It has been suggested that Autonomous administrative division#List of major autonomous areas be merged into this article. (Discuss) Proposed since March 2024. |
This list of autonomous areas arranged by country gives an overview of autonomous areas of the world. An autonomous area is defined as an area of a country that has a degree of autonomy, or has freedom from an external authority. It is typical for it to be geographically distant from the country, or to be populated by a national minority. Countries that include autonomous areas are often federacies. [1] The autonomous areas differ from federal units and independent states in the sense that they, in relation to the majority of other sub-national territories in the same country, enjoy a special status including some legislative powers, within the state (for a detailed list of federated units, see federated state). [2]
This list includes areas that are internationally recognized, as well as some that are generally unrecognized. [upper-alpha 1] [upper-alpha 2] The definition of an autonomous area varies from country to country, so the native term as defined by the respective country's government is listed, and the English translation of the term is included.
Country | Native term Translation or equivalent | Instances (areas became autonomous in the treaty and year(s) indicated, if available) | References |
---|---|---|---|
China (PRC) | 特別行政區 (Chinese, an official language of both Hong Kong and Macau) região administrativa especial(Portuguese, another official language of Macau) special administrative region (English, another official language of Hong Kong) | Hong Kong (1997) [upper-alpha 3] [3] Macao (1999) [upper-alpha 4] [4] | [5] |
Finland | itsehallinnollinen maakunta (Finnish) självstyrande landskap (Swedish) autonomous province | Åland (1922) [upper-alpha 5] [6] [7] | [8] |
United Kingdom | UK constituent country with devolution | Northern Ireland (1999) [upper-alpha 6] | [9] |
Italy | autonome Provinz(German) provincia autonoma(Italian) autonomous province | South Tyrol (1946, 1972) [upper-alpha 7] | [10] |
Israel / Palestine | "سلطة الحكم الذاتي الفلسطينية المؤقتة" (Arabic) "Palestinian Interim Self-Government Authority" הסמכות המינהלית הפלסטינית (Hebrew) interim administrative authority | Palestinian National Authority (1994) [upper-alpha 8] · Gaza Strip and West Bank [upper-alpha 9] | [11] [12] |
Notes:
Country | Native term Translation or equivalent | Instances (areas became autonomous in the year(s) indicated, if available) | References |
---|---|---|---|
Netherlands | autonoom land autonomous country | Aruba (1986) · Curaçao (2010) · Sint Maarten (2010) | |
New Zealand | state in free-association | Cook Islands (1965) · Niue (1974) | |
self-administering territory | Tokelau (1948) | [24] | |
United Kingdom | Crown Dependency | Guernsey · Isle of Man · Jersey | [8] |
British Overseas Territory | Anguilla · Bermuda · British Virgin Islands · Cayman Islands · Falkland Islands · Gibraltar · Montserrat | [8] | |
United States | Commonwealth | Puerto Rico (1952) · Northern Mariana Islands (1978) | [41] |
Territory | Guam (1950) · US Virgin Islands (1954) · American Samoa (1967) | ||
Country | Native term Translation or equivalent | Instances (areas became autonomous in the year indicated, if available) | References |
---|---|---|---|
Bolivia | departamento (autonomous) department | Beni (2006) · Pando (2006) · Santa Cruz (2006) · Tarija (2006) · La Paz (2009) · Cochabamba (2009) · Chuquisaca (2009) · Oruro (2009) · Potosi (2009) | [42] |
provincia autónoma autonomous province | Gran Chaco (2009) | [43] | |
municipio autónomo autonomous municipality | Huacaya · Tarabuco · Mojocoya · Charazani · Jesús de Machaca · Pampas Aullagas · San Pedro de Totora · Chipaya · Salinas de Garci Mendoza · Chayanta · Charagua | [44] | |
territorio indígena indigenous territory | All native community lands (tierras comunitarias de origen): Asamblea del Pueblo Guaraní, Central de Pueblos Nativos Guarayos, Central de Pueblos Indigenas del Beni, Central Indigena de la Region Amazonica de Bolivia, Central Indigena de Pueblos Amazonicos de Pando, Central de Pueblos Indigenas del Tropico de Cochabamba, Central de Pueblos Indigenas de La Paz, Organizacion de la Capitania Wehenayek Tapiete. | ||
