Brecknockshire, also known as the County of Brecknock, Breconshire, or the County of Brecon, was one of the thirteen counties of Wales that existed from 1536 until their abolition in 1974. It was created in 1536 under the Laws in Wales Act 1535, and from 1889 it was an administrative county with a county council; the administrative county was abolished in 1974. The county was named after the medieval Welsh territory of Brycheiniog, which was anglicised to "Brecknock" and also gave its name to the county town of Brecon. The former county's area is mountainous and primarily rural.