my $count = $string =~ tr/;/;/

##</code><code>##

my $count = $string =~ tr/;//

##</code><code>##

# my $count = $_ =~ tr/;//   # same thing
my $count = tr/;//

##</code><code>##

my $count = 0;

while( <$fh> )
    {
    $count += tr/;//
    }

##</code><code>##

my $count = 0;

while( <$fh> )
    {
    $count += my @cities = split /;/;
    }