of counties for purposes of data presentation: Municipios in Puerto
        Rico, Districts and Islands in American Samoa, Municipalities in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Islands in the U.S. Virgin
        Islands. The entire area of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Island Areas is covered by counties or equivalent entities. The boundaries for
        counties and equivalent entities are mostly as of January 1, 2013, primarily as reported through the Census Bureau's Boundary and
        Annexation Survey (BAS). However, some changes made after January 2013, including the addition and deletion of counties, are included.

        County subdivisions are the primary divisions of counties and their equivalent entities for the reporting of Census Bureau data. They include
        legally-recognized minor civil divisions (MCDs) and statistical census county divisions (CCDs), and unorganized territories. For the 2010 Census,
        the MCDs are the primary governmental and/or administrative divisions of counties in 29 States and Puerto Rico; Tennessee changed from having CCDs
        for Census 2000 to having MCDs for the 2010 Census. In MCD States where no MCD exists or is not defined, the Census Bureau creates statistical
        unorganized territories to complete coverage. The entire area of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Island Areas are covered by county
        subdivisions. The boundaries of most legal MCDs are as of January 1, 2013, as reported through the Census Bureau's Boundary and Annexation Survey
        (BAS). The boundaries of all CCDs, delineated in 21 states, are those as reported as part of the Census Bureau's Participant Statistical Areas
        Program (PSAP) for the 2010 Census.

The 2015 TIGER Geodatabases are extracts of selected nation based and state based geographic and cartographic information from the U.S. Census Bureau's Master Address File/Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (MAF/TIGER) database. The geodatabases include feature class layers of information for the fifty states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Island areas (American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the United States Virgin Islands). The geodatabases do not contain any sensitive data. The 2015 TIGER Geodatabases are designed for use with Esriâ s ArcGIS.

        The 2015 State Geodatabase for Idaho contains multiple layers. These layers are the Block, Block Group, Census Designated Place, Census Tract,
        County Subdivision and Incorporated Place layers.

        Block Groups (BGs) are clusters of blocks within the same census tract. Each census tract contains at least one BG, and BGs are uniquely numbered
        within census tracts. BGs have a valid code range of 0 through 9. BGs have the same first digit of their 4-digit census block number from the same
        decennial census. For example, tabulation blocks numbered 3001, 3002, 3003,.., 3999 within census tract 1210.02 are also within BG 3 within that
        census tract. BGs coded 0 are intended to only include water area, no land area, and they are generally in territorial seas, coastal water, and
        Great Lakes water areas. Block groups generally contain between 600 and 3,000 people. A BG usually covers a contiguous area but never crosses
        county or census tract boundaries. They may, however, cross the boundaries of other geographic entities like county subdivisions, places, urban
        areas, voting districts, congressional districts, and American Indian / Alaska Native / Native Hawaiian areas. 

        The BG boundaries in this release are those that were delineated as part of the Census Bureau's Participant Statistical Areas Program (PSAP) for the
        2010 Census. 

        The primary purpose of census tracts is to provide a stable set of geographic units for the presentation of census data and comparison back to
        previous decennial censuses. Census tracts generally have a population size between 1,200 and 8,000 people, with an optimum size of 4,000 people.
        When first delineated, census tracts were designed to be homogeneous with respect to population characteristics, economic status, and living
        conditions. The spatial size of census tracts varies widely depending on the density of settlement. Physical changes in street patterns caused by
        highway construction, new development, and so forth, may require boundary revisions. In addition, census tracts occasionally are split due to
        population growth, or combined as a result of substantial population decline. Census tract boundaries generally follow visible and identifiable
        features. They may follow legal boundaries such as minor civil division (MCD) or incorporated place boundaries in some States and situations to
        allow for census tract-to-governmental unit relationships where the governmental boundaries tend to remain unchanged between censuses. State and
        county boundaries always are census tract boundaries in the standard census geographic hierarchy. In a few rare instances, a census tract may
        consist of noncontiguous areas. These noncontiguous areas may occur where the census tracts are coextensive with all or parts of legal entities
        that are themselves noncontiguous. For the 2010 Census, the census tract code range of 9400 through 9499 was enforced for census tracts that
        include a majority American Indian population according to Census 2000 data and/or their area was primarily covered by federally recognized American
        Indian reservations and/or off-reservation trust lands; the code range 9800 through 9899 was enforced for those census tracts that contained little
        or no population and represented a relatively large special land use area such as a National Park, military installation, or a business/industrial
        park; and the code range 9900 through 9998 was enforced for those census tracts that contained only water area, no land area. 

        An incorporated place is established to provide governmental functions for a concentration of people as opposed to a minor civil division (MCD),
        which generally is created to provide services or administer an area without regard, necessarily, to population. Places always nest within a state,
        but may extend across county and county subdivision boundaries. An incorporated place usually is a city, town, village, or borough, but can have
        other legal descriptions. CDPs are delineated for the decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places. CDPs are delineated
        to provide data for settled concentrations of population that are identifiable by name, but are not legally incorporated under the laws of the state
        in which they are located. The boundaries for CDPs often are defined in partnership with state, local, and/or tribal officials and usually coincide
        with visible features or the boundary of an adjacent incorporated place or another legal entity. CDP boundaries often change from one decennial
        census to the next with changes in the settlement pattern and development; a CDP with the same name as in an earlier census does not necessarily
        have the same boundary. The only population/housing size requirement for CDPs is that they must contain some housing and population. 

        The boundaries of most incorporated places in this shapefile are as of January 1, 2013, as reported through the Census Bureau's Boundary and
        Annexation Survey (BAS). Limited updates that occurred after January 1, 2013, such as newly incorporated places, are also included. The boundaries
        of all CDPs were delineated as part of the Census Bureau's Participant Statistical Areas Program (PSAP) for the 2010 Census.

        The primary legal divisions of most states are termed counties. In Louisiana, these divisions are known as parishes. In Alaska, which has no
        counties, the equivalent entities are the organized boroughs, city and boroughs, municipalities, and for the unorganized area, census areas. The
        latter are delineated cooperatively for statistical purposes by the State of Alaska and the Census Bureau. In four states (Maryland, Missouri,
        Nevada, and Virginia), there are one or more incorporated places that are independent of any county organization and thus constitute primary
        divisions of their states. These incorporated places are known as independent cities and are treated as equivalent entities for purposes of data
        presentation. The District of Columbia and Guam have no primary divisions, and each area is considered an equivalent entity for purposes of data
        presentation. The Census Bureau treats the following entities as equivalents of counties for purposes of data presentation: Municipios in Puerto
        Rico, Districts and Islands in American Samoa, Municipalities in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Islands in the U.S. Virgin
        Islands. The entire area of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Island Areas is covered by counties or equivalent entities. 

        The boundaries for counties and equivalent entities are mostly as of January 1, 2013, primarily as reported through the Census Bureau's Boundary and
        Annexation Survey (BAS). However, some changes made after January 2013, including the addition and deletion of counties, are included.

        County subdivisions are the primary divisions of counties and their equivalent entities for the reporting of Census Bureau data. They include
        legally-recognized minor civil divisions (MCDs) and statistical census county divisions (CCDs), and unorganized territories. For the 2010 Census,
        the MCDs are the primary governmental and/or administrative divisions of counties in 29 States and Puerto Rico; Tennessee changed from having CCDs
        for Census 2000 to having MCDs for the 2010 Census. In MCD States where no MCD exists or is not defined, the Census Bureau creates statistical
        unorganized territories to complete coverage. The entire area of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Island Areas are covered by county
        subdivisions. The boundaries of most legal MCDs are as of January 1, 2013, as reported through the Census Bureau's Boundary and Annexation Survey
        (BAS). 

        The boundaries of all CCDs, delineated in 21 states, are those as reported as part of the Census Bureau's Participant Statistical Areas Program
        (PSAP) for the 2010 Census.

The 2015 TIGER Geodatabases are extracts of selected nation based and state based geographic and cartographic information from the U.S. Census Bureau's Master Address File/Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (MAF/TIGER) database. The geodatabases include feature class layers of information for the fifty states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Island areas (American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the United States Virgin Islands). The geodatabases do not contain any sensitive data. The 2015 TIGER Geodatabases are designed for use with Esriâ s ArcGIS.

        The 2015 State Geodatabase for Virginia contains multiple layers. These layers are the Block, Block Group, Census Designated Place, Census Tract,
        County Subdivision and Incorporated Place layers.

        Block Groups (BGs) are clusters of blocks within the same census tract. Each census tract contains at least one BG, and BGs are uniquely numbered
        within census tracts. BGs have a valid code range of 0 through 9. BGs have the same first digit of their 4-digit census block number from the same
        decennial census. For example, tabulation blocks numbered 3001, 3002, 3003,.., 3999 within census tract 1210.02 are also within BG 3 within that
        census tract. BGs coded 0 are intended to only include water area, no land area, and they are generally in territorial seas, coastal water, and
        Great Lakes water areas. Block groups generally contain between 600 and 3,000 people. A BG usually covers a contiguous area but never crosses
        county or census tract boundaries. They may, however, cross the boundaries of other geographic entities like county subdivisions, places, urban
        areas, voting districts, congressional districts, and American Indian / Alaska Native / Native Hawaiian areas. The BG boundaries in this release
        are those that were delineated as part of the Census Bureau's Participant Statistical Areas Program (PSAP) for the 2010 Census. 

        The primary purpose of census tracts is to provide a stable set of geographic units for the presentation of census data and comparison back to
        previous decennial censuses. Census tracts generally have a population size between 1,200 and 8,000 people, with an optimum size of 4,000 people.
        When first delineated, census tracts were designed to be homogeneous with respect to population characteristics, economic status, and living
        conditions. The spatial size of census tracts varies widely depending on the density of settlement. Physical changes in street patterns caused by
        highway construction, new development, and so forth, may require boundary revisions. In addition, census tracts occasionally are split due to
        population growth, or combined as a result of substantial population decline. Census tract boundaries generally follow visible and identifiable
        features. They may follow legal boundaries such as minor civil division (MCD) or incorporated place boundaries in some States and situations to
        allow for census tract-to-governmental unit relationships where the governmental boundaries tend to remain unchanged between censuses. State and
        county boundaries always are census tract boundaries in the standard census geographic hierarchy. In a few rare instances, a census tract may
        consist of noncontiguous areas. These noncontiguous areas may occur where the census tracts are coextensive with all or parts of legal entities
        that are themselves noncontiguous. For the 2010 Census, the census tract code range of 9400 through 9499 was enforced for census tracts that
        include a majority American Indian population according to Census 2000 data and/or their area was primarily covered by federally recognized American
        Indian reservations and/or off-reservation trust lands; the code range 9800 through 9899 was enforced for those census tracts that contained little
        or no population and represented a relatively large special land use area such as a National Park, military installation, or a business/industrial
        park; and the code range 9900 through 9998 was enforced for those census tracts that contained only water area, no land area. 

