Boroughs are usually created by royal charter, and are typically small towns or villages. However, some boroughs are much larger, such as the London boroughs.
Boroughs have their own councils, which are responsible for local services such as education, housing, and planning. They also have a mayor, who is elected by the council.
The term "borough" is also sometimes used to refer to a type of municipality in the United States. These municipalities are usually larger than boroughs in the UK, and are often found in New England and the Mid-Atlantic states.
In the United States, boroughs are often part of a county, and have their own governments and mayors. However, they do not have the same level of autonomy as boroughs in the UK, and are often more closely integrated with the county government.
Here is a table summarizing the key differences between boroughs in the UK and the US:
| UK borough | US borough |
|---|---|
| Created by royal charter | Usually incorporated by a state legislature |
| Usually small towns or villages | Usually larger municipalities |
| Part of a county or unitary authority | Usually part of a county |
| Have their own councils and mayors | Have their own governments and mayors |
| More autonomy | Less autonomy |
