Autonomous administrative division

<p>An autonomous administrative division (also referred to as an autonomous area, zone, entity, unit, region, subdivision, province, or territory) is a subnational <a href="/facts/Administrative_division/s8dnhhYm">administrative division</a> or <a href="/facts/Territory/j6KoWv1C">internal territory</a> of a <a href="/facts/Sovereign_state/TrUb8sns">sovereign state</a> that has a degree of <a href="/facts/Autonomy/5ne4C7N8">autonomy</a> — <a href="/facts/Self-governance/1LzWPe7g">self-governance</a> — under the national government. Autonomous areas are distinct from other constituent units of a <a href="/facts/Federated_state/2R6y2Npy">federation</a> (e.g. a state, or province) in that they possess unique powers for their given circumstances. Typically, it is either geographically distinct from the rest of the <a href="/facts/State_(polity)/7ggBzTSk">state</a> or populated by a national minority, which may exercise <a href="/facts/Home_rule/8oSS0uA9">home rule</a>. 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 or to defuse internal conflicts. States that include autonomous areas may be <a href="/facts/Federacy/b3jhaFM0">federacies</a>, <a href="/facts/Federation/R846sufb">federations</a>, or <a href="/facts/Confederation/5MPbBSCS">confederations</a>. Autonomous areas can be divided into <a href="/facts/Territory/j6KoWv1C">territorial</a> autonomies, subregional territorial autonomies, and local autonomies.
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Autonomous administrative division open-in-new

Autonomous administrative division