        An incorporated place is established to provide governmental functions for a concentration of people as opposed to a minor civil division (MCD),
        which generally is created to provide services or administer an area without regard, necessarily, to population. Places always nest within a state,
        but may extend across county and county subdivision boundaries. An incorporated place usually is a city, town, village, or borough, but can have
        other legal descriptions. CDPs are delineated for the decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places. CDPs are delineated
        to provide data for settled concentrations of population that are identifiable by name, but are not legally incorporated under the laws of the state
        in which they are located. The boundaries for CDPs often are defined in partnership with state, local, and/or tribal officials and usually coincide
        with visible features or the boundary of an adjacent incorporated place or another legal entity. CDP boundaries often change from one decennial
        census to the next with changes in the settlement pattern and development; a CDP with the same name as in an earlier census does not necessarily
        have the same boundary. The only population/housing size requirement for CDPs is that they must contain some housing and population. 

        The boundaries of most incorporated places in this shapefile are as of January 1, 2013, as reported through the Census Bureau's Boundary and
        Annexation Survey (BAS). Limited updates that occurred after January 1, 2013, such as newly incorporated places, are also included. The boundaries
        of all CDPs were delineated as part of the Census Bureau's Participant Statistical Areas Program (PSAP) for the 2010 Census.

        The primary legal divisions of most states are termed counties. In Louisiana, these divisions are known as parishes. In Alaska, which has no
        counties, the equivalent entities are the organized boroughs, city and boroughs, municipalities, and for the unorganized area, census areas. The
        latter are delineated cooperatively for statistical purposes by the State of Alaska and the Census Bureau. In four states (Maryland, Missouri,
        Nevada, and Virginia), there are one or more incorporated places that are independent of any county organization and thus constitute primary
        divisions of their states. These incorporated places are known as independent cities and are treated as equivalent entities for purposes of data
        presentation. The District of Columbia and Guam have no primary divisions, and each area is considered an equivalent entity for purposes of data
        presentation. The Census Bureau treats the following entities as equivalents of counties for purposes of data presentation: Municipios in Puerto
        Rico, Districts and Islands in American Samoa, Municipalities in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Islands in the U.S. Virgin
        Islands. The entire area of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Island Areas is covered by counties or equivalent entities. The boundaries for
        counties and equivalent entities are mostly as of January 1, 2013, primarily as reported through the Census Bureau's Boundary and
        Annexation Survey (BAS). However, some changes made after January 2013, including the addition and deletion of counties, are included.

        County subdivisions are the primary divisions of counties and their equivalent entities for the reporting of Census Bureau data. They include
        legally-recognized minor civil divisions (MCDs) and statistical census county divisions (CCDs), and unorganized territories. For the 2010 Census,
        the MCDs are the primary governmental and/or administrative divisions of counties in 29 States and Puerto Rico; Tennessee changed from having CCDs
        for Census 2000 to having MCDs for the 2010 Census. In MCD States where no MCD exists or is not defined, the Census Bureau creates statistical
        unorganized territories to complete coverage. The entire area of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Island Areas are covered by county
        subdivisions. The boundaries of most legal MCDs are as of January 1, 2013, as reported through the Census Bureau's Boundary and Annexation Survey
        (BAS). The boundaries of all CCDs, delineated in 21 states, are those as reported as part of the Census Bureau's Participant Statistical Areas
        Program (PSAP) for the 2010 Census.

The 2015 TIGER Geodatabases are extracts of selected nation based and state based geographic and cartographic information from the U.S. Census Bureau's Master Address File/Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (MAF/TIGER) database. The geodatabases include feature class layers of information for the fifty states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Island areas (American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the United States Virgin Islands). The geodatabases do not contain any sensitive data. The 2015 TIGER Geodatabases are designed for use with Esriâ s ArcGIS.

        The 2015 State Geodatabase for Massachusetts geodatabase contains multiple layers. These layers are the Block, Block Group, Census Designated Place, Census Tract, County Subdivision and
        Incorporated Place layers.

        Block Groups (BGs) are clusters of blocks within the same census tract. Each census tract contains at least one BG, and BGs are uniquely numbered
        within census tracts. BGs have a valid code range of 0 through 9. BGs have the same first digit of their 4-digit census block number from the same
        decennial census. For example, tabulation blocks numbered 3001, 3002, 3003,.., 3999 within census tract 1210.02 are also within BG 3 within that
        census tract. BGs coded 0 are intended to only include water area, no land area, and they are generally in territorial seas, coastal water, and
        Great Lakes water areas. Block groups generally contain between 600 and 3,000 people. A BG usually covers a contiguous area but never crosses
        county or census tract boundaries. They may, however, cross the boundaries of other geographic entities like county subdivisions, places, urban
        areas, voting districts, congressional districts, and American Indian / Alaska Native / Native Hawaiian areas. 

        The BG boundaries in this release are those that were delineated as part of the Census Bureau's Participant Statistical Areas Program (PSAP) for the
        2010 Census. 

        The primary purpose of census tracts is to provide a stable set of geographic units for the presentation of census data and comparison back to
        previous decennial censuses. Census tracts generally have a population size between 1,200 and 8,000 people, with an optimum size of 4,000 people.
        When first delineated, census tracts were designed to be homogeneous with respect to population characteristics, economic status, and living
        conditions. The spatial size of census tracts varies widely depending on the density of settlement. Physical changes in street patterns caused by
        highway construction, new development, and so forth, may require boundary revisions. In addition, census tracts occasionally are split due to
        population growth, or combined as a result of substantial population decline. Census tract boundaries generally follow visible and identifiable
        features. They may follow legal boundaries such as minor civil division (MCD) or incorporated place boundaries in some States and situations to
        allow for census tract-to-governmental unit relationships where the governmental boundaries tend to remain unchanged between censuses. State and
        county boundaries always are census tract boundaries in the standard census geographic hierarchy. In a few rare instances, a census tract may
        consist of noncontiguous areas. These noncontiguous areas may occur where the census tracts are coextensive with all or parts of legal entities
        that are themselves noncontiguous. For the 2010 Census, the census tract code range of 9400 through 9499 was enforced for census tracts that
        include a majority American Indian population according to Census 2000 data and/or their area was primarily covered by federally recognized American
        Indian reservations and/or off-reservation trust lands; the code range 9800 through 9899 was enforced for those census tracts that contained little
        or no population and represented a relatively large special land use area such as a National Park, military installation, or a business/industrial
        park; and the code range 9900 through 9998 was enforced for those census tracts that contained only water area, no land area. 

        An incorporated place is established to provide governmental functions for a concentration of people as opposed to a minor civil division (MCD),
        which generally is created to provide services or administer an area without regard, necessarily, to population. Places always nest within a state,
        but may extend across county and county subdivision boundaries. An incorporated place usually is a city, town, village, or borough, but can have
        other legal descriptions. CDPs are delineated for the decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places. CDPs are delineated
        to provide data for settled concentrations of population that are identifiable by name, but are not legally incorporated under the laws of the state
        in which they are located. The boundaries for CDPs often are defined in partnership with state, local, and/or tribal officials and usually coincide
        with visible features or the boundary of an adjacent incorporated place or another legal entity. CDP boundaries often change from one decennial
        census to the next with changes in the settlement pattern and development; a CDP with the same name as in an earlier census does not necessarily
        have the same boundary. The only population/housing size requirement for CDPs is that they must contain some housing and population. 

        The boundaries of most incorporated places in this shapefile are as of January 1, 2013, as reported through the Census Bureau's Boundary and
        Annexation Survey (BAS). Limited updates that occurred after January 1, 2013, such as newly incorporated places, are also included. The boundaries
        of all CDPs were delineated as part of the Census Bureau's Participant Statistical Areas Program (PSAP) for the 2010 Census.

        The primary legal divisions of most states are termed counties. In Louisiana, these divisions are known as parishes. In Alaska, which has no
        counties, the equivalent entities are the organized boroughs, city and boroughs, municipalities, and for the unorganized area, census areas. The
        latter are delineated cooperatively for statistical purposes by the State of Alaska and the Census Bureau. In four states (Maryland, Missouri,
        Nevada, and Virginia), there are one or more incorporated places that are independent of any county organization and thus constitute primary
        divisions of their states. These incorporated places are known as independent cities and are treated as equivalent entities for purposes of data
        presentation. The District of Columbia and Guam have no primary divisions, and each area is considered an equivalent entity for purposes of data
        presentation. The Census Bureau treats the following entities as equivalents of counties for purposes of data presentation: Municipios in Puerto
        Rico, Districts and Islands in American Samoa, Municipalities in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Islands in the U.S. Virgin
        Islands. The entire area of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Island Areas is covered by counties or equivalent entities. 

        The boundaries for counties and equivalent entities are mostly as of January 1, 2013, primarily as reported through the Census Bureau's Boundary and
        Annexation Survey (BAS). However, some changes made after January 2013, including the addition and deletion of counties, are included.

        County subdivisions are the primary divisions of counties and their equivalent entities for the reporting of Census Bureau data. They include
        legally-recognized minor civil divisions (MCDs) and statistical census county divisions (CCDs), and unorganized territories. For the 2010 Census,
        the MCDs are the primary governmental and/or administrative divisions of counties in 29 States and Puerto Rico; Tennessee changed from having CCDs
        for Census 2000 to having MCDs for the 2010 Census. In MCD States where no MCD exists or is not defined, the Census Bureau creates statistical
        unorganized territories to complete coverage. The entire area of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Island Areas are covered by county
        subdivisions. The boundaries of most legal MCDs are as of January 1, 2013, as reported through the Census Bureau's Boundary and Annexation Survey
        (BAS). 

        The boundaries of all CCDs, delineated in 21 states, are those as reported as part of the Census Bureau's Participant Statistical Areas Program
        (PSAP) for the 2010 Census.

The 2015 TIGER Geodatabases are extracts of selected nation based and state based geographic and cartographic information from the U.S. Census Bureau's Master Address File/Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (MAF/TIGER) database. The geodatabases include feature class layers of information for the fifty states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Island areas (American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the United States Virgin Islands). The geodatabases do not contain any sensitive data. The 2015 TIGER Geodatabases are designed for use with Esriâ s ArcGIS.

