The Specialized Municipality dataset is comprised of all the polygons that represent Specialized Municipalities in Alberta. Specialized Municipality is a type of municipality which does not meet the needs of the residents of a proposed municipality such as City, Municipal District, Town or Village. but formed to provide for a form of local government that will provide for the orderly development of the municipality or by any other reason that is appropriate in the circumstances. Specialized municipalities are unique municipal structures that can be formed without resorting to special Acts of the legislature. Often, specialized municipalities allow urban and rural communities to coexist in a single municipal government.

The Special Area dataset is comprised of all the polygons that represent Special Areas in Alberta. Special Area is a rural municipality type defined under the authority of the Municipal Government Act. Special Areas were established under the Special Areas Act in 1938 due to extreme hardship of the drought years of the 1930s. The Special Areas Act of 1938 has more or less remained intact although there were some amendments in 1966 and 1985. Special Area refers to a rural area in southeast Alberta.