Autonomous area

An autonomous area is an area of a country that has a degree of autonomy. Typically it is either geographically distinct from the country or is populated by a national minority. Countries that include autonomous areas are often federacies.

For a list of autonomous areas, see List of autonomous areas by country.

Contemporary

Many autonomous areas lie within the world's two largest countries, China (PRC) and Russia.

China

Main article: Autonomous areas of China

China (PRC) has four types of autonomous area:

Autonomous banner

Found only as divisions of Inner Mongolia, these are in effect autonomous counties.

Autonomous county

Main article: Autonomous counties of China

The most numerous type of autonomous area in China, found both within and outside the larger autonomous prefectures and regions.

Autonomous prefecture

Autonomous region

Main article: Autonomous regions of China

The five largest autonomous areas in China, including Inner Mongolia and the Tibet Autonomous Region.

Special administrative region

Main article: Special administrative region (People's Republic of China)

Although not autonomous in name, China's special administrative regions (Hong Kong and Macau) enjoy a high degree of autonomy.

Russia

Main article: Autonomous areas of Russia

Apart from its republics, which by definition have a degree of autonomy, Russia has two types of autonomous region:

Autonomous okrug

Main article: Autonomous okrugs of Russia

Okrug is a transliterated Slavic loanword usually translated as "district". The sizes of okrugs, however, vary more widely than other areas commonly identified as "districts", from large first-level divisions to third-level divisions within cities. As of 2006, there are nine autonomous okrugs of Russia, each equivalent in size to a state, province or entire country elsewhere.

Autonomous oblast

Main article: Autonomous oblasts of Russia

Oblast is a transliterated Slavic loanword usually understood to mean "province". As of 2006, one autonomous oblast exists: the Jewish Autonomous Oblast.

Other countries

Autonomous city

Main articles: Buenos Aires, Tashkent, and Autonomous cities of Spain

Four cities are formally designated by their countries as autonomous: the capital of Uzbekistan, Tashkent; the Spanish exclaves of Ceuta and Melilla; and the Argentinian capital, Buenos Aires. Another Argentinian city that has been pressing for autonomous status is Rosario, a city of around one million inhabitants that receives less subsidy than the smaller provincial capital Santa Fe.

Autonomous commune

Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic, is described as an autonomous commune (commune autonome).

Autonomous community

Main articles: Tokelau and Autonomous communities of Spain

The region-like areas into which Spain's provinces are grouped are known as autonomous communities (comunidades autónomas), as are the three atolls constituting the New Zealand territory of Tokelau.

Autonomous province

Six countries formally designate areas of their territory as autonomous provinces:

• The Åland Islands, part of Finland;
• The authonomous Provinces of Trento (or Trentino) and Bolzano (or South Tyrol), in Italy;
• Jeju-do, a South Korean offshore island;
• All six provinces of Madagascar;
• The Serbian provinces of Kosovo^[1] and Vojvodina.

Autonomous region

In addition to the autonomous regions of China mentioned above, various other areas of the world are formally described as autonomous regions:

• the Faroe Islands and Greenland^[2], autonomous regions within the Kingdom of Denmark;
• Iraqi Kurdistan;
• the autonomous regions of India;
• the "autonomous regions with special statute" in Italy;
• the autonomous regions of Portugal (the Azores and Madeira);
• Mount Athos in Greece;
• Zelaya in Nicaragua;
• the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, within the Philippines.

Autonomous republic

In addition to the Russian republics mentioned above, areas known as "autonomous republics" exist within some of the countries established following the end of the Soviet Union:

• the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic within Azerbaijan;
• Abkhazia and the Autonomous Republic of Adjaria within Georgia;
• the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province within Tajikistan;
• the Autonomous Republic of Crimea within Ukraine;
• the Karakalpakstan Republic within Uzbekistan.

Autonomous sector

The Bissau Region, in which Guinea-Bissau's capital Bissau is found, is described as an "autonomous sector" (sector autónomo).

Historical

• Grand Duchy of Finland

Other

Other areas that are autonomous in nature but not in name are areas designated for indigenous peoples, such as those of the Americas:

• "Indian" (First Nation or Native American) reserves and reservations, in, respectively, Canada and the United States;
• the five comarcas indígenas ("indigenous regions") of Panama.

Notes

See also

• List of autonomous areas by country
• Country subdivision
• Personal union

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