A
Masonic Grand Lodge
(also "Grand Orient") is the governing
body that supervises and governs the individual "Lodges" of
Freemasons in any particular geographical area or "jurisdiction",
(usually corresponding to a national boundary or other major political unit).
Some are large, with thousands of members divided into hundreds of subordinate
Lodges. Others are tiny, with only a few members in one or two subordinate
Lodges. Sometimes there will be only one Grand Lodge in a given area.
More
often, however, there will be several competing Grand Lodges claiming the same
jurisdictional area, or claiming overlapping areas. This fact leads to debates
over legitimacy: Not all Grand Lodges and Grand Orients recognize each other as
being legitimate. However, such recognition is not relevant to this list.
Inclusion criteria only establish a physical (as against an internet) presence,
and lodges which meet as masons.
Membership
numbers are subject to change. For current figures, please check the sources
which are indicated in the reference section.
