Autonomous area
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Categories: All articles with unsourced statements | Articles with unsourced statements since May 2007 | Articles lacking sources from May 2007 | All articles lacking sources | Country subdivisions
Image:Countries with autonomous regions.png
Countries with at least one autonomous area.
An autonomous area is an area of a country that has a degree of autonomy, or freedom from an external authority. Typically it is either geographically distinct from the country or is populated by a national minority. Countries that include autonomous areas are often federacies. Autonomous areas can be divided into territorial autonomies, personal autonomies (cultural autonomy) and local autonomies. For a list of autonomous areas, see List of autonomous areas by country and List of territorial autonomies.
ContemporaryMany autonomous areas lie within two of the world's largest countries, People's Republic of China and Russia. IraqIraqi Kurdistan is the only region which has gained official recognition internationally as an autonomous federal entity. ChinaChina (PRC) has four types of autonomous area: Autonomous bannerFound only as divisions of Inner Mongolia. In effect, these are autonomous counties (see below). Autonomous countyThe most numerous type of autonomous area in China, found both within and outside the larger autonomous prefectures and regions. Autonomous prefectureAutonomous regionA first-level administrative subdivision of China. There are five ARs in China. They are Inner Mongolia AR, Tibet AR, Ningxia Hui AR, Xinjiang Uyghur AR, and Guangxi Zhuang AR. Special administrative regionAlthough not autonomous in name, in practice China's special administrative regions (Hong Kong and Macau) enjoy a high degree of autonomy. RussiaApart from its republics, which by definition have a degree of autonomy, Russia has two types of autonomous region: Autonomous okrugOkrug 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 six autonomous okrugs of Russia, each equivalent in size to a state, province or entire country elsewhere. Autonomous oblastOblast is a transliterated Slavic loanword usually understood to mean "province". As of 2006, one autonomous oblast exists: the Jewish Autonomous Oblast. Other countriesThe other types of autonomous area to be found in the world are: Autonomous cityFour cities are formally designated by their countries as autonomous: the capital of Uzbekistan, Tashkent;the capital of Belgium Brussels; 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 communeBangui, the capital of the Central African Republic, is described as an autonomous commune (commune autonome). Autonomous communityThe 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 provinceSix countries formally designate areas of their territory as autonomous provinces:
|
