In Canada, an Indian band or band, sometimes styled as a First Nation band or simply a First Nation, is the basic unit of government for those peoples subject to the Indian Act (i.e. Status Indians or First Nations). Bands are typically small groups of people: the largest in the country, the Six Nations of the Grand River First Nation had 22,294 members in September 2005, and many have a membership below 100 persons. Each First Nation is typically represented by a band council chaired by an elected chief, and sometimes also a hereditary chief. there were 614 bands in Canada. Membership in a band is controlled in one of two ways: for most bands, membership is obtained by becoming listed on the Indian Register maintained by the government. there were 253 First Nations which had their own membership criteria, so that not all Status Indians are members of a band.