View source for Colchester County

{{About|the county in Nova Scotia|the grammar school in Colchester, Essex|Colchester County High School for Girls}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name                   = Colchester County
|official_name          = Municipality of the County of Colchester<ref>[http://www.colchester.ca/ Municipality of Colchester]</ref>
|nickname               = Municipality of Colchester
|settlement_type        = [[List of counties of Nova Scotia|County]]
|motto                  = "We Prosper From Our Resources"
|image_skyline          = File:Colchester_County_NS_Montage_2018.jpg
|imagesize              = 250px
|image_caption          = From top proceeding clockwise: Creamery Square in Tatamagouche, beach near Bass River, Glooscap monument in Millbrook, farm near Stewiacke, NSCC in Truro.
|image_flag             = Colchester County NS flag.gif
|flag_size              =
|image_seal             = 
|seal_size              =
|image_shield           =County of Colchester NS.png
|shield_size            =
|city_logo              =
|citylogo_size          =
|image_map              = ColchesterCounty.png
|map_caption            = Location of Colchester County, Nova Scotia
|image_map1             =
|mapsize1               =
|map_caption1           =
|subdivision_type       = Country
|subdivision_name       = Canada
|subdivision_type1      = Province
|subdivision_name1      = [[Nova Scotia]]
|subdivision_type2      = Towns
|subdivision_name2      = [[Stewiacke, Nova Scotia|Stewiacke]] / [[Truro, Nova Scotia|Truro]]
|subdivision_type3      = Villages
|subdivision_name3      = [[Bible Hill, Nova Scotia|Bible Hill]] / [[Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia|Tatamagouche]] 
|subdivision_type4      =
|subdivision_name4      =
|seat_type              =Electoral&nbsp;Districts&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br />[[List of Canadian federal electoral districts|Federal]]
|seat                   =<br />[[Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley]]
|parts_type             =[[List of Nova Scotia provincial electoral districts|Provincial]]
|parts                  =[[Colchester North (provincial electoral district)|Colchester North]] / [[Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley]] / [[Truro-Bible Hill]]
|government_footnotes   =
|government_type        =Colchester County Municipal Council
|leader_title           =[[Mayor]]
|leader_name            =Christine Blair
|leader_title1          =
|leader_name1           =
|leader_title2          =
|leader_name2           =
|leader_title3          =
|leader_name3           =
|leader_title4          =
|leader_name4           =
|established_title      = Established
|established_date       = 1835
|established_title2     =  Incorporated
|established_date2      = April 17, 1879
|established_title3     =  <!-- Incorporated (city) -->
|established_date3      =
|area_magnitude         =
|unit_pref                = 
|area_footnotes           =<ref name="www12.statcan.ca">{{cite web | url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&SearchText=Colchester&DGUIDlist=2021A00031210&GENDERlist=1,2,3&STATISTIClist=1&HEADERlist=0 | title=Profile table, Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population - Colchester, County (CTY) &#91;Census division&#93;, Nova Scotia | date=9 February 2022 }}</ref>
|area_total_km2           = 
|area_land_km2            = 3627.50
|area_water_km2           =
|area_total_sq_mi         =
|area_land_sq_mi          =
|area_water_sq_mi         =
|area_water_percent       =
|area_urban_km2           =
|area_urban_sq_mi         =
|area_metro_km2           =
|area_metro_sq_mi         =
|population_as_of               = 2021
|population_footnotes           =<ref name="www12.statcan.ca"/><ref>https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&SearchText=Colchester&DGUIDlist=2021A00031210&GENDERlist=1,2,3&STATISTIClist=1&HEADERlist=0 Population and dwelling counts, for Canada and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2006 and 2001 censuses - 100% data</ref>
|population_note                =
|population_total               = 51476
|population_density_km2         =  14.2
|population_density_sq_mi       =
|population_metro               =
|population_density_metro_km2   =
|population_density_metro_sq_mi =
|population_urban               =
|population_density_urban_km2   =
|population_density_urban_sq_mi =
|population_blank1_title        = Change&nbsp;<small>2016-21</small>
|population_blank1              = {{gain}}1.8%
|population_blank2_title        = [[Census]]&nbsp;Rankings <br /> &nbsp;- ''Census&nbsp;divisions'' <br /> &nbsp;Subdivision A <br /> &nbsp;Subdivision B <br /> &nbsp;Subdivision C <br /> &nbsp;- ''Towns'' <br /> &nbsp;[[Truro, Nova Scotia|Truro]] <br /> &nbsp;[[Stewiacke, Nova Scotia|Stewiacke]] <br /> &nbsp;- ''Reserves'' <br /> &nbsp;[[Millbrook 27, Nova Scotia|Millbrook 27]]
|population_blank2              =  
|population_density_blank1_km2 =
|population_density_blank1_sq_mi =
|timezone               = [[Atlantic Standard Time Zone|AST]]
|utc_offset             = -4
|timezone_DST           = [[Atlantic Standard Time Zone|ADT]]
|utc_offset_DST         = -3
|coordinates            = {{coord|45|21|56|N|63|16|32|W|region:CA-NS_type:adm2nd|display=inline,title}}
|elevation_footnotes    = 
|elevation_m            =
|elevation_ft           =
|postal_code_type       = 
 |postal_code            = 
|area_codes              = 902, 782
|blank_name             =Dwellings
|blank_info             =25,378
|blank1_name            =Median Income*
|blank1_info            =$42,782 [[Canadian dollar|CDN]]
|website                = [http://www.colchester.ca/ colchester.ca]
|footnotes              =*Median household income, 2005 (all households)
}}

