Federal district

A federal district is a type of administrative division of a federation, usually under the direct control of a federal government and organized with a single municipal body, much like city-states. Federal districts often include capital districts, and they exist in various countries worldwide.

United States

The seat of the U.S. federal government in Washington is located in a federal district called the District of Columbia. Other federally administered areas that are within one of the 50 states, but not under its jurisdiction are called federal enclaves.

Additionally, the U. S. federal court system divides each state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, into one or more federal judicial districts. A United States district court and a bankruptcy court are located in each. There are also regional federal judicial circuits, each consisting of a group of states (except for the District of Columbia Circuit, which consists of the federal district, and the Federal Circuit, whose jurisdiction is based on specific subject matter instead of geography); Puerto Rico and the United States territorial courts are also assigned to circuits. Each circuit has a United States court of appeals.

Latin America

The term Distrito Federal, meaning Federal District in both Portuguese and Spanish, is used to refer to:

Federal District (Brazil), where the Brazilian capital Brasilia is located.
Federal Capital (Argentina), formally Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, since 1994.
Federal District (Mexico), an alternative official term for Mexico City until January 2016.
Capital District (Venezuela), where the Venezuelan capital of Caracas sits.

Africa

The Federal Capital Territory, commonly known as FCT, or loosely as FCT-Abuja, is a federal territory in central Nigeria.Abuja, the capital city of Nigeria, is located in this territory. FCT was formed in 1976 from parts of the states of Nasarawa, Niger and Kogi. It is within in the Middle Belt region of the country. It is administered by the Federal Capital Territory Administration, headed by a minister appointed by the President.

South and Southeast Asia

In Malaysia, the term Federal Territory (Malay: Wilayah Persekutuan) is used for the three territories governed directly by the federal government, namely Kuala Lumpur (national capital), Putrajaya (federal government administrative centre) and Labuan (international offshore financial centre).

In India, the term Union Territory is used for the seven territories governed directly by the federal national government with its own Chief minister and Governor. They include — Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, Delhi, Lakshadweep and Puducherry. Of these Delhi and Puducherry possess partial state hoods with their own elected chief ministers.

In Pakistan, the term Federal Territory is used for the five zones and 12 union councils of Islamabad governed directly by the state government as Islamabad Capital Territory.

Australia

The Australian Capital Territory is an enclave within the state of New South Wales. Its only city is Canberra, the capital of Australia.

Russia

There are nine federal districts of Russia, which function as an additional administrative layer between other subdivisions and the Russian Federation as a whole state. There are also three cities of federal significance, established by the Constitution — Moscow, Saint Petersburg and Sevastopol (although Sevastopol is contested territory, and most of the international community regards it and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea as part of Ukraine). Each city is treated as separate subject of federation, and has its own legislative body.