The South Dakota state carries out all the local level governmental activities through the 66 counties of the state. The accurate geographical standing of all the 66 state counties are shown in the South Dakota County Map. The county map of South Dakota also highlights Minnesota, Iowa, Wyoming and North Dakota all of which surround the state. Among the 66 counties of South Dakota some are enumerated below with the respective population, estimated through census of the year 2000:
- Corson county – 4181
- Ziabach county – 2519
- Potter county – 2693
- Brule county – 5364
- Dewey county – 5972
- Campbell county – 1782
- Jackson county – 2930
- Edmunds county – 4376
- Beadle county – 17, 023
- Lawrence county – 21, 802
- Charles Mix county - 9350
- Haakon county – 2196
- Custer county – 7275
- Miner county – 2884
- Todd county – 9050
- Lincoln county – 24, 131
- Perkins county – 3363
- Yankton county – 21, 652
- Gregory county – 4792
- Shannon county – 12, 466
- Faulk county – 2640
- Jerauld county – 2295
- Union county – 12, 584
- Hyde county – 1671
- Clark county – 4143
- Douglas county – 3458
- Roberts county – 10, 016
- Hand county – 3741
- Bon Homme county – 7260
Apart from the above mentioned ones, the South Dakota state has several other counties within its geographical premises. The South Dakota state map offers relevant locational references of the 66 counties.