'''Colchester County''' ([[Scottish Gaelic]]: ''Siorramachd Dhùn Chamuluis'') is a [[List of counties of Nova Scotia|county]] in the [[Provinces and territories of Canada|Canadian province]] of [[Nova Scotia]]. With a population of 51,476<ref name="www12.statcan.ca" /> the county is the fourth largest in Nova Scotia.  Colchester County is located in north central Nova Scotia.

The majority of the county is governed by the Municipality of the County of Colchester, the county also is home to two independent incorporated towns, [[Stewiacke, Nova Scotia|Stewiacke]] and [[Truro, Nova Scotia|Truro]], two village commissions in [[Bible Hill, Nova Scotia|Bible Hill]] and [[Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia|Tatamagouche]], and the [[Millbrook 27]] [[First Nations in Canada|First Nations]] reserve.

==History==
{{Main|History of Nova Scotia|}}The [[Last glacial period|glaciers began their retreat]] from in [[the Maritimes]] approximately 13,500 years ago.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Stea|first1=Robert|title=Deglaciation of Nova Scotia: Stratigraphy and chronology of lake sediment cores and buried organic sections|url=https://www.erudit.org/en/journals/gpq/1998-v52-n1-gpq155/004871ar.pdf|website=erudit|publisher=Géographie physique et Quaternaire|access-date=30 March 2018|date=1998}}</ref>  The earliest evidence of [[Paleo-Indians|Palaeo-Indian]] settlement in the region follows rapidly after deglaciation.  The record of continuous habitation through the [[Paleo-Indians|paleo and archaic]] period over ten thousand years culminated in the development of the culture, traditions, and language now known as the [[Mi'kmaq]].<ref>{{cite web|title=A Mi'kmaw History|url=https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/ns/kejimkujik/decouvrir-discover/heritage-cultur/histor-mikmaq|website=Parks Canada|publisher=Parks canada|access-date=30 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180331040348/https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/ns/kejimkujik/decouvrir-discover/heritage-cultur/histor-mikmaq#|archive-date=2018-03-31|url-status=dead}}</ref> For several thousand years the territory of the province has been a part of the territory of the [[Mi'kmaq people|Mi'kmaq]] nation of Mi'kma'ki. Mi'kma'ki includes what is now the Maritimes, parts of [[Maine]], [[Newfoundland and Labrador|Newfoundland]] and the [[Gaspé Peninsula]].  Colchester County is located in the traditional Mi'kmaw districts of Sipekni'katik to the south and west, and Epekwitk aq Piktuk to the north and east.

