Mainland Halifax is a region in central Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...

, Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

 that refers to the central-eastern part of the Chebucto Peninsula

Chebucto Peninsula

The Chebucto Peninsula is a Canadian peninsula located in central Nova Scotia entirely within the Halifax Regional Municipality on the Atlantic coast....

 in the Halifax Regional Municipality

Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia

Halifax Regional Municipality is the capital of the province of Nova Scotia, Canada. The Regional Municipality had a 2006 census population of 372,679, while the metropolitan area had a 2010 estimated population of 403,188, and the urban area of Halifax had a population of 282,924...

. It contrasts with Halifax Peninsula

Halifax Peninsula

The Halifax Peninsula is a community and planning area located in the urban core of Halifax Regional Municipality in the province of Nova Scotia. Halifax Peninsula is home to Downtown Halifax, the financial and economic heart of the region, which was also the site of the original settlement and...

, which lies across the Northwest Arm

Northwest Arm

The Northwest Arm, originally named Sandwich River, is an inlet in eastern Canada off the Atlantic Ocean in Nova Scotia's Halifax Regional Municipality.-Geography:...

.

The area lies west of the Northwest Arm

Northwest Arm

The Northwest Arm, originally named Sandwich River, is an inlet in eastern Canada off the Atlantic Ocean in Nova Scotia's Halifax Regional Municipality.-Geography:...

 and Bedford Basin

Bedford Basin

Bedford Basin is a large enclosed bay, forming the northwestern end of Halifax Harbour on Canada's Atlantic coast.-Geography:Geographically, the basin is situated entirely within the Halifax Regional Municipality and is oriented northwest-southeast, measuring approximately 8 kilometres long and 5...

 and extends several kilometres inland, encompassing an area of Halifax County

Halifax County, Nova Scotia

Halifax County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.The Municipality of the County of Halifax was the municipal government of Halifax County, apart from the separately incorporated towns and cities therein...

 that the former City of Halifax

City of Halifax

Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...

 had amalgamated in 1969 - this includes the former communities of Armdale

Armdale, Nova Scotia

Armdale is a Canadian urban community located in Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia.Situated at the head of the Northwest Arm, from which it derives its name, Armdale borders the southern part of an isthmus connecting the Halifax Peninsula with the larger Chebucto Peninsula.-History:The...

, Clayton Park

Clayton Park, Nova Scotia

Clayton Park is a Canadian suburban development in Nova Scotia's Halifax Regional Municipality inside the city of Halifax.-Original development:...

, Fairview

Fairview, Nova Scotia

Fairview is a former community and current neighbourhood within the urban core of Halifax Regional Municipality in Nova Scotia, Canada.-Geography:...

, Rockingham

Rockingham, Nova Scotia

Rockingham is a community located in Nova Scotia's Halifax Regional Municipality. It is part of a large suburban area along the western shore of Bedford Basin, north of Clayton Park and south of Bedford.-Geography:...

, Purcell's Cove

Purcell's Cove, Nova Scotia

Purcell's Cove is a community within the Halifax Regional Municipality Nova Scotia Canada on the west side of Halifax Harbour from the Northwest Arm to Ferguson's Cove along Route 253 . The first 3 digits of the postal code in the area is B3P.-References:...

 and Spryfield

Spryfield, Nova Scotia

Spryfield is a community in Mainland Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. It was founded about 1770, by Captain William Spry, who purchased land there and established the settlement with the aid of stationed soldiers from the nearby Halifax garrison...

.

The term "Mainland Halifax" became the official description of the area after the municipal merger in 1996 which saw the creation of the Halifax Regional Municipality, or HRM, as a single-tier municipal unit within Halifax County, resulting in the disincorporation of the cities of Halifax and Dartmouth

Dartmouth, Nova Scotia

Dartmouth founded in 1750, is a community and planning area of the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia. Located on the eastern shore of Halifax Harbour, Dartmouth has been nicknamed the City of Lakes after the large number of lakes located in the city.On April 1, 1996, the provincial...

, as well as the town of Bedford

Bedford, Nova Scotia

Bedford is a community in the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia, Canada. It was an independent town from 1980-1996. Bedford lies on the northwestern end of Bedford Basin, an extension of the Halifax Harbour...

 and the Municipality of the County of Halifax. The City of Halifax

City of Halifax

Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...

 became a provincial metropolitan area

Metropolitan area

The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...

, and the HRM divided the former city into two separate community planning areas, Halifax Peninsula

Halifax Peninsula

The Halifax Peninsula is a community and planning area located in the urban core of Halifax Regional Municipality in the province of Nova Scotia. Halifax Peninsula is home to Downtown Halifax, the financial and economic heart of the region, which was also the site of the original settlement and...

 and Mainland Halifax, with separate community council

Halifax Regional Community Council

A Community Council in Nova Scotia's Halifax Regional Municipality is a form of local government consisting of several councillors from the larger Halifax Regional Council....

s inside of the regional government.

Mainland Halifax is further divided into "Mainland North" (Bayer's Lake, Clayton Park

Clayton Park, Nova Scotia

Clayton Park is a Canadian suburban development in Nova Scotia's Halifax Regional Municipality inside the city of Halifax.-Original development:...

, Fairview

Fairview, Nova Scotia

Fairview is a former community and current neighbourhood within the urban core of Halifax Regional Municipality in Nova Scotia, Canada.-Geography:...

, and Rockingham

Rockingham, Nova Scotia

Rockingham is a community located in Nova Scotia's Halifax Regional Municipality. It is part of a large suburban area along the western shore of Bedford Basin, north of Clayton Park and south of Bedford.-Geography:...

) and "Mainland South" (Armdale

Armdale, Nova Scotia

Armdale is a Canadian urban community located in Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia.Situated at the head of the Northwest Arm, from which it derives its name, Armdale borders the southern part of an isthmus connecting the Halifax Peninsula with the larger Chebucto Peninsula.-History:The...

, Herring Cove

Herring Cove, Nova Scotia

Herring Cove is a Canadian suburban and fishing community in Nova Scotia's Halifax Regional Municipality. It is situated on the eastern shore of the Chebucto Peninsula, 15 kilometres south of Downtown Halifax...

, Purcell's Cove

Purcell's Cove, Nova Scotia

Purcell's Cove is a community within the Halifax Regional Municipality Nova Scotia Canada on the west side of Halifax Harbour from the Northwest Arm to Ferguson's Cove along Route 253 . The first 3 digits of the postal code in the area is B3P.-References:...

, Sambro

Sambro, Nova Scotia

Sambro is a rural fishing community on the Chebucto Peninsula in the Halifax Regional Municipality, in Nova Scotia, Canada.Located on the Atlantic Ocean at the head of Sambro Harbour, the community is immediately west of the entrance to Halifax Harbour...

, and Spryfield

Spryfield, Nova Scotia

Spryfield is a community in Mainland Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. It was founded about 1770, by Captain William Spry, who purchased land there and established the settlement with the aid of stationed soldiers from the nearby Halifax garrison...

). Residents do not use the term "Mainland" or the north and south divisions at all, preferring to refer to their original community names which describe the geography of their area more appropriately to those familiar with the region.