        The 2015 State Geodatabase for Hawaii contains multiple layers. These layers are the Block, Block Group, Census Designated Place, Census Tract,
        County Subdivision and Incorporated Place layers.

        Block Groups (BGs) are clusters of blocks within the same census tract. Each census tract contains at least one BG, and BGs are uniquely numbered
        within census tracts. BGs have a valid code range of 0 through 9. BGs have the same first digit of their 4-digit census block number from the same
        decennial census. For example, tabulation blocks numbered 3001, 3002, 3003,.., 3999 within census tract 1210.02 are also within BG 3 within that
        census tract. BGs coded 0 are intended to only include water area, no land area, and they are generally in territorial seas, coastal water, and
        Great Lakes water areas. Block groups generally contain between 600 and 3,000 people. A BG usually covers a contiguous area but never crosses
        county or census tract boundaries. They may, however, cross the boundaries of other geographic entities like county subdivisions, places, urban
        areas, voting districts, congressional districts, and American Indian / Alaska Native / Native Hawaiian areas. 

        The BG boundaries in this release are those that were delineated as part of the Census Bureau's Participant Statistical Areas Program (PSAP) for the
        2010 Census. 

        The primary purpose of census tracts is to provide a stable set of geographic units for the presentation of census data and comparison back to
        previous decennial censuses. Census tracts generally have a population size between 1,200 and 8,000 people, with an optimum size of 4,000 people.
        When first delineated, census tracts were designed to be homogeneous with respect to population characteristics, economic status, and living
        conditions. The spatial size of census tracts varies widely depending on the density of settlement. Physical changes in street patterns caused by
        highway construction, new development, and so forth, may require boundary revisions. In addition, census tracts occasionally are split due to
        population growth, or combined as a result of substantial population decline. Census tract boundaries generally follow visible and identifiable
        features. They may follow legal boundaries such as minor civil division (MCD) or incorporated place boundaries in some States and situations to
        allow for census tract-to-governmental unit relationships where the governmental boundaries tend to remain unchanged between censuses. State and
        county boundaries always are census tract boundaries in the standard census geographic hierarchy. In a few rare instances, a census tract may
        consist of noncontiguous areas. These noncontiguous areas may occur where the census tracts are coextensive with all or parts of legal entities
        that are themselves noncontiguous. For the 2010 Census, the census tract code range of 9400 through 9499 was enforced for census tracts that
        include a majority American Indian population according to Census 2000 data and/or their area was primarily covered by federally recognized American
        Indian reservations and/or off-reservation trust lands; the code range 9800 through 9899 was enforced for those census tracts that contained little
        or no population and represented a relatively large special land use area such as a National Park, military installation, or a business/industrial
        park; and the code range 9900 through 9998 was enforced for those census tracts that contained only water area, no land area. 

        An incorporated place is established to provide governmental functions for a concentration of people as opposed to a minor civil division (MCD),
        which generally is created to provide services or administer an area without regard, necessarily, to population. Places always nest within a state,
        but may extend across county and county subdivision boundaries. An incorporated place usually is a city, town, village, or borough, but can have
        other legal descriptions. CDPs are delineated for the decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places. CDPs are delineated
        to provide data for settled concentrations of population that are identifiable by name, but are not legally incorporated under the laws of the state
        in which they are located. The boundaries for CDPs often are defined in partnership with state, local, and/or tribal officials and usually coincide
        with visible features or the boundary of an adjacent incorporated place or another legal entity. CDP boundaries often change from one decennial
        census to the next with changes in the settlement pattern and development; a CDP with the same name as in an earlier census does not necessarily
        have the same boundary. The only population/housing size requirement for CDPs is that they must contain some housing and population. 

        The boundaries of most incorporated places in this shapefile are as of January 1, 2013, as reported through the Census Bureau's Boundary and
        Annexation Survey (BAS). Limited updates that occurred after January 1, 2013, such as newly incorporated places, are also included. The boundaries
        of all CDPs were delineated as part of the Census Bureau's Participant Statistical Areas Program (PSAP) for the 2010 Census.

        The primary legal divisions of most states are termed counties. In Louisiana, these divisions are known as parishes. In Alaska, which has no
        counties, the equivalent entities are the organized boroughs, city and boroughs, municipalities, and for the unorganized area, census areas. The
        latter are delineated cooperatively for statistical purposes by the State of Alaska and the Census Bureau. In four states (Maryland, Missouri,
        Nevada, and Virginia), there are one or more incorporated places that are independent of any county organization and thus constitute primary
        divisions of their states. These incorporated places are known as independent cities and are treated as equivalent entities for purposes of data
        presentation. The District of Columbia and Guam have no primary divisions, and each area is considered an equivalent entity for purposes of data
        presentation. The Census Bureau treats the following entities as equivalents of counties for purposes of data presentation: Municipios in Puerto
        Rico, Districts and Islands in American Samoa, Municipalities in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Islands in the U.S. Virgin
        Islands. The entire area of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Island Areas is covered by counties or equivalent entities. 

        The boundaries for counties and equivalent entities are mostly as of January 1, 2013, primarily as reported through the Census Bureau's Boundary and
        Annexation Survey (BAS). However, some changes made after January 2013, including the addition and deletion of counties, are included.

        County subdivisions are the primary divisions of counties and their equivalent entities for the reporting of Census Bureau data. They include
        legally-recognized minor civil divisions (MCDs) and statistical census county divisions (CCDs), and unorganized territories. For the 2010 Census,
        the MCDs are the primary governmental and/or administrative divisions of counties in 29 States and Puerto Rico; Tennessee changed from having CCDs
        for Census 2000 to having MCDs for the 2010 Census. In MCD States where no MCD exists or is not defined, the Census Bureau creates statistical
        unorganized territories to complete coverage. The entire area of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Island Areas are covered by county
        subdivisions. The boundaries of most legal MCDs are as of January 1, 2013, as reported through the Census Bureau's Boundary and Annexation Survey
        (BAS). 

        The boundaries of all CCDs, delineated in 21 states, are those as reported as part of the Census Bureau's Participant Statistical Areas Program
        (PSAP) for the 2010 Census.

The 2015 TIGER Geodatabases are extracts of selected nation based and state based geographic and cartographic information from the U.S. Census Bureau's Master Address File/Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (MAF/TIGER) database. The geodatabases include feature class layers of information for the fifty states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Island areas (American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the United States Virgin Islands). The geodatabases do not contain any sensitive data. The 2015 TIGER Geodatabases are designed for use with Esriâ s ArcGIS.

        The 2015 State Geodatabase for Delaware contains multiple layers. These layers are the Block, Block Group, Census Designated Place, Census Tract,
        County Subdivision and Incorporated Place layers.

        Block Groups (BGs) are clusters of blocks within the same census tract. Each census tract contains at least one BG, and BGs are uniquely numbered
        within census tracts. BGs have a valid code range of 0 through 9. BGs have the same first digit of their 4-digit census block number from the same
        decennial census. For example, tabulation blocks numbered 3001, 3002, 3003,.., 3999 within census tract 1210.02 are also within BG 3 within that
        census tract. BGs coded 0 are intended to only include water area, no land area, and they are generally in territorial seas, coastal water, and
        Great Lakes water areas. Block groups generally contain between 600 and 3,000 people. A BG usually covers a contiguous area but never crosses
        county or census tract boundaries. They may, however, cross the boundaries of other geographic entities like county subdivisions, places, urban
        areas, voting districts, congressional districts, and American Indian / Alaska Native / Native Hawaiian areas. 

        The BG boundaries in this release are those that were delineated as part of the Census Bureau's Participant Statistical Areas Program (PSAP) for the
        2010 Census. 

        The primary purpose of census tracts is to provide a stable set of geographic units for the presentation of census data and comparison back to
        previous decennial censuses. Census tracts generally have a population size between 1,200 and 8,000 people, with an optimum size of 4,000 people.
        When first delineated, census tracts were designed to be homogeneous with respect to population characteristics, economic status, and living
        conditions. The spatial size of census tracts varies widely depending on the density of settlement. Physical changes in street patterns caused by
        highway construction, new development, and so forth, may require boundary revisions. In addition, census tracts occasionally are split due to
        population growth, or combined as a result of substantial population decline. Census tract boundaries generally follow visible and identifiable
        features. They may follow legal boundaries such as minor civil division (MCD) or incorporated place boundaries in some States and situations to
        allow for census tract-to-governmental unit relationships where the governmental boundaries tend to remain unchanged between censuses. State and
        county boundaries always are census tract boundaries in the standard census geographic hierarchy. In a few rare instances, a census tract may
        consist of noncontiguous areas. These noncontiguous areas may occur where the census tracts are coextensive with all or parts of legal entities
        that are themselves noncontiguous. For the 2010 Census, the census tract code range of 9400 through 9499 was enforced for census tracts that
        include a majority American Indian population according to Census 2000 data and/or their area was primarily covered by federally recognized American
        Indian reservations and/or off-reservation trust lands; the code range 9800 through 9899 was enforced for those census tracts that contained little
        or no population and represented a relatively large special land use area such as a National Park, military installation, or a business/industrial
        park; and the code range 9900 through 9998 was enforced for those census tracts that contained only water area, no land area. 

        An incorporated place is established to provide governmental functions for a concentration of people as opposed to a minor civil division (MCD),
        which generally is created to provide services or administer an area without regard, necessarily, to population. Places always nest within a state,
        but may extend across county and county subdivision boundaries. An incorporated place usually is a city, town, village, or borough, but can have
        other legal descriptions. CDPs are delineated for the decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places. CDPs are delineated
        to provide data for settled concentrations of population that are identifiable by name, but are not legally incorporated under the laws of the state
        in which they are located. The boundaries for CDPs often are defined in partnership with state, local, and/or tribal officials and usually coincide
        with visible features or the boundary of an adjacent incorporated place or another legal entity. CDP boundaries often change from one decennial
        census to the next with changes in the settlement pattern and development; a CDP with the same name as in an earlier census does not necessarily
        have the same boundary. The only population/housing size requirement for CDPs is that they must contain some housing and population. 

        The boundaries of most incorporated places in this shapefile are as of January 1, 2013, as reported through the Census Bureau's Boundary and
        Annexation Survey (BAS). Limited updates that occurred after January 1, 2013, such as newly incorporated places, are also included. The boundaries
        of all CDPs were delineated as part of the Census Bureau's Participant Statistical Areas Program (PSAP) for the 2010 Census.