French colonization of the area began during the 1680s.  [[Acadia]]n settlers were farmers were accustomed to farming on [[Dyke (construction)|dyked]] lands in France.  They used normally salty but fertile marshes that were found on the banks of the [[Minas Basin]] and through the use of dykes and aboiteaux that allowed fresh water to enter but kept out the salt-water tide.

The appellation Colchester was applied in 1780 to the [[district]] previously called "Cobequid," and was derived from the town of [[Colchester]] in [[Essex, England|Essex]]. The old name Cobequid was derived from the [[Mi'kmaq language|Mi'kmaq]] word "Wagobagitk" meaning "the bay runs far up", in reference to the area surrounding the easternmost inlet of the [[Minas Basin]], a [[body of water]] called [[Cobequid Bay]].

The District of Colchester, which was at first part of [[Halifax County, Nova Scotia|Halifax County]], was established as a county in its own right in 1835.  In 1838 a distinct line of division between [[Cumberland County, Nova Scotia|Cumberland County]] and Colchester County was established. Two years later, in 1840, the [[Parrsboro|Township of Parrsboro]] was divided and part of it annexed to Colchester County. In 1871, the [[Border|boundaries]] between the Counties of [[Hants County, Nova Scotia|Hants]] and Colchester and between the Counties of Halifax and Colchester were established. In 1880 the boundary between the Counties of Halifax and Colchester was revised. Eventually in 1897 a portion of the boundary between the Counties of Colchester and Cumberland was fixed and defined.

The question of the boundary between Colchester and Cumberland Counties was the subject of a [[Government agency|Commission]] of Inquiry established in 1946. The report was filed in the office of the [[Provincial Secretary]] and in the office of the Department of Lands and Forests in January 1959. Certified copies of it were sent to the Registrars of Deeds for the Counties of Colchester, Cumberland and [[Kings County, Nova Scotia|Kings]].

==Government==
[[File:Tatamagouche_Aerial.jpg|thumb|left|The village of Tatamagouche]]
The Municipality of the County of Colchester is governed by a municipal council composed of a [[Mayor]] elected at-large and 11 [[Councillors]] elected to represent districts. Municipal Council is responsible oversee the provision of the services of [[municipal government]]. Municipal governments in Nova Scotia are [[Council–manager government]]s, meaning that the Council provides policy direction and approves the budget, and the Chief Administrative Officer oversees the administrative operations and implement Council's policies. Directly delivered services include services such as fire protection, public works, roads, and water.  The municipality participates in shared services, such as [[RCMP|police]], [[Colchester Waste Resource Management|solid waste management]], [[Colchester East Hants Library|library services]], and the [[Rath Eastlink Community Centre]].

The municipal operating budget was $29.1 million in 2017/18.<ref>{{cite web|title=2017/18 Budget|url=https://www.colchester.ca/finance-1/1868-2017-2018-operating-budget|publisher=Colchster County|access-date=5 May 2018}}</ref> The current mayor is Christine Blair.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.colchester.ca/council|title=Municipality of Colchester}}</ref> Municipal governments in Nova Scotia are elected every four years and the most recent round of elections took place on October 15, 2016.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/municipal-election-mayors-towns-county-municipality-district-1.3807237| title = Nova Scotia mayors elected in Oct. 15 municipal election {{!}} CBC News}}</ref> The provincial legislation that creates and empowers the municipality is the Nova Scotia Municipal Government Act.<ref>https://nslegislature.ca/sites/default/files/legc/statutes/municipal%20government.pdf "Municipal Government Act"</ref>

