Yarmouth County Comté de Yarmouth (French) |
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County | |
Location of Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia |
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Coordinates: 43°54′N 65°48′W / 43.9°N 65.8°WCoordinates: 43°54′N 65°48′W / 43.9°N 65.8°W | |
Country | Canada |
Province | Nova Scotia |
District municipalities |
Yarmouth Argyle |
Towns | Yarmouth |
Established | 1836 |
Electoral Districts Federal |
West Nova |
Provincial |
Yarmouth Argyle-Barrington |
Area | |
• Land | 2,125.70 km2 (820.74 sq mi) |
Population (2016) | |
• Total | 24,419 |
• Density | 11.5/km2 (30/sq mi) |
• Change 2011-16 | 3.4% |
Time zone | AST (UTC-4) |
• Summer (DST) | ADT (UTC-3) |
Area code(s) | 902 |
Dwellings | 12,342 |
Median Income* | $41,744 CDN |
NTS Map | 020P13 |
GNBC Code | CBUEA |
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For the ship built in Yarmouth County, see County of Yarmouth
Yarmouth County is a rural county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. It has both traditional Anglo-Scottish and Acadian French culture as well as significant inland wilderness areas, including over 365 lakes and several major rivers. It comprises three municipalities: the Town of Yarmouth, the Municipality of the District of Yarmouth, and the Municipality of the District of Argyle.
The name Yarmouth first appeared as a projected township in Nova Scotia in 1759. There is some speculation it was named after Yarmouth, Massachusetts, as some of the earliest English settlers arrived from Cape Cod on 9 June 1761. It is more likely the township was named after Lady Yarmouth, a mistress of King George II.
Originally the area was part of Lunenburg County. In 1761 it became part of Queens County; in 1784 it became part of Shelburne County and finally became a county on its own in 1836. The description of Yarmouth County was modified in 1846. It was then divided into two districts for court sessional purposes in 1856 – Yarmouth and Argyle. These two districts were subsequently incorporated as district municipalities in 1879. The county was a major international shipbuilding centre in the 19th century, producing hundreds of ships including the namesake County of Yarmouth in 1884.