Bosnia and Herzegovina | entitet entity | Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (1995) · Republika Srpska (1995) | [45] |
Comoros | île autonome autonomous island | Anjouan (2002) · Grande Comore (2002) · Mohéli (2002) | [46] |
Guernsey | Jurisdiction | Alderney · Sark (1565) | [47] |
Spain | comunidad autónoma (in Spanish) [48] autonomia erkidegoa(in Basque) [49] comunautat autonòma(in Occitan) [50] comunitat autònoma(in Catalan/Valencian) [51] comunidade autónoma(in Galician) [52] autonomous community (nationalities and regions of Spain) | Andalusia (1981) · Aragon (1982) · Asturias (1981) · Balearic Islands (1983) · Basque Country (1979) · Canary Islands (1982) · Cantabria (1981) · Castile–La Mancha (1982) · Castile and León (1983) · Catalonia (1979) · Extremadura (1983) · Galicia (1981) · La Rioja (1982) · Madrid (1983) · Murcia (1982) · Navarre (1982) · Valencian Community (1982) | [8] |
ciudad autónoma autonomous city | Ceuta (1995) · Melilla (1995) | [8] | |
Entitat territorial autònoma Autonomous territorial entity | Val d'Aran (1990) | [8] |
A number of entities are also officially called "autonomous", though they do not have an exceptional freedom from external authority, and would not fall under the definition of autonomous area. They are listed here for clarity.
Country | Native term Translation or equivalent | Instances (areas became autonomous in the year indicated, if available) | References |
---|---|---|---|
Mexico | autonomous city | Mexico City (2016) | [53] |
Argentina | ciudad autónoma autonomous city | Buenos Aires (1994) | [54] |
Armenia | autonomous city | Yerevan | |
Belarus | autonomous city | Minsk | |
Cambodia | krong autonomous municipality | Phnom Penh [upper-alpha 17] | [55] |
Central African Republic | commune autonome autonomous commune | Bangui | [56] |
Guinea-Bissau | sector autónomo autonomous sector | Bissau Region | [57] |
Hungary | autonomous city | Budapest | |
Indonesia | daerah khusus ibukota special capital region | Jakarta | [58] |
Romania | autonomous municipality | Bucharest | |
Serbia | autonomous city | Belgrade | |
Uzbekistan | shahar autonomous city | Tashkent (1918) | [59] |
United Kingdom | Sui generis City | City of London |
Country | Native term Translation or equivalent | Instances (areas became autonomous in the year indicated, if available) | References |
---|---|---|---|
Japan | 村落共同体 village community | Atarashiki (1948) | |
South Korea | 특별자치시 special autonomous city | Sejong | |
Cambodia | krong autonomous municipality | Phnom Penh · Sihanoukville · Pailin · Kep | [55] |
Country | Native term Translation or equivalent | Instances (areas became autonomous in the year indicated, if available) | References |
---|---|---|---|
Mexico | Municipios Autónomos Autonomous Municipalities | Rebel Zapatista Autonomous Municipalities (2020-2023) | |
Syria | Rêveberiya Xweser Autonomous Administration | Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (2012) | |
Bolivia | Federación de Juntas Vecinales Federation of Neighborhood Councils | Fejuve (1979) |
Administrative divisions are geographical areas into which a particular independent sovereign state is divided. Such a unit usually has an administrative authority with the power to take administrative or policy decisions for its area.
In Spain, an autonomous community is the first sub-national level of political and administrative division, created in accordance with the Spanish Constitution of 1978, with the aim of guaranteeing limited autonomy of the nationalities and regions that make up Spain.
A federation is a political entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a federal government (federalism). In a federation, the self-governing status of the component states, as well as the division of power between them and the central government, is constitutionally entrenched and may not be altered by a unilateral decision, neither by the component states nor the federal political body.
A federated state is a territorial and constitutional community forming part of a federation. A federated state does not have sovereignty since powers are divided between the other federated states and the federal government. Federated states are different from sovereign states.
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