While the majority of the land area of county is governed by the Municipal Council of the Municipality of the County of Colchester the county also includes two independently incorporated towns, [[Stewiacke]] and [[Truro, Nova Scotia|Truro]], as well as the independently governed [[Millbrook First Nation]]. Within the county are also two communities with incorporated village commissions in [[Bible Hill, Nova Scotia|Bible Hill]] and [[Tatamagouche]] which are a part of the county wide municipality but are created to provide additional village services. Colchester is represented by three ridings in the [[Nova Scotia House of Assembly]] and two ridings in Canada's [[House of Commons of Canada|House of Commons]].

==Communities==
{{Main|List of communities in Colchester County, Nova Scotia}}

;Towns
*[[Stewiacke, Nova Scotia|Stewiacke]] 
*[[Truro, Nova Scotia|Truro]]

;Villages
*[[Bible Hill, Nova Scotia|Bible Hill]]
*[[Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia|Tatamagouche]]

:Unincorporated communities
*[[Manganese Mines]]

;Reserves
*[[Millbrook 27]]

;County municipality and county subdivisions
*Municipality of the County of Colchester
**[[Colchester Subdivision A]]
**[[Colchester Subdivision B]]
**[[Colchester Subdivision C]]

== Demographics ==
As a [[Census divisions of Canada|census division]] in the [[2021 Canadian census|2021 Census of Population]] conducted by [[Statistics Canada]], Colchester County had a population of {{nts|51476}} living in {{nts|23056}} of its {{nts|25638}} total private dwellings, a change of {{percentage|{{#expr:51476-50585}}|50585|1}} from its 2016 population of {{nts|50585}}. With a land area of {{convert|3627.5|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}, it had a population density of {{Pop density|51476|3627.5|km2|sqmi|prec=1}} in 2021.<ref name=2021census>{{cite web | url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810000701 | title=Population and dwelling counts: Canada and census divisions | publisher=[[Statistics Canada]] | date=February 9, 2022 | accessdate=April 2, 2022}}</ref>

Forming the majority of the Colchester County census division, the Municipality of the County of Colchester, including its Subdivisions A, B, and C, had a population of {{val|36044|fmt=commas}} living in {{val|15665|fmt=commas}} of its {{val|17877|fmt=commas}} total private dwellings, a change of {{percentage|{{#expr:36044-36091}}|36091|1}} from its 2016 population of {{val|36091|fmt=commas}}. With a land area of {{convert|3568.71|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}, it had a population density of {{Pop density|36044|3568.71|km2|sqmi|prec=1}} in 2021.<ref name=2021censusCSD>{{cite web | url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810000203&geocode=A000212 | title=Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (municipalities), Nova Scotia | publisher=[[Statistics Canada]] | date=February 9, 2022 | accessdate=April 2, 2022}}</ref>

'''Population trend'''<ref>[http://www66.statcan.gc.ca/eng/acyb_c1943-44-eng.aspx?opt=/eng/1943-44/194301510081_p.%2081.pdf Censues 1871-1941]</ref><ref>Statistics Canada: [[Canada 1996 Census|1996]], [[Canada 2001 Census|2001]], [[Canada 2006 Census|2006]] census</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Census
! Population
! Change (%)
|-
| 2021
| 51,476
| {{gain}}1.8%
|-
| 2016
|  50,585
| {{loss}}0.8%
|-
| 2011
|  50,968   
| {{profit}}1.9%
|-
| 2006
|  50,023   
| {{profit}}1.5%
|-
| 2001
|  49,307
| {{profit}}0.1%
|-
| 1996
|  49,262
| {{profit}}3.3%
|-
| 1991
|  47,683
| {{gain}}5.7%
|-
| 1986
|  45,093
| {{gain}}4.3%
|-
| 1981
|  43,244
| N/A
|-
| 1941
|  30,124
| 
|-
| 1931
|  25,051
|  
|-
| 1921
|  25,196
|  
|-
| 1911
|  23,664
|  
|-
| 1901
|  24,900
|  
|-
| 1891
|  27,160
| 
|-
| 1881
|  26,720
| 
|-
| 1871
|  23,331
| N/A
|}

