ABSTRACT
Within the United States, city governments may employ a range of mechanisms to alter the landmass they encompass. Among these mechanisms is the power to engage in municipal annexation. This process consists of legally extending a city's borders to encompass unincorporated areas. This entry clarifies the process of annexation, identifies the collective action problem at the center of annexation, describes the complexity of legal requirements to annex new lands, illustrates the motivation to initiate annexation efforts, and offers a brief description of how stakeholders are impacted by the annexation of new lands. The speculative nature of any proposed annexation effort is also discussed. In conclusion, the role of annexation in shaping the future of metropolitan America is addressed. Additional topics suitable for future research are identified.
