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User:David Kernow/Autonomous area

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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

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

China

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China (PRC) has four types of autonomous area:

Autonomous banner

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

Autonomous county

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

Autonomous prefecture

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Autonomous region

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

Special administrative region

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

Russia

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

Autonomous okrug

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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 country-sized autonomous okrugs of Russia.

Autonomous oblast

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

Other countries

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The other types of autonomous area to be found in the world are:

Autonomous city

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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

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

Autonomous community

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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

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

Autonomous region

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

Autonomous republic

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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:

Autonomous sector

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

Historical

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Other

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

Notes

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  1. ^ presently (September 2006) under United Nations administration.
  2. ^ also described as a "self-governing territory".

See also

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{{Country subdivision}}

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