=== Ethnicity ===
{| class="wikitable collapsible sortable"
|+ [[Panethnicity|Panethnic]] groups in Colchester County (2001−2021)
! rowspan="2" |[[Panethnicity|Panethnic]] group
! colspan="2" |2021<ref name="2021censusB">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2022-10-26 |title= Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&SearchText=Colchester&DGUIDlist=2021A00031210&GENDERlist=1,2,3&STATISTIClist=1,4&HEADERlist=0 |access-date=2023-08-06 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |2016<ref name="2016censusB">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2021-10-27 |title= Census Profile, 2016 Census |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CD&Code1=1210&Geo2=PR&Code2=12&SearchText=Colchester&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&TABID=1&type=0 |access-date=2023-08-06 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |2011<ref name="2011censusB">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2015-11-27 |title= NHS Profile |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CD&Code1=1210&Data=Count&SearchText=Colchester&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&A1=All&B1=All&Custom=&TABID=1 |access-date=2023-08-06 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |2006<ref name="2006censusB">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2019-08-20 |title= 2006 Community Profiles |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/prof/92-591/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CD&Code1=1210&Geo2=PR&Code2=12&Data=Count&SearchText=Colchester&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&Custom= |access-date=2023-08-06 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |2001<ref name="2001censusB">{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2019-07-02 |title= 2001 Community Profiles |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/english/Profil01/CP01/Details/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CD&Code1=1210&Geo2=PR&Code2=12&Data=Count&SearchText=Colchester&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&Custom= |access-date=2023-08-06 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref>
|-
![[Population|{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}]]
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}
!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}
|-
| [[European Canadians|European]]{{efn|Statistic includes all persons that did not make up part of a visible minority or an indigenous identity.|name=euro}}
| 45,550
| {{Percentage | 45550 | 50585 | 2 }}
| 45,455
| {{Percentage | 45455 | 49730 | 2 }}
| 47,050
| {{Percentage | 47050 | 50030 | 2 }}
| 47,080
| {{Percentage | 47080 | 49515 | 2 }}
| 46,610
| {{Percentage | 46610 | 48785 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Indigenous peoples in Canada|Indigenous]]
| 2,785
| {{Percentage | 2785 | 50585 | 2 }}
| 2,585
| {{Percentage | 2585 | 49730 | 2 }}
| 1,935
| {{Percentage | 1935 | 50030 | 2 }}
| 1,280
| {{Percentage | 1280 | 49515 | 2 }}
| 1,115
