From the end of the 16th century, the island of Ireland was traditionally divided into 4 historic provinces, which in turn were divided into 32 counties. Two historic counties, Desmond and Coleraine, no longer exist, and others have changed their name or boundaries. After the division of Ireland in 1921, the newly established Irish state (Saorstat Eireann) included 26 counties, with the remaining six within the borders of Northern Ireland.
