Located in south-central Ontario, Canada. Orangeville, the County seat, is located about 120 km north-west of Toronto. Dufferin County has an area of 1,442 km2 (557 square miles) and a population of 40,997 (1994). There are three towns: Mono, Orangeville and Shelburne, and five rural townships: Amaranth, East Garafraxa, East Luther Grand Valley, Melancthon, and Mulmur. Over half of the County's population lives in Orangeville. Named after Lord Dufferin, who was Governor-General of Canada from 1872 to 1878, the county was formed in 1881 from parts of the Counties of Grey, Simcoe, and Wellington. The original County consisted of the Towns of Orangeville and Shelburne and five townships: Mono, Mulmur, Melancthon, Amaranth, and East Garafraxa. (The Township of East Luther was transferred from Wellington County in 1883.) Because of geography and economy (the upper Grand River watershed), Dufferin and Wellington Counties remain strongly tied in many ways. Organizations with names prefixed with "Upper Grand" and "Grand Valley" are found in both counties.