Lanark County

Lanark County
County of Lanark
Lanark County Courthouse in Perth
Nickname: 
The Maple Syrup Capital of Ontario
Location of Lanark County
Coordinates: 45°00′N 76°15′W / 45.000°N 76.250°W / 45.000; -76.250
CountryCanada
ProvinceOntario
RegionEastern Ontario
County seatPerth
Municipalities
List
Area
  Land2,977.05 km2 (1,149.45 sq mi)
  Census division2,986.71 km2 (1,153.18 sq mi)
 Land area excludes Smiths Falls
Population
 (2021)
  Total
66,506
  Density22/km2 (60/sq mi)
  Census division
75,760
  Census division density25.4/km2 (66/sq mi)
 Total excludes Smiths Falls
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)
  Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
Websitewww.lanarkcounty.ca

Lanark County is a county and census division located in the Canadian province of Ontario. Its county seat is Perth, which was first settled in 1816 and was known as a social and political capital before being overshadowed by a city known today as Ottawa.

Most European settlements of the county began in 1816, when Drummond, Beckwith and Bathurst townships were named and initially surveyed. The first farm north of the Rideau was cleared and settled somewhat earlier, in 1790. The county took its name from the town of Lanark in Scotland. Nearly all the townships were named after British public and military figures from the era of early settlement.