| {{Percentage | 1115 | 48785 | 2 }}
|-
| [[African-Canadian|African]]
| 880
| {{Percentage | 880 | 50585 | 2 }}
| 865
| {{Percentage | 865 | 49730 | 2 }}
| 645
| {{Percentage | 645 | 50030 | 2 }}
| 705
| {{Percentage | 705 | 49515 | 2 }}
| 635
| {{Percentage | 635 | 48785 | 2 }}
|-
| [[South Asian Canadians|South Asian]]
| 575
| {{Percentage | 575 | 50585 | 2 }}
| 245
| {{Percentage | 245 | 49730 | 2 }}
| 145
| {{Percentage | 145 | 50030 | 2 }}
| 180
| {{Percentage | 180 | 49515 | 2 }}
| 170
| {{Percentage | 170 | 48785 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Southeast Asia]]n{{efn|Statistic includes total responses of "Filipino" and "Southeast Asian" under visible minority section on census.|name=SoutheastAsian}}
| 270
| {{Percentage | 270 | 50585 | 2 }}
| 205
| {{Percentage | 205 | 49730 | 2 }}
| 40
| {{Percentage | 40 | 50030 | 2 }}
| 30
| {{Percentage | 30 | 49515 | 2 }}
| 90
| {{Percentage | 90 | 48785 | 2 }}
|-
| [[East Asian Canadians|East Asian]]{{efn|Statistic includes total responses of "Chinese", "Korean", and "Japanese" under visible minority section on census.|name=EastAsian}}
| 235
| {{Percentage | 235 | 50585 | 2 }}
| 185
| {{Percentage | 185 | 49730 | 2 }}
| 130
| {{Percentage | 130 | 50030 | 2 }}
| 105
| {{Percentage | 105 | 49515 | 2 }}
| 80
| {{Percentage | 80 | 48785 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Middle Eastern Canadians|Middle Eastern]]{{efn|Statistic includes total responses of "West Asian" and "Arab" under visible minority section on census.|name=MiddleEastern}}
| 185
| {{Percentage | 185 | 50585 | 2 }}
| 105
| {{Percentage | 105 | 49730 | 2 }}
| 55
| {{Percentage | 55 | 50030 | 2 }}
| 75
| {{Percentage | 75 | 49515 | 2 }}
| 55
| {{Percentage | 55 | 48785 | 2 }}
|-
| [[Latin American Canadians|Latin American]]
| 65
| {{Percentage | 65 | 50585 | 2 }}
| 75
| {{Percentage | 75 | 49730 | 2 }}
| 0
| {{Percentage | 0 | 50030 | 2 }}
| 55
| {{Percentage | 55 | 49515 | 2 }}
| 20
| {{Percentage | 20 | 48785 | 2 }}
|-
| Other/[[Multiracial people|multiracial]]{{efn|Statistic includes total responses of "Visible minority, {{abbr|n.i.e.|not included elsewhere}}" and "Multiple visible minorities" under visible minority section on census.|name=Other}}
| 55
| {{Percentage | 55 | 50585 | 2 }}
| 25
| {{Percentage | 25 | 49730 | 2 }}
| 0
| {{Percentage | 0 | 50030 | 2 }}
| 30
| {{Percentage | 30 | 49515 | 2 }}
| 20
| {{Percentage | 20 | 48785 | 2 }}
|-
! Total responses
! 50,585
! {{Percentage | 50585 | 51476 | 2 }}
! 49,730
! {{Percentage | 49730 | 50585 | 2 }}
! 50,030
! {{Percentage | 50030 | 50968 | 2 }}
! 49,515
! {{Percentage | 49515 | 50023 | 2 }}
! 48,785
! {{Percentage | 48785 | 49307 | 2 }}
|- class="sortbottom"
! Total population
! 51,476
! {{Percentage | 51476 | 51476 | 2 }}
! 50,585
! {{Percentage | 50585 | 50585 | 2 }}
! 50,968
! {{Percentage | 50968 | 50968 | 2 }}
! 50,023
! {{Percentage | 50023 | 50023 | 2 }}
! 49,307
! {{Percentage | 49307 | 49307 | 2 }}
|- class="sortbottom"
| colspan="11" | {{small|Note: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses}}
|}