        The primary legal divisions of most states are termed counties. In Louisiana, these divisions are known as parishes. In Alaska, which has no
        counties, the equivalent entities are the organized boroughs, city and boroughs, municipalities, and for the unorganized area, census areas. The
        latter are delineated cooperatively for statistical purposes by the State of Alaska and the Census Bureau. In four states (Maryland, Missouri,
        Nevada, and Virginia), there are one or more incorporated places that are independent of any county organization and thus constitute primary
        divisions of their states. These incorporated places are known as independent cities and are treated as equivalent entities for purposes of data
        presentation. The District of Columbia and Guam have no primary divisions, and each area is considered an equivalent entity for purposes of data
        presentation. The Census Bureau treats the following entities as equivalents of counties for purposes of data presentation: Municipios in Puerto
        Rico, Districts and Islands in American Samoa, Municipalities in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Islands in the U.S. Virgin
        Islands. The entire area of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Island Areas is covered by counties or equivalent entities. 

        The boundaries for counties and equivalent entities are mostly as of January 1, 2013, primarily as reported through the Census Bureau's Boundary and
        Annexation Survey (BAS). However, some changes made after January 2013, including the addition and deletion of counties, are included.

        County subdivisions are the primary divisions of counties and their equivalent entities for the reporting of Census Bureau data. They include
        legally-recognized minor civil divisions (MCDs) and statistical census county divisions (CCDs), and unorganized territories. For the 2010 Census,
        the MCDs are the primary governmental and/or administrative divisions of counties in 29 States and Puerto Rico; Tennessee changed from having CCDs
        for Census 2000 to having MCDs for the 2010 Census. In MCD States where no MCD exists or is not defined, the Census Bureau creates statistical
        unorganized territories to complete coverage. The entire area of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Island Areas are covered by county
        subdivisions. The boundaries of most legal MCDs are as of January 1, 2013, as reported through the Census Bureau's Boundary and Annexation Survey
        (BAS). 

        The boundaries of all CCDs, delineated in 21 states, are those as reported as part of the Census Bureau's Participant Statistical Areas Program
        (PSAP) for the 2010 Census.

Refer to the current geographies boundaries table for a list of all current geographies and recent updates.

This dataset is the definitive of the annually released meshblock boundaries as at 1 January 2025 as defined by Stats NZ (the custodian), clipped to the coastline. This clipped version has been created for cartographic purposes and so does not fully represent the official full extent boundaries. This version contains 56,800 meshblocks.

Stats NZ maintains an annual meshblock pattern for collecting and producing statistical data. This allows data to be compared over time.

A meshblock is the smallest geographic unit for which statistical data is collected and processed by Stats NZ. A meshblock is a defined geographic area, which can vary in size from part of a city block to a large area of rural land. The optimal size for a meshblock is 30–60 dwellings (containing approximately 60–120 residents).

Each meshblock borders on another to form a network covering all of New Zealand, including coasts and inlets and extending out to the 200-mile economic zone (EEZ) and is digitised to the 12-mile limit. Meshblocks are added together to build up larger geographic areas such as statistical area 1 (SA1), statistical area 2 (SA2), statistical area 3 (SA3), and urban rural (UR). They are also used to define electoral districts, territorial authorities, and regional councils.

Meshblock boundaries generally follow road centrelines, cadastral property boundaries, or topographical features such as rivers. Expanses of water in the form of lakes and inlets are defined separately from land.

Meshblock maintenance

Meshblock boundaries are amended by:

1. Splitting – subdividing a meshblock into two or more meshblocks.

2. Nudging – shifting a boundary to a more appropriate position.

Reasons for meshblock splits and nudges can include:

• to maintain meshblock criteria rules.
• to improve the size balance of meshblocks in areas where there has been population growth
• to maintain alignment to cadastre and other geographic features.
• Stats NZ requests for boundary changes so that statistical geography boundaries can be moved
• external requests for boundary changes so that administrative or electoral boundaries can be moved
• to separate land and water. Mainland, inland water, islands, inlets, and oceanic are defined separately

Meshblock changes are made throughout the year. A major release is made at 1 January each year with ad hoc releases available to users at other times.

While meshblock boundaries are continually under review, 'freezes' on changes to the boundaries are applied periodically. Such 'freezes' are imposed at the time of population censuses and during periods of intense electoral activity, for example, prior and during general and local body elections.

Meshblock numbering

Meshblocks are not named and have seven-digit codes.

When meshblocks are split, each new meshblock is given a new code. The original meshblock codes no longer exist within that version and future versions of the meshblock classification. Meshblock codes do not change when a meshblock boundary is nudged.

Meshblocks that existed prior to 2015 and have not changed are numbered from 0000100 to 3210003. Meshblocks created from 2015 onwards are numbered from 4000000.

Digitised and non-digitised meshblocks

The digital geographic boundaries are defined and maintained by Stats NZ.

Meshblocks cover the land area of New Zealand, the water area to the 12mile limit, the Chatham Islands, Kermadec Islands, sub-Antarctic islands, offshore oil rigs, and Ross Dependency. The following 16 meshblocks are not held in digitised form.

Meshblock

Location (statistical area 2 name)

• 0016901 /Oceanic Kermadec Islands
• 0016902 / Kermadec Islands
• 1588000 / Oceanic Oil Rig Taranaki
• 3166401 / Oceanic Campbell Island
• 3166402 / Campbell Island
• 3166600 / Oceanic Oil Rig Southland
• 3166710 / Oceanic Auckland Islands
• 3166711 / Auckland Islands
• 3195000 / Ross Dependency
• 3196001 / New Zealand Economic Zone
• 3196002 / Oceanic Bounty Islands
• 3196003 / Bounty Islands
• 3196004 / Oceanic Snares Islands
• 3196005 / Snares Island
• 3196006 / Oceanic Antipodes Islands
• 3196007 / Antipodes Islands

​

Clipped Version

This clipped version has been created for cartographic purposes and so does not fully represent the official full extent boundaries.

​

High-definition version

This high definition (HD) version is the most detailed geometry, suitable for use in GIS for geometric analysis operations and for the computation of areas, centroids and other metrics. The HD version is aligned to the LINZ cadastre.

​

Macrons

Names are provided with and without tohutō/macrons. The column name for those without macrons is suffixed ‘ascii’.

Digital data

Digital boundary data became freely available on 1 July 2007.

​

Further information

To download geographic classifications in table formats such as CSV please use Ariā

For more information please refer to the Statistical standard for geographic areas 2023.

Contact: geography@stats.govt.nz

Abstract

The 2018 Tonga National Disabiltiy Survey was conducted jointly by the Tonga Department of Statistics (TDS) and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Social Protection and Disability. It is the first population-based comprehensive disability survey in the country. Funding was provided through number of bodies including UNICEF, DFAT and Tonga Government. The Pacific Community provided technical supports through out different stages of the survey.

The main purpose of the survey is to desctibe demographic, social and economic characteristics of persons with disabilities and detemine the prevalence by type of disability in Tonga, and thus help the government and decision makers in formulating more suitable national plans and policies relevant to persons with disabilities.

The other objectives of the Disability survey were collect data that would determine but not limited to the following: a. Disability prevalence rate at the national, urban and rural based on the Washington Group recommendations; b. degree of activity limitations and participation restrictions and societal activities for persons with disability: c. ascertain the specific vulnerabilities that children and adults with disability face in Tonga d. establish the accessibility of health and social services for persons with disability in Tonga e. generate data that guides the development of policies and strategies that ensure equity and opportunities for children and adults with disabilities.

An additional module was included to collect information on people's perception/experiences of service delivery of Goverment to the public.

Geographic coverage

National and island division coverage.

There are six statistical regions known as Divisions in Tonga namely Tongatapu urban area, Tongatapu rural area, Vava'u, Ha'apai, Eua and the Niuas.Tongatapu Urban refers to the capital Nuku'alofa is the urban area while the other five divisions are rural areas. Each Division is subdivided into political districts, each district into villages and each village into census enumeration areas known as Census Blocks.

Analysis unit

• Individuals
• Households.

Universe

The survey covers all usual residents of selected households, all children 2-17 years and adults 18 years and above and undertake comparisons between persons with and without disability.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

SAMPLE SIZE: the total number of households to interview approximates 5,500 households based on the budget allocation available

SELECTION PROCESS: the selection of the sample is based on different steps (see previous section)

Stratification: this sample design is a stratified multi stage random survey. Stratification happened based on the disability status of the households and their geographical residence.

STAGES OF SELECTION: - the first stage of selection focussed on the selection of Enumeration Areas or Census Blocks as Primary Sampling Unit for households with disability. In total 334 PSUs have to be selected in order to cover the expected sample size. - the stage 2 of the selection concerns only the households with no disability as all households with disability from the selected EA are selected for interview

Level of representation: The survey will provide a comparison of the status between households with and without disability at the island group level.

REPLACEMENT: All non-response have been replaced according to the disability status of the household. Disable households that had to be replaced were replaced by another household with disability from the closest block.

SAMPLING FRAME: The sampling frame used was the 2016 population census. No additional listing were conducted.

The Sampling strategy is designed consistently with the purpose of the survey. The purpose of the 2018 Tonga Disability Survey is not to estimate the prevalence of disability in Tonga, which has been done on a very accurate way in the 2016 Population Census, but to compare the situation of the household with disability with the situation of households with not disability across the 6 geographical zones of Tonga.

The sampling strategy of the 2018 Tonga Disability Survey is based on 2 stages stratified random sample.

The stratification carried out in this survey is based on the disability status of the household: - strata 1: households who declared at least 1 member in disability (according to Washington Group list of question) - strata 2: households who did not report any disability member

The sampling frame used in this survey is the 2016 National Population Census that included the set of question on disability (from the Washington Group). In addition to the first set of stratification, the geographical breakdown of Tonga (by 6 island groups) has to be taken into consideration.

The overall idea is to equally split the total sample in both strata (1 & 2), which has been allocated to approximatively 5,500 households.

A replacement procedure is implemented in case of non -response.

The first step is to identify the households with disability from the population census. Households with disability are the households who reported at least 1 member as disable according to the 6functionning domains recommended by the Washington Group (see, hear, walk, remember, self-care, communicate).

In the strata 1, the sample distribution of approximatively 2,750 households was allocated using the square roots distribution of households across the 6 island groups. The next step consists in determining the number of blocks (Enumeration Areas) to select as Primary Sampling Unit. Again, by getting from the census frame the average number of households with disability in each block by island group will generate the number of blocks to select as PSU. Within each selected block, all households with disability will be selected for interview.

