One of Canada's three Maritime provinces. New Brunswick is bounded on the north by Quebec's Gaspe Peninsula and by Chaleur Bay. Along the east coast, the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and Northumberland Strait form the boundaries. In the south-east corner of the province, the narrow Isthmus of Chignecto connects New Brunswick to the Nova Scotia peninsula. The south of the province is bounded by the Bay of Fundy, which has the highest tides in the world with a rise of 16 m. To the west, the province borders the American State of Maine. New Brunswick is divided into 15 counties, which no longer have administrative roles except in the court system. The counties are divided into parishes.