'''Ethnic Origin (2006)'''<ref name="SC2006-Ethnicity">[http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/hlt/97-562/pages/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo=CD&Code=1210&Data=Count&Table=2&StartRec=1&Sort=3&Display=All&CSDFilter=5000 2006 Statistics Canada Census Ethnocultural Portrait of Canada: Colchester County, Nova Scotia]</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Ethnic Origin
! Population
! Pct (%)
|-
| [[Canadians|Canadian]]
|  20,510
| 41.4%
|-
| [[Scottish Canadian|Scottish]]
|  19,455
| 39.3%
|-
| [[English Canadian|English]]
|  16,060
| 32.4%
|-
| [[Irish Canadian|Irish]]
|  11,155
| 22.5%
|-
| [[French Canadian|French]]
|  5,880
| 11.9%
|-
| [[Canadians of German ethnicity|German]]
|  4,085
| 8.3%
|-
| [[Canadians of Dutch descent|Dutch (Netherlands)]]
|  2,480
| 5.0%
|-
| [[First Nations in Canada|North American Indian]] 
|  2,100
| 4.2%
|}

=== Language ===
'''Mother tongue language (2011)'''<ref>Statistics Canada: [[Canada 2011 Census|2011]] census</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Language
! Population
! Pct (%)
|-
| English only
|  48,580
| 96.34%
|-
| French only
|  560
| 1.11%
|-
| Non-official languages
|   1,065
| 2.11%
|-
| Multiple responses
|   225
| 0.45%
|}

==Access Routes==
Highways and numbered routes that run through the county, including external routes that start or finish at the county limits:<ref>Atlantic Canada Back Road Atlas {{ISBN|978-1-55368-618-7}}  Pages 52-53, 67-69</ref>
{{col-begin}}
{{col-4}}
*'''Highways'''
**{{jct|state=NS|Hwy|102}}
**{{jct|state=NS|TCH|104}}
{{col-4}}
*'''Trunk Routes'''
**{{jct|state=NS|Trunk|2}}
**{{jct|state=NS|Trunk|4}}
**{{jct|state=NS|Trunk|6}}
{{col-4}}
*'''Collector Routes:'''
**{{jct|state=NS|Route|224}}
**{{jct|state=NS|Route|236}}
**{{jct|state=NS|Route|246}}
**{{jct|state=NS|Route|256}}
**{{jct|state=NS|Route|289}}
**{{jct|state=NS|Route|311}}
**{{jct|state=NS|Route|326}}
**{{jct|state=NS|Route|336}}
{{col-4}}
*'''External Routes:'''
**{{jct|state=NS|Route|277}}

{{col-end}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Canada|Nova Scotia}}
* [[List of municipalities in Nova Scotia]]
*[[Black Lake (Nova Scotia)|Black Lake listings within Nova Scotia.]]
{{clear}}

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |last=Creighton |first=S. F. |date=1979 |title=Colchester County: A Pictorial History |url=https://archive.org/details/colchestercounty0000crei/ |url-access=registration |location=Oxford, N.S. |publisher=Municipality of Colchester Recreation Committee |oclc=15918786}}
* {{cite book |last=Eaton |first=Arthur Wentworth Hamilton |author-link=Arthur Wentworth Hamilton Eaton |date=1912 |title=The Settling of Colchester County, Nova Scotia |url= |location=Ottawa |publisher=[[Royal Society of Canada]] |lccn=13012509}}
* {{cite book |last=Stevenson |first=Sheila |date=1979 |title=Colchester Furniture Makers: A Study of 19th Century Colchester County Furniture Makers, and Their Works |url=https://archive.org/details/colchesterfurnit0000unse/ |url-access=registration |location=Truro, N.S. |publisher=Colchester Historical Museum |isbn=0-9690-1190-3}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*[http://www.colchester.ca/ County of Colchester website]

{{Geographic location
 | Centre =  Colchester County
 | North =   ''[[Northumberland Strait]]''<br />([[Queens County, Prince Edward Island]] {{flagicon|PE}})
 | Northeast = 
 | East =   [[Pictou County, Nova Scotia|Pictou County]]
 | Southeast = [[Guysborough County, Nova Scotia|Guysborough County]]
 | South =   [[Halifax Regional Municipality]]
 | Southwest = [[Hants County, Nova Scotia|Hants County]]
 | West =    ''[[Minas Basin]]''
 | Northwest = [[Cumberland County, Nova Scotia|Cumberland County]]
}}
{{NSColchester}}
{{Subdivisions of Nova Scotia}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Colchester County| ]]
[[Category:County municipalities in Nova Scotia]]
[[Category:1835 establishments in the British Empire]]
[[Category:Counties of Nova Scotia]]