Autonomous administrative division

Sovereign nations with at least one area labelled "autonomous" or defined as such by law

An autonomous administrative division is an administrative division of a country that has a degree of autonomy, or freedom from an external authority. Typically it is either geographically distinct from the rest of the country or populated by a national minority. Decentralization of self-governing powers and functions to such divisions is a way for a national government to try to increase democratic participation or administrative efficiency and/or to defuse internal conflicts. Countries that include autonomous areas may be federacies, federations, or confederations. Autonomous areas can be divided into territorial autonomies, subregional territorial autonomies, and local autonomies.

By country

• Autonomous administrative divisions of the People's Republic of China
• Autonomous administrative divisions of India
• Autonomous administrative divisions of Russia
• Autonomous administrative divisions of Spain

Table by designation

Other entities with devolution (autonomy)

British constituent countries

In the United Kingdom, three of the four constituent countries, namely Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, each have an elected devolved legislature which has the ability to legislate in devolved matters. The Parliament of the United Kingdom retains sovereignty however (the United Kingdom remains a unitary state) and legislates in matters that are not devolved, as well as having the capacity to legislate in areas that are devolved (this does not normally occur, by constitutional convention, without the agreement of the devolved legislature). The constitutional basis of the devolved legislatures is also controlled by Acts of the United Kingdom's Parliament. Jersey, Guernsey, and the Isle of Man are self-governing Crown dependencies which are not part of the United Kingdom. Gibraltar is a self-governing overseas territory.

New Zealand dependent territories

New Zealand maintains nominal sovereignty over three Pacific Island nations. The Cook Islands and Niue are self-governing countries in free association with New Zealand that maintain some international relationships in their own name. Tokelau remains an autonomous dependency of New Zealand. The Chatham Islands—despite having the designation of Territory—is an integral part of the country, situated within the New Zealand archipelago. The territory's council is not autonomous and has broadly the same powers as other local councils, although notably it can also charge levies on goods entering or leaving the islands.^[1]

Ethiopian special woredas

In ethnic minority, and are outside the usual hierarchy of a kilil, or region. These woredas have many similarities to autonomous areas in other countries.

Danish constituent countries

The Faroe Islands and Greenland are two autonomous countries within the Kingdom of Denmark.

Dutch constituent countries

Aruba, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten are autonomous countries within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, each with their own parliament.In addition they enjoy autonomy in taxation matters as well as having their own currencies.

French autonomous administrations

The French constitution recognises 3 autonomous jurisdictions. As a Territorial collectivity Corsica enjoys more autonomy on such things as tax and education than mainland regions. New Caledonia and French Polynesia are highly autonomous territories with their own government, currency and constitution. They do not however have legislative powers for policy areas relating to law and order, defense, border control or university education. French Guiana, Guadaloupe, Martinique and Reunion also enjoy a certain level of autonomy with certain legislative power for devolved areas but they do not have their own currency. Other smaller overseas possessions also enjoy similar status.

Historical

• Autonomous Silesian Voivodeship
• Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus in Albania (1914).
• Autonomous republics of the Soviet Union (1922–1990)
• Bantustans of apartheid-era South Africa and Namibia.
• Subcarpathian Ruthenia and Slovakia within Czechoslovakia (1938–1939).
• Baltic Provinces of the Russian Empire.
• Grand Duchy of Finland of the Russian Empire.
• Magyar Autonomous Region of Socialist Republic of Romania (1952–1968)
• Southern Ireland (1921–22) and Northern Ireland (1921–72) within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
• Free imperial city of the medieval Holy Roman Empire
• Transjordan of British Palestine
• Autonomous caza of Kuwait, a subdivision of the Ottoman Empire

Other

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

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

See also

• List of autonomous areas by country
• Country subdivision
• Devolution
• Personal union
• List of autonomous regions leaders

Notes

Sources

• M. Weller and S. Wolff (eds), Autonomy, Self-governance and Conflict Resolution: Innovative Approaches to Institutional Design in Divided Societies. Abingdon, Routledge, 2005
• From Conflict to Autonomy in Nicaragua: Lessons Learnt, report by Minority Rights Group International
• P.M. Olausson, Autonomy and Islands, A Global Study of the Factors that determine Island Autonomy. Åbo: Åbo Akademi University Press, 2007.
• Thomas Benedikter (ed.), Solving Ethnic Conflict through Self-Government - A Short Guide to Autonomy in Europe and South Asia, EURAC Bozen 2009, http://www.eurac.edu/en/research/institutes/imr/Documents/Deliverable_No_9_Update_Set_educational_material.pdf
• Thomas Benedikter, The World's Modern Autonomy Systems, EURAC Bozen 2010; http://www.gfbv.at/publikationen/weitere_publikationen.php