'Country' land, close enough to a big town, city or metropolis to senefit from it economically, but not so close as to benefit from town defences. It is mainly composed of agricultural settlements that send food and other resources into the local town. There might be a small market town, with a few guards, or a Local Lord who provides some basic defence, and it might reach all the way to a frontier castle - but most residents are low-level NPC classes living the rural life, and looking after themselves.