PROVINCE, in geography, a division of a kingdom or state, comprising several cities, towns, &c. all under the same government, and usually distinguished by the extent either of the civil or ecclesiastical jurisdiction.
The church distinguishes its provinces by archbishoprics; in which sense, England is divided into two provinces, Canterbury and York.
The United Provinces are seven provinces of the Netherlands, who, revolting from the Spanish dominion, made a perpetual alliance, offensive and defensive, at Utrecht, anno 1579. See United Provinces.