The strategy for strata 2 (non disable households) is to use the same blocks that have been selected for households in strata 1 and interview within those blocks the same number of households as strata 1.

Here is the final sample - after selection: Tongatapu urban: 1336
Tongatapu rural: 1884
Vava'u: 1060
Ha'apai: 550
Eua: 352
Niua: 54
TOTAL: 334

EA SELECTION (Primary Sampling Units labelled as blocks in the 2016 Tonga census): The EA were selected using probability proportional to size (size means number of households with disability within the EA). Within all selected EAs, all households with disability are selected for interview, and the same number of household with no disability. Households with no disability to interview in the EA were randomly selected, using uniform probability of selection.

Sampling deviation

Deviation from the original sampling plan was observed due to challenges in the field: The main fieldwork challenge was to trace the selected households (that were selected from the 2016 census frame) especially after cyclone Gita that hit Tonga before the field operation. Geography and composition of households have changed (and the household listing was not updated).

Under those circumstances, the total number of households interviewed has changed. Here is the percentage of modification between the original sampling plan and the survey achievements for each of the 2 stratas:

-STRATA 1: Tongatapu urban: 5% Tongatapu rural: 3% Vava'u: 6% Ha'apai: 0% Eua: -10% Niua: 103% Total: 4%

-STRATA 2 Tongatapu urban: 6% Tongatapu rural: 5% Vava'u: 2% Ha'apai: 1% Eua: 1% Niua: 133% Total: 5%.

Mode of data collection

Computer Assisted Personal Interview [capi]

Research instrument

Tonga Disability Survey 2018 used the CAPI system for the interview. However, the questionnaire was developed manually using excel and word software. The questionnaire was then converted to the CAPI using the Survey Solutions software. The questionnaire has two parts - the household and personal questions.

The Household questionnaire containing questions asking about characteristics of all household members of and about the household characteristics. It contains the following parts: · Household schedule/roster - listing all members and recording other social and economic information · Household characteristics - ask about household structure, characteristics, goods, assets and income.

The Personal questionnaire contains questions asking about child functioning among young children (aged 2-4 years) and older children (aged 5-17 years). Questions on adult functioning are also asked of adult aged 18 years and above. The personal questionnaire includes the following sections: · Young Child functioning for children aged 2-4 years old · Older child functioning for children aged 5-17 years old · Adult functioning for persons aged 18 years and older · Tools and service (2 years and above) · Needs and availability (2 years and above) · Transport (2 years and above) · Health care and support (5 years and above) · Education (5 years and above) · Employment and income (15 years and above) · Participation and accessibility (15 years and above) · Other social issues (18 years and above).

The development of the questionnaire went through several consultations and review from key partners and stakeholders within and outside Tonga including Tonga National Statistics Office, Non disability and disability offices in Tonga, UNICEF, WG, PDF, UNESCAP and SPC. Though the questionnaire was originally developped in English, it was also translated to Tongan local language. The first draft of the questionnaire was tested during the Pilot training and fieldwork. The questionnaire is provided as an external resource.

The draft questionnaire was pre-tested during

The 2015 TIGER Geodatabases are extracts of selected nation based and state based geographic and cartographic information from the U.S. Census Bureau's Master Address File/Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (MAF/TIGER) database. The geodatabases include feature class layers of information for the fifty states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Island areas (American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the United States Virgin Islands). The geodatabases do not contain any sensitive data. The 2015 TIGER Geodatabases are designed for use with Esriâ s ArcGIS.

        The 2015 State Geodatabase for Maine contains multiple layers. These layers are the Block, Block Group, Census Designated Place, Census Tract,
        County Subdivision and Incorporated Place layers.

        Block Groups (BGs) are clusters of blocks within the same census tract. Each census tract contains at least one BG, and BGs are uniquely numbered
        within census tracts. BGs have a valid code range of 0 through 9. BGs have the same first digit of their 4-digit census block number from the same
        decennial census. For example, tabulation blocks numbered 3001, 3002, 3003,.., 3999 within census tract 1210.02 are also within BG 3 within that
        census tract. BGs coded 0 are intended to only include water area, no land area, and they are generally in territorial seas, coastal water, and
        Great Lakes water areas. Block groups generally contain between 600 and 3,000 people. A BG usually covers a contiguous area but never crosses
        county or census tract boundaries. They may, however, cross the boundaries of other geographic entities like county subdivisions, places, urban
        areas, voting districts, congressional districts, and American Indian / Alaska Native / Native Hawaiian areas. 

        The BG boundaries in this release are those that were delineated as part of the Census Bureau's Participant Statistical Areas Program (PSAP) for the
        2010 Census. 

        The primary purpose of census tracts is to provide a stable set of geographic units for the presentation of census data and comparison back to
        previous decennial censuses. Census tracts generally have a population size between 1,200 and 8,000 people, with an optimum size of 4,000 people.
        When first delineated, census tracts were designed to be homogeneous with respect to population characteristics, economic status, and living
        conditions. The spatial size of census tracts varies widely depending on the density of settlement. Physical changes in street patterns caused by
        highway construction, new development, and so forth, may require boundary revisions. In addition, census tracts occasionally are split due to
        population growth, or combined as a result of substantial population decline. Census tract boundaries generally follow visible and identifiable
        features. They may follow legal boundaries such as minor civil division (MCD) or incorporated place boundaries in some States and situations to
        allow for census tract-to-governmental unit relationships where the governmental boundaries tend to remain unchanged between censuses. State and
        county boundaries always are census tract boundaries in the standard census geographic hierarchy. In a few rare instances, a census tract may
        consist of noncontiguous areas. These noncontiguous areas may occur where the census tracts are coextensive with all or parts of legal entities
        that are themselves noncontiguous. For the 2010 Census, the census tract code range of 9400 through 9499 was enforced for census tracts that
        include a majority American Indian population according to Census 2000 data and/or their area was primarily covered by federally recognized American
        Indian reservations and/or off-reservation trust lands; the code range 9800 through 9899 was enforced for those census tracts that contained little
        or no population and represented a relatively large special land use area such as a National Park, military installation, or a business/industrial
        park; and the code range 9900 through 9998 was enforced for those census tracts that contained only water area, no land area. 

        An incorporated place is established to provide governmental functions for a concentration of people as opposed to a minor civil division (MCD),
        which generally is created to provide services or administer an area without regard, necessarily, to population. Places always nest within a state,
        but may extend across county and county subdivision boundaries. An incorporated place usually is a city, town, village, or borough, but can have
        other legal descriptions. CDPs are delineated for the decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places. CDPs are delineated
        to provide data for settled concentrations of population that are identifiable by name, but are not legally incorporated under the laws of the state
        in which they are located. The boundaries for CDPs often are defined in partnership with state, local, and/or tribal officials and usually coincide
        with visible features or the boundary of an adjacent incorporated place or another legal entity. CDP boundaries often change from one decennial
        census to the next with changes in the settlement pattern and development; a CDP with the same name as in an earlier census does not necessarily
        have the same boundary. The only population/housing size requirement for CDPs is that they must contain some housing and population. 

        The boundaries of most incorporated places in this shapefile are as of January 1, 2013, as reported through the Census Bureau's Boundary and
        Annexation Survey (BAS). Limited updates that occurred after January 1, 2013, such as newly incorporated places, are also included. The boundaries
        of all CDPs were delineated as part of the Census Bureau's Participant Statistical Areas Program (PSAP) for the 2010 Census.

        The primary legal divisions of most states are termed counties. In Louisiana, these divisions are known as parishes. In Alaska, which has no
        counties, the equivalent entities are the organized boroughs, city and boroughs, municipalities, and for the unorganized area, census areas. The
        latter are delineated cooperatively for statistical purposes by the State of Alaska and the Census Bureau. In four states (Maryland, Missouri,
        Nevada, and Virginia), there are one or more incorporated places that are independent of any county organization and thus constitute primary
        divisions of their states. These incorporated places are known as independent cities and are treated as equivalent entities for purposes of data
        presentation. The District of Columbia and Guam have no primary divisions, and each area is considered an equivalent entity for purposes of data
        presentation. The Census Bureau treats the following entities as equivalents of counties for purposes of data presentation: Municipios in Puerto
        Rico, Districts and Islands in American Samoa, Municipalities in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Islands in the U.S. Virgin
        Islands. The entire area of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Island Areas is covered by counties or equivalent entities. 

        The boundaries for counties and equivalent entities are mostly as of January 1, 2013, primarily as reported through the Census Bureau's Boundary and
        Annexation Survey (BAS). However, some changes made after January 2013, including the addition and deletion of counties, are included.

        County subdivisions are the primary divisions of counties and their equivalent entities for the reporting of Census Bureau data. They include
        legally-recognized minor civil divisions (MCDs) and statistical census county divisions (CCDs), and unorganized territories. For the 2010 Census,
        the MCDs are the primary governmental and/or administrative divisions of counties in 29 States and Puerto Rico; Tennessee changed from having CCDs
        for Census 2000 to having MCDs for the 2010 Census. In MCD States where no MCD exists or is not defined, the Census Bureau creates statistical
        unorganized territories to complete coverage. The entire area of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Island Areas are covered by county
        subdivisions. The boundaries of most legal MCDs are as of January 1, 2013, as reported through the Census Bureau's Boundary and Annexation Survey
        (BAS). 

        The boundaries of all CCDs, delineated in 21 states, are those as reported as part of the Census Bureau's Participant Statistical Areas Program
        (PSAP) for the 2010 Census.

These data contain a residential isolation value for non-Hispanic blacks (NHB) and non-Hispanic whites (NHW) at the census tract level. Population counts from the 2010 census are used to calculate the index. For each block group, the index is the proportion of the population (NHB or NHW) in the index block group and block groups adjacent to the index block group. Islands (areal units with no first-level adjacent areal units) are removed as it is not possible to calculate isolation for units with no adjacent block groups. Islands (areal units with no first-level adjacent areal units) are removed as it is not possible to calculate isolation for units with no adjacent tracts.

The 2015 TIGER Geodatabases are extracts of selected nation based and state based geographic and cartographic information from the U.S. Census Bureau's Master Address File/Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (MAF/TIGER) database. The geodatabases include feature class layers of information for the fifty states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Island areas (American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the United States Virgin Islands). The geodatabases do not contain any sensitive data. The 2015 TIGER Geodatabases are designed for use with Esriâ s ArcGIS.

        The 2015 State Geodatabase for Louisiana contains multiple layers. These layers are the Block, Block Group, Census Designated Place,
        Census Tract, County Subdivision and Incorporated Place layers.

