A suburb is a residential area or a mixed use area, either existing as part of a city or urban area or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city. In most English-speaking regions, suburban areas are defined in contrast to central or inner city areas, but in Australian English, "suburb" has become largely synonymous with what is called a "neighborhood" in other countries and the term extends to inner city areas. In some areas, such as Australia, China, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and a few U.S. states, new suburbs are routinely annexed by adjacent cities. In others, such as France, Arabia, most of the United States, and Canada, many suburbs remain separate municipalities or are governed as part of a larger local government area such as a county.