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Joining two or more political units, such as municipalities, counties, or cities into one entity is referred to as Amalgamation when the process occurs within a sovereign entity. In United States politics, such an entity may be called a consolidated city-county. A common cause is unbalanced growth or outward expansion of either one has necessitated an administrative decision to merge the two; in some cases, common perception of continuity may be a factor in prompting such a process. Some cities (see below) that have gone though amalgamation or a similar process feature several administrative sub-divisions or jurisdictions, each with a separate person in charge.

Annexation is similar to amalgamation, but differs in being applied mainly to two cases:

1. The units joined are sovereign entities before the process, as opposed to being units of a single political entity.
2. A city's boundaries are expanded by adding territories not already incoporated as cities or villages.

In describing works of fiction, the term amalgamation is extended to describe the combination of distinct administrative regions into one, often evidenced by the sight of several landmarks not found within the city in which the work is nominally set. This is usually seen in films shot in several cities, generally with the purpose of not locating the fictional city in which the action takes place as an existing location.

Over the years political parties have taken aim at cities as part of a larger political agenda. Often the abolishment of a level of government results in the growth of another level - negating the original purpose of the merger. Some of the more polically charged transformations of city governments has been led by conservative parties, as to target the usually more liberal voting urban regions.

Some of the more notable amalgamations are noted below: Within Canada:

• Metro Toronto - Eliminated by the Mike Harris part of the reform package entitled 'Common Sense Revolution', to create the new city of Toronto.
• City of Ottawa - In 2001, the municipalities of Cumberland, Osgoode, Rideau, Goulbourn, West Carleton, Nepean, Kanata, Gloucester, Vanier and Rockcliffe Park became part of Ottawa.

• City of Greater New York

• Combined Statistical Area
• Conurbation
• Ecumenopolis
• Ekistics
• Double placenames
• Independent city, the opposite of a consolidated city-county
• City-State
• Megalopolis (term)
• Megacity
• Metropolitan area
• Metroplex
• Metropolis

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