        Block Groups (BGs) are clusters of blocks within the same census tract. Each census tract contains at least one BG, and BGs are uniquely numbered
        within census tracts. BGs have a valid code range of 0 through 9. BGs have the same first digit of their 4-digit census block number from the same
        decennial census. For example, tabulation blocks numbered 3001, 3002, 3003,.., 3999 within census tract 1210.02 are also within BG 3 within that
        census tract. BGs coded 0 are intended to only include water area, no land area, and they are generally in territorial seas, coastal water, and
        Great Lakes water areas. Block groups generally contain between 600 and 3,000 people. A BG usually covers a contiguous area but never crosses
        county or census tract boundaries. They may, however, cross the boundaries of other geographic entities like county subdivisions, places, urban
        areas, voting districts, congressional districts, and American Indian / Alaska Native / Native Hawaiian areas. 

        The BG boundaries in this release are those that were delineated as part of the Census Bureau's Participant Statistical Areas Program (PSAP) for the
        2010 Census. 

        The primary purpose of census tracts is to provide a stable set of geographic units for the presentation of census data and comparison back to
        previous decennial censuses. Census tracts generally have a population size between 1,200 and 8,000 people, with an optimum size of 4,000 people.
        When first delineated, census tracts were designed to be homogeneous with respect to population characteristics, economic status, and living
        conditions. The spatial size of census tracts varies widely depending on the density of settlement. Physical changes in street patterns caused by
        highway construction, new development, and so forth, may require boundary revisions. In addition, census tracts occasionally are split due to
        population growth, or combined as a result of substantial population decline. Census tract boundaries generally follow visible and identifiable
        features. They may follow legal boundaries such as minor civil division (MCD) or incorporated place boundaries in some States and situations to
        allow for census tract-to-governmental unit relationships where the governmental boundaries tend to remain unchanged between censuses. State and
        county boundaries always are census tract boundaries in the standard census geographic hierarchy. In a few rare instances, a census tract may
        consist of noncontiguous areas. These noncontiguous areas may occur where the census tracts are coextensive with all or parts of legal entities
        that are themselves noncontiguous. For the 2010 Census, the census tract code range of 9400 through 9499 was enforced for census tracts that
        include a majority American Indian population according to Census 2000 data and/or their area was primarily covered by federally recognized American
        Indian reservations and/or off-reservation trust lands; the code range 9800 through 9899 was enforced for those census tracts that contained little
        or no population and represented a relatively large special land use area such as a National Park, military installation, or a business/industrial
        park; and the code range 9900 through 9998 was enforced for those census tracts that contained only water area, no land area. 

        An incorporated place is established to provide governmental functions for a concentration of people as opposed to a minor civil division (MCD),
        which generally is created to provide services or administer an area without regard, necessarily, to population. Places always nest within a state,
        but may extend across county and county subdivision boundaries. An incorporated place usually is a city, town, village, or borough, but can have
        other legal descriptions. CDPs are delineated for the decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places. CDPs are delineated
        to provide data for settled concentrations of population that are identifiable by name, but are not legally incorporated under the laws of the state
        in which they are located. The boundaries for CDPs often are defined in partnership with state, local, and/or tribal officials and usually coincide
        with visible features or the boundary of an adjacent incorporated place or another legal entity. CDP boundaries often change from one decennial
        census to the next with changes in the settlement pattern and development; a CDP with the same name as in an earlier census does not necessarily
        have the same boundary. The only population/housing size requirement for CDPs is that they must contain some housing and population. 

        The boundaries of most incorporated places in this shapefile are as of January 1, 2013, as reported through the Census Bureau's Boundary and
        Annexation Survey (BAS). Limited updates that occurred after January 1, 2013, such as newly incorporated places, are also included. The boundaries
        of all CDPs were delineated as part of the Census Bureau's Participant Statistical Areas Program (PSAP) for the 2010 Census.

        The primary legal divisions of most states are termed counties. In Louisiana, these divisions are known as parishes. In Alaska, which has no
        counties, the equivalent entities are the organized boroughs, city and boroughs, municipalities, and for the unorganized area, census areas. The
        latter are delineated cooperatively for statistical purposes by the State of Alaska and the Census Bureau. In four states (Maryland, Missouri,
        Nevada, and Virginia), there are one or more incorporated places that are independent of any county organization and thus constitute primary
        divisions of their states. These incorporated places are known as independent cities and are treated as equivalent entities for purposes of data
        presentation. The District of Columbia and Guam have no primary divisions, and each area is considered an equivalent entity for purposes of data
        presentation. The Census Bureau treats the following entities as equivalents of counties for purposes of data presentation: Municipios in Puerto
        Rico, Districts and Islands in American Samoa, Municipalities in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Islands in the U.S. Virgin
        Islands. The entire area of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Island Areas is covered by counties or equivalent entities. 

        The boundaries for counties and equivalent entities are mostly as of January 1, 2013, primarily as reported through the Census Bureau's Boundary and
        Annexation Survey (BAS). However, some changes made after January 2013, including the addition and deletion of counties, are included.

        County subdivisions are the primary divisions of counties and their equivalent entities for the reporting of Census Bureau data. They include
        legally-recognized minor civil divisions (MCDs) and statistical census county divisions (CCDs), and unorganized territories. For the 2010 Census,
        the MCDs are the primary governmental and/or administrative divisions of counties in 29 States and Puerto Rico; Tennessee changed from having CCDs
        for Census 2000 to having MCDs for the 2010 Census. In MCD States where no MCD exists or is not defined, the Census Bureau creates statistical
        unorganized territories to complete coverage. The entire area of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Island Areas are covered by county
        subdivisions. The boundaries of most legal MCDs are as of January 1, 2013, as reported through the Census Bureau's Boundary and Annexation Survey
        (BAS). 

        The boundaries of all CCDs, delineated in 21 states, are those as reported as part of the Census Bureau's Participant Statistical Areas Program
        (PSAP) for the 2010 Census.

The 2015 TIGER Geodatabases are extracts of selected nation based and state based geographic and cartographic information from the U.S. Census Bureau's Master Address File/Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (MAF/TIGER) database. The geodatabases include feature class layers of information for the fifty states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Island areas (American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the United States Virgin Islands). The geodatabases do not contain any sensitive data. The 2015 TIGER Geodatabases are designed for use with Esriâ s ArcGIS.

        The 2015 State Geodatabase for Nebraska contains multiple layers. These layers are the Block, Block Group, Census Designated Place, Census Tract,
        County Subdivision and Incorporated Place layers.

        Block Groups (BGs) are clusters of blocks within the same census tract. Each census tract contains at least one BG, and BGs are uniquely numbered
        within census tracts. BGs have a valid code range of 0 through 9. BGs have the same first digit of their 4-digit census block number from the same
        decennial census. For example, tabulation blocks numbered 3001, 3002, 3003,.., 3999 within census tract 1210.02 are also within BG 3 within that
        census tract. BGs coded 0 are intended to only include water area, no land area, and they are generally in territorial seas, coastal water, and
        Great Lakes water areas. Block groups generally contain between 600 and 3,000 people. A BG usually covers a contiguous area but never crosses
        county or census tract boundaries. They may, however, cross the boundaries of other geographic entities like county subdivisions, places, urban
        areas, voting districts, congressional districts, and American Indian / Alaska Native / Native Hawaiian areas. 

        The BG boundaries in this release are those that were delineated as part of the Census Bureau's Participant Statistical Areas Program (PSAP) for the
        2010 Census. 

        The primary purpose of census tracts is to provide a stable set of geographic units for the presentation of census data and comparison back to
        previous decennial censuses. Census tracts generally have a population size between 1,200 and 8,000 people, with an optimum size of 4,000 people.
        When first delineated, census tracts were designed to be homogeneous with respect to population characteristics, economic status, and living
        conditions. The spatial size of census tracts varies widely depending on the density of settlement. Physical changes in street patterns caused by
        highway construction, new development, and so forth, may require boundary revisions. In addition, census tracts occasionally are split due to
        population growth, or combined as a result of substantial population decline. Census tract boundaries generally follow visible and identifiable
        features. They may follow legal boundaries such as minor civil division (MCD) or incorporated place boundaries in some States and situations to
        allow for census tract-to-governmental unit relationships where the governmental boundaries tend to remain unchanged between censuses. State and
        county boundaries always are census tract boundaries in the standard census geographic hierarchy. In a few rare instances, a census tract may
        consist of noncontiguous areas. These noncontiguous areas may occur where the census tracts are coextensive with all or parts of legal entities
        that are themselves noncontiguous. For the 2010 Census, the census tract code range of 9400 through 9499 was enforced for census tracts that
        include a majority American Indian population according to Census 2000 data and/or their area was primarily covered by federally recognized American
        Indian reservations and/or off-reservation trust lands; the code range 9800 through 9899 was enforced for those census tracts that contained little
        or no population and represented a relatively large special land use area such as a National Park, military installation, or a business/industrial
        park; and the code range 9900 through 9998 was enforced for those census tracts that contained only water area, no land area. 

        An incorporated place is established to provide governmental functions for a concentration of people as opposed to a minor civil division (MCD),
        which generally is created to provide services or administer an area without regard, necessarily, to population. Places always nest within a state,
        but may extend across county and county subdivision boundaries. An incorporated place usually is a city, town, village, or borough, but can have
        other legal descriptions. CDPs are delineated for the decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places. CDPs are delineated
        to provide data for settled concentrations of population that are identifiable by name, but are not legally incorporated under the laws of the state
        in which they are located. The boundaries for CDPs often are defined in partnership with state, local, and/or tribal officials and usually coincide
        with visible features or the boundary of an adjacent incorporated place or another legal entity. CDP boundaries often change from one decennial
        census to the next with changes in the settlement pattern and development; a CDP with the same name as in an earlier census does not necessarily
        have the same boundary. The only population/housing size requirement for CDPs is that they must contain some housing and population. 

        The boundaries of most incorporated places in this shapefile are as of January 1, 2013, as reported through the Census Bureau's Boundary and
        Annexation Survey (BAS). Limited updates that occurred after January 1, 2013, such as newly incorporated places, are also included. The boundaries
        of all CDPs were delineated as part of the Census Bureau's Participant Statistical Areas Program (PSAP) for the 2010 Census.

        The primary legal divisions of most states are termed counties. In Louisiana, these divisions are known as parishes. In Alaska, which has no
        counties, the equivalent entities are the organized boroughs, city and boroughs, municipalities, and for the unorganized area, census areas. The
        latter are delineated cooperatively for statistical purposes by the State of Alaska and the Census Bureau. In four states (Maryland, Missouri,
        Nevada, and Virginia), there are one or more incorporated places that are independent of any county organization and thus constitute primary
        divisions of their states. These incorporated places are known as independent cities and are treated as equivalent entities for purposes of data
        presentation. The District of Columbia and Guam have no primary divisions, and each area is considered an equivalent entity for purposes of data
        presentation. The Census Bureau treats the following entities as equivalents of counties for purposes of data presentation: Municipios in Puerto
        Rico, Districts and Islands in American Samoa, Municipalities in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Islands in the U.S. Virgin
        Islands. The entire area of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Island Areas is covered by counties or equivalent entities. 

        The boundaries for counties and equivalent entities are mostly as of January 1, 2013, primarily as reported through the Census Bureau's Boundary and
        Annexation Survey (BAS). However, some changes made after January 2013, including the addition and deletion of counties, are included.

        County subdivisions are the primary divisions of counties and their equivalent entities for the reporting of Census Bureau data. They include
        legally-recognized minor civil divisions (MCDs) and statistical census county divisions (CCDs), and unorganized territories. For the 2010 Census,
        the MCDs are the primary governmental and/or administrative divisions of counties in 29 States and Puerto Rico; Tennessee changed from having CCDs
        for Census 2000 to having MCDs for the 2010 Census. In MCD States where no MCD exists or is not defined, the Census Bureau creates statistical
        unorganized territories to complete coverage. The entire area of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Island Areas are covered by county
        subdivisions. The boundaries of most legal MCDs are as of January 1, 2013, as reported through the Census Bureau's Boundary and Annexation Survey
        (BAS). 

        The boundaries of all CCDs, delineated in 21 states, are those as reported as part of the Census Bureau's Participant Statistical Areas Program
        (PSAP) for the 2010 Census.

The 2015 TIGER Geodatabases are extracts of selected nation based and state based geographic and cartographic information from the U.S. Census Bureau's Master Address File/Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (MAF/TIGER) database. The geodatabases include feature class layers of information for the fifty states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Island areas (American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the United States Virgin Islands). The geodatabases do not contain any sensitive data. The 2015 TIGER Geodatabases are designed for use with Esriâ s ArcGIS.

        The 2015 State Geodatabase for Vermont contains multiple layers. These layers are the Block, Block Group, Census Designated Place, Census Tract,
        County Subdivision and Incorporated Place layers.

        Block Groups (BGs) are clusters of blocks within the same census tract. Each census tract contains at least one BG, and BGs are uniquely numbered
        within census tracts. BGs have a valid code range of 0 through 9. BGs have the same first digit of their 4-digit census block number from the same
        decennial census. For example, tabulation blocks numbered 3001, 3002, 3003,.., 3999 within census tract 1210.02 are also within BG 3 within that
        census tract. BGs coded 0 are intended to only include water area, no land area, and they are generally in territorial seas, coastal water, and
        Great Lakes water areas. Block groups generally contain between 600 and 3,000 people. A BG usually covers a contiguous area but never crosses
        county or census tract boundaries. They may, however, cross the boundaries of other geographic entities like county subdivisions, places, urban
        areas, voting districts, congressional districts, and American Indian / Alaska Native / Native Hawaiian areas. The BG boundaries in this release
        are those that were delineated as part of the Census Bureau's Participant Statistical Areas Program (PSAP) for the 2010 Census. 

        The primary purpose of census tracts is to provide a stable set of geographic units for the presentation of census data and comparison back to
        previous decennial censuses. Census tracts generally have a population size between 1,200 and 8,000 people, with an optimum size of 4,000 people.
        When first delineated, census tracts were designed to be homogeneous with respect to population characteristics, economic status, and living
        conditions. The spatial size of census tracts varies widely depending on the density of settlement. Physical changes in street patterns caused by
        highway construction, new development, and so forth, may require boundary revisions. In addition, census tracts occasionally are split due to
        population growth, or combined as a result of substantial population decline. Census tract boundaries generally follow visible and identifiable
        features. They may follow legal boundaries such as minor civil division (MCD) or incorporated place boundaries in some States and situations to
        allow for census tract-to-governmental unit relationships where the governmental boundaries tend to remain unchanged between censuses. State and
        county boundaries always are census tract boundaries in the standard census geographic hierarchy. In a few rare instances, a census tract may
        consist of noncontiguous areas. These noncontiguous areas may occur where the census tracts are coextensive with all or parts of legal entities
        that are themselves noncontiguous. For the 2010 Census, the census tract code range of 9400 through 9499 was enforced for census tracts that
        include a majority American Indian population according to Census 2000 data and/or their area was primarily covered by federally recognized American
        Indian reservations and/or off-reservation trust lands; the code range 9800 through 9899 was enforced for those census tracts that contained little
        or no population and represented a relatively large special land use area such as a National Park, military installation, or a business/industrial
        park; and the code range 9900 through 9998 was enforced for those census tracts that contained only water area, no land area. 

        An incorporated place is established to provide governmental functions for a concentration of people as opposed to a minor civil division (MCD),
        which generally is created to provide services or administer an area without regard, necessarily, to population. Places always nest within a state,
        but may extend across county and county subdivision boundaries. An incorporated place usually is a city, town, village, or borough, but can have
        other legal descriptions. CDPs are delineated for the decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places. CDPs are delineated
        to provide data for settled concentrations of population that are identifiable by name, but are not legally incorporated under the laws of the state
        in which they are located. The boundaries for CDPs often are defined in partnership with state, local, and/or tribal officials and usually coincide
        with visible features or the boundary of an adjacent incorporated place or another legal entity. CDP boundaries often change from one decennial
        census to the next with changes in the settlement pattern and development; a CDP with the same name as in an earlier census does not necessarily
        have the same boundary. The only population/housing size requirement for CDPs is that they must contain some housing and population. 

        The boundaries of most incorporated places in this shapefile are as of January 1, 2013, as reported through the Census Bureau's Boundary and
        Annexation Survey (BAS). Limited updates that occurred after January 1, 2013, such as newly incorporated places, are also included. The boundaries
        of all CDPs were delineated as part of the Census Bureau's Participant Statistical Areas Program (PSAP) for the 2010 Census.

        The primary legal divisions of most states are termed counties. In Louisiana, these divisions are known as parishes. In Alaska, which has no
        counties, the equivalent entities are the organized boroughs, city and boroughs, municipalities, and for the unorganized area, census areas. The
        latter are delineated cooperatively for statistical purposes by the State of Alaska and the Census Bureau. In four states (Maryland, Missouri,
        Nevada, and Virginia), there are one or more incorporated places that are independent of any county organization and thus constitute primary
        divisions of their states. These incorporated places are known as independent cities and are treated as equivalent entities for purposes of data
        presentation. The District of Columbia and Guam have no primary divisions, and each area is considered an equivalent entity for purposes of data
        presentation. The Census Bureau treats the following entities as equivalents of counties for purposes of data presentation: Municipios in Puerto
        Rico, Districts and Islands in American Samoa, Municipalities in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Islands in the U.S. Virgin
        Islands. The entire area of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Island Areas is covered by counties or equivalent entities. The boundaries for
        counties and equivalent entities are mostly as of January 1, 2013, primarily as reported through the Census Bureau's Boundary and
        Annexation Survey (BAS). However, some changes made after January 2013, including the addition and deletion of counties, are included.

        County subdivisions are the primary divisions of counties and their equivalent entities for the reporting of Census Bureau data. They include
        legally-recognized minor civil divisions (MCDs) and statistical census county divisions (CCDs), and unorganized territories. For the 2010 Census,
        the MCDs are the primary governmental and/or administrative divisions of counties in 29 States and Puerto Rico; Tennessee changed from having CCDs
        for Census 2000 to having MCDs for the 2010 Census. In MCD States where no MCD exists or is not defined, the Census Bureau creates statistical
        unorganized territories to complete coverage. The entire area of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Island Areas are covered by county
        subdivisions. The boundaries of most legal MCDs are as of January 1, 2013, as reported through the Census Bureau's Boundary and Annexation Survey
        (BAS). The boundaries of all CCDs, delineated in 21 states, are those as reported as part of the Census Bureau's Participant Statistical Areas
        Program (PSAP) for the 2010 Census.

The 2015 TIGER Geodatabases are extracts of selected nation based and state based geographic and cartographic information from the U.S. Census Bureau's Master Address File/Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (MAF/TIGER) database. The geodatabases include feature class layers of information for the fifty states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Island areas (American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the United States Virgin Islands). The geodatabases do not contain any sensitive data. The 2015 TIGER Geodatabases are designed for use with Esriâ s ArcGIS.

        The State Geodatabase for New Mexico contains multiple layers. These layers are the Block, Block Group, Census Designated Place, Census Tract,
        County Subdivision and Incorporated Place layers.

        Block Groups (BGs) are clusters of blocks within the same census tract. Each census tract contains at least one BG, and BGs are uniquely numbered
        within census tracts. BGs have a valid code range of 0 through 9. BGs have the same first digit of their 4-digit census block number from the same
        decennial census. For example, tabulation blocks numbered 3001, 3002, 3003,.., 3999 within census tract 1210.02 are also within BG 3 within that
        census tract. BGs coded 0 are intended to only include water area, no land area, and they are generally in territorial seas, coastal water, and
        Great Lakes water areas. Block groups generally contain between 600 and 3,000 people. A BG usually covers a contiguous area but never crosses
        county or census tract boundaries. They may, however, cross the boundaries of other geographic entities like county subdivisions, places, urban
        areas, voting districts, congressional districts, and American Indian / Alaska Native / Native Hawaiian areas. 

        The BG boundaries in this release are those that were delineated as part of the Census Bureau's Participant Statistical Areas Program (PSAP) for the
        2010 Census. 

        The primary purpose of census tracts is to provide a stable set of geographic units for the presentation of census data and comparison back to
        previous decennial censuses. Census tracts generally have a population size between 1,200 and 8,000 people, with an optimum size of 4,000 people.
        When first delineated, census tracts were designed to be homogeneous with respect to population characteristics, economic status, and living
        conditions. The spatial size of census tracts varies widely depending on the density of settlement. Physical changes in street patterns caused by
        highway construction, new development, and so forth, may require boundary revisions. In addition, census tracts occasionally are split due to
        population growth, or combined as a result of substantial population decline. Census tract boundaries generally follow visible and identifiable
        features. They may follow legal boundaries such as minor civil division (MCD) or incorporated place boundaries in some States and situations to
        allow for census tract-to-governmental unit relationships where the governmental boundaries tend to remain unchanged between censuses. State and
        county boundaries always are census tract boundaries in the standard census geographic hierarchy. In a few rare instances, a census tract may
        consist of noncontiguous areas. These noncontiguous areas may occur where the census tracts are coextensive with all or parts of legal entities
        that are themselves noncontiguous. For the 2010 Census, the census tract code range of 9400 through 9499 was enforced for census tracts that
        include a majority American Indian population according to Census 2000 data and/or their area was primarily covered by federally recognized American
        Indian reservations and/or off-reservation trust lands; the code range 9800 through 9899 was enforced for those census tracts that contained little
        or no population and represented a relatively large special land use area such as a National Park, military installation, or a business/industrial
        park; and the code range 9900 through 9998 was enforced for those census tracts that contained only water area, no land area. 

        An incorporated place is established to provide governmental functions for a concentration of people as opposed to a minor civil division (MCD),
        which generally is created to provide services or administer an area without regard, necessarily, to population. Places always nest within a state,
        but may extend across county and county subdivision boundaries. An incorporated place usually is a city, town, village, or borough, but can have
        other legal descriptions. CDPs are delineated for the decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places. CDPs are delineated
        to provide data for settled concentrations of population that are identifiable by name, but are not legally incorporated under the laws of the state
        in which they are located. The boundaries for CDPs often are defined in partnership with state, local, and/or tribal officials and usually coincide
        with visible features or the boundary of an adjacent incorporated place or another legal entity. CDP boundaries often change from one decennial
        census to the next with changes in the settlement pattern and development; a CDP with the same name as in an earlier census does not necessarily
        have the same boundary. The only population/housing size requirement for CDPs is that they must contain some housing and population. 

        The boundaries of most incorporated places in this shapefile are as of January 1, 2013, as reported through the Census Bureau's Boundary and
        Annexation Survey (BAS). Limited updates that occurred after January 1, 2013, such as newly incorporated places, are also included. The boundaries
        of all CDPs were delineated as part of the Census Bureau's Participant Statistical Areas Program (PSAP) for the 2010 Census.

        The primary legal divisions of most states are termed counties. In Louisiana, these divisions are known as parishes. In Alaska, which has no
        counties, the equivalent entities are the organized boroughs, city and boroughs, municipalities, and for the unorganized area, census areas. The
        latter are delineated cooperatively for statistical purposes by the State of Alaska and the Census Bureau. In four states (Maryland, Missouri,
        Nevada, and Virginia), there are one or more incorporated places that are independent of any county organization and thus constitute primary
        divisions of their states. These incorporated places are known as independent cities and are treated as equivalent entities for purposes of data
        presentation. The District of Columbia and Guam have no primary divisions, and each area is considered an equivalent entity for purposes of data
        presentation. The Census Bureau treats the following entities as equivalents of counties for purposes of data presentation: Municipios in Puerto
        Rico, Districts and Islands in American Samoa, Municipalities in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Islands in the U.S. Virgin
        Islands. The entire area of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Island Areas is covered by counties or equivalent entities. 

        The boundaries for counties and equivalent entities are mostly as of January 1, 2013, primarily as reported through the Census Bureau's Boundary and
        Annexation Survey (BAS). However, some changes made after January 2013, including the addition and deletion of counties, are included.

        County subdivisions are the primary divisions of counties and their equivalent entities for the reporting of Census Bureau data. They include
        legally-recognized minor civil divisions (MCDs) and statistical census county divisions (CCDs), and unorganized territories. For the 2010 Census,
        the MCDs are the primary governmental and/or administrative divisions of counties in 29 States and Puerto Rico; Tennessee changed from having CCDs
        for Census 2000 to having MCDs for the 2010 Census. In MCD States where no MCD exists or is not defined, the Census Bureau creates statistical
        unorganized territories to complete coverage. The entire area of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Island Areas are covered by county
        subdivisions. The boundaries of most legal MCDs are as of January 1, 2013, as reported through the Census Bureau's Boundary and Annexation Survey
        (BAS). 

        The boundaries of all CCDs, delineated in 21 states, are those as reported as part of the Census Bureau's Participant Statistical Areas Program
        (PSAP) for the 2010 Census.

The 2015 TIGER Geodatabases are extracts of selected nation based and state based geographic and cartographic information from the U.S. Census Bureau's Master Address File/Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (MAF/TIGER) database. The geodatabases include feature class layers of information for the fifty states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Island areas (American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the United States Virgin Islands). The geodatabases do not contain any sensitive data. The 2015 TIGER Geodatabases are designed for use with Esriâ s ArcGIS.

        The 2015 State Geodatabase for Nevada contains multiple layers. These layers are the Block, Block Group, Census Designated Place, Census Tract,
        County Subdivision and Incorporated Place layers.

        Block Groups (BGs) are clusters of blocks within the same census tract. Each census tract contains at least one BG, and BGs are uniquely numbered
        within census tracts. BGs have a valid code range of 0 through 9. BGs have the same first digit of their 4-digit census block number from the same
        decennial census. For example, tabulation blocks numbered 3001, 3002, 3003,.., 3999 within census tract 1210.02 are also within BG 3 within that
        census tract. BGs coded 0 are intended to only include water area, no land area, and they are generally in territorial seas, coastal water, and
        Great Lakes water areas. Block groups generally contain between 600 and 3,000 people. A BG usually covers a contiguous area but never crosses
        county or census tract boundaries. They may, however, cross the boundaries of other geographic entities like county subdivisions, places, urban
        areas, voting districts, congressional districts, and American Indian / Alaska Native / Native Hawaiian areas. 

        The BG boundaries in this release are those that were delineated as part of the Census Bureau's Participant Statistical Areas Program (PSAP) for the
        2010 Census. 

        The primary purpose of census tracts is to provide a stable set of geographic units for the presentation of census data and comparison back to
        previous decennial censuses. Census tracts generally have a population size between 1,200 and 8,000 people, with an optimum size of 4,000 people.
        When first delineated, census tracts were designed to be homogeneous with respect to population characteristics, economic status, and living
        conditions. The spatial size of census tracts varies widely depending on the density of settlement. Physical changes in street patterns caused by
        highway construction, new development, and so forth, may require boundary revisions. In addition, census tracts occasionally are split due to
        population growth, or combined as a result of substantial population decline. Census tract boundaries generally follow visible and identifiable
        features. They may follow legal boundaries such as minor civil division (MCD) or incorporated place boundaries in some States and situations to
        allow for census tract-to-governmental unit relationships where the governmental boundaries tend to remain unchanged between censuses. State and
        county boundaries always are census tract boundaries in the standard census geographic hierarchy. In a few rare instances, a census tract may
        consist of noncontiguous areas. These noncontiguous areas may occur where the census tracts are coextensive with all or parts of legal entities
        that are themselves noncontiguous. For the 2010 Census, the census tract code range of 9400 through 9499 was enforced for census tracts that
        include a majority American Indian population according to Census 2000 data and/or their area was primarily covered by federally recognized American
        Indian reservations and/or off-reservation trust lands; the code range 9800 through 9899 was enforced for those census tracts that contained little
        or no population and represented a relatively large special land use area such as a National Park, military installation, or a business/industrial
        park; and the code range 9900 through 9998 was enforced for those census tracts that contained only water area, no land area. 

        An incorporated place is established to provide governmental functions for a concentration of people as opposed to a minor civil division (MCD),
        which generally is created to provide services or administer an area without regard, necessarily, to population. Places always nest within a state,
        but may extend across county and county subdivision boundaries. An incorporated place usually is a city, town, village, or borough, but can have
        other legal descriptions. CDPs are delineated for the decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places. CDPs are delineated
        to provide data for settled concentrations of population that are identifiable by name, but are not legally incorporated under the laws of the state
        in which they are located. The boundaries for CDPs often are defined in partnership with state, local, and/or tribal officials and usually coincide
        with visible features or the boundary of an adjacent incorporated place or another legal entity. CDP boundaries often change from one decennial
        census to the next with changes in the settlement pattern and development; a CDP with the same name as in an earlier census does not necessarily
        have the same boundary. The only population/housing size requirement for CDPs is that they must contain some housing and population. 

        The boundaries of most incorporated places in this shapefile are as of January 1, 2013, as reported through the Census Bureau's Boundary and
        Annexation Survey (BAS). Limited updates that occurred after January 1, 2013, such as newly incorporated places, are also included. The boundaries
        of all CDPs were delineated as part of the Census Bureau's Participant Statistical Areas Program (PSAP) for the 2010 Census.

        The primary legal divisions of most states are termed counties. In Louisiana, these divisions are known as parishes. In Alaska, which has no
        counties, the equivalent entities are the organized boroughs, city and boroughs, municipalities, and for the unorganized area, census areas. The
        latter are delineated cooperatively for statistical purposes by the State of Alaska and the Census Bureau. In four states (Maryland, Missouri,
        Nevada, and Virginia), there are one or more incorporated places that are independent of any county organization and thus constitute primary
        divisions of their states. These incorporated places are known as independent cities and are treated as equivalent entities for purposes of data
        presentation. The District of Columbia and Guam have no primary divisions, and each area is considered an equivalent entity for purposes of data
        presentation. The Census Bureau treats the following entities as equivalents of counties for purposes of data presentation: Municipios in Puerto
        Rico, Districts and Islands in American Samoa, Municipalities in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Islands in the U.S. Virgin
        Islands. The entire area of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Island Areas is covered by counties or equivalent entities. 

        The boundaries for counties and equivalent entities are mostly as of January 1, 2013, primarily as reported through the Census Bureau's Boundary and
        Annexation Survey (BAS). However, some changes made after January 2013, including the addition and deletion of counties, are included.

        County subdivisions are the primary divisions of counties and their equivalent entities for the reporting of Census Bureau data. They include
        legally-recognized minor civil divisions (MCDs) and statistical census county divisions (CCDs), and unorganized territories. For the 2010 Census,
        the MCDs are the primary governmental and/or administrative divisions of counties in 29 States and Puerto Rico; Tennessee changed from having CCDs
        for Census 2000 to having MCDs for the 2010 Census. In MCD States where no MCD exists or is not defined, the Census Bureau creates statistical
        unorganized territories to complete coverage. The entire area of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Island Areas are covered by county
        subdivisions. The boundaries of most legal MCDs are as of January 1, 2013, as reported through the Census Bureau's Boundary and Annexation Survey
        (BAS). 

        The boundaries of all CCDs, delineated in 21 states, are those as reported as part of the Census Bureau's Participant Statistical Areas Program
        (PSAP) for the 2010 Census.