List of autonomous areas by country explained

This list of autonomous areas arranged by country gives an overview of autonomous areas of the world. An autonomous area is defined as an area of a country that has a degree of autonomy, or has freedom from an external authority. It is typical for it to be geographically distant from the country, or to be populated by a national minority. Countries that include autonomous areas are often federacies.^[1] The autonomous areas differ from federal units and independent states in the sense that they, in relation to the majority of other sub-national territories in the same country, enjoy a special status including some legislative powers, within the state (for a detailed list of federated units, see federated state).^[2]

This list includes areas that are internationally recognized, as well as some that are generally unrecognized. The definition of an autonomous area varies from country to country, so the native term as defined by the respective country's government is listed, and the English translation of the term is included.

Autonomous areas

Created by international agreements

Country	Native term Translation or equivalent	Instances (areas became autonomous in the treaty and year(s) indicated, if available)	References
China	Chinese: [[Special administrative regions of China|特別行政區]] (Chinese, an official language of both Hong Kong and Macau)	Hong Kong (1997) [3] Macao (1999) [4]
Finland	itsehallinnollinen maakunta (Finnish) självstyrande landskap (Swedish) autonomous province	(1922) [5] [6]	[7]
United Kingdom	UK constituent country with devolution	Northern Ireland (1999)	[8]
Italy	autonome Provinz (German) provincia autonoma (Italian) autonomous province	(1946, 1972)	[9]
Israel /	"سلطة الحكم الذاتي الفلسطينية المؤقتة" (Arabic) "Palestinian Interim Self-Government Authority" הסמכות המינהלית הפלסטינית (Hebrew) interim administrative authority		[10] [11]

Notes:

• Svalbard, Norway: Although it does not fit the definition of autonomous area (not possessing partial internal sovereignty), Svalbard has the sovereignty of Norway limited by the Spitsbergen Treaty of 1920^[12] and therefore is considered as having special status (as it is considered fully integrated with Norway, and not a dependency, it is a sui generis case).
• Heligoland, Germany: Although it is part of a German state, Schleswig-Holstein, it has been excluded from some European Union normatives, such as customs union and the Value Added Tax Area.^[13]
• Büsingen am Hochrhein, Germany and Campione d'Italia, Italy: Despite being integral parts of their respective countries, these two enclaves of Switzerland predominantly use Swiss franc as currency^{[14] [15]} and are in customs union with it.^[16]

Created by internal statutes

Country	Native term Translation or equivalent	Instances (areas became autonomous in the year(s) indicated, if available)	References
Antigua and Barbuda	autonomous island	Barbuda (1976)	[17]
Azerbaijan	Azerbaijani: muxtar respublika autonomous republic	Nakhchivan (1924)	[18] [19]
Cameroon	region with special status	Northwest (2019) Southwest (2019)	[20]
Chile	Provincias de Chile y Comuna de Chile province and communes		[21]
	Comuna de Chile communes	Juan Fernández Islands	[22]
China	Chinese: [[Autonomous regions of China|自治区]] autonomous region	Guangxi (1958) Inner Mongolia (1947) Ningxia (1958) Xinjiang (1955) Tibet (1965)	[23]
	Chinese: [[autonomous prefecture|自治州]] autonomous prefecture	Bayingolin Bortala Changji Chuxiong Dali Dehong Dêqên Enshi Gannan Garzê Golog Yushu Haibei Hainan Haixi Honghe Huangnan Ili Kizilsu Liangshan Linxia Ngawa Nujiang Qiandongnan Qiannan Qianxinan Wenshan Xiangxi Xishuangbanna (Sibsongbanna) Yanbian
	Chinese: [[autonomous county|自治县]] autonomous county	117 (full list)
	Chinese: [[banners of Inner Mongolia#Autonomous banners|自治旗]] autonomous banner	Evenki Morin Dawa Oroqen
Denmark	autonomous territory (Danish Realm)	Faroe Islands (1948) Greenland (1979)
Fiji	autonomous region	Rotuma (1927)	[24]
France	French: sui generis collectivité Latin: sui generis collectivity	New Caledonia (1999)	[25]
	French: collectivité d'outre-mer overseas collectivity	(2007) Saint Martin (2007) Saint Pierre and Miquelon (2003) Wallis and Futuna (2003)
	French: pays d'outre-mer overseas country	French Polynesia (2004)
Georgia	autonomous republic	Abkhazia (1991-2008) (1991)	[26]
	provisional administrative entity	South Ossetia (2007-2008)	[27]
Greece	autonomous monastic state	Mount Athos (1913)	[28]
India	autonomous districts and territorial councils	Bodoland (2003) Bodo Kachari (2020) Chakma (1972) Chandel (1971) Churachandpur (1971) Deori (2005) Dima Hasao (1970) Garo Hills (1952) Gorkhaland (2011) Jaintia Hills (1972) Kamatapur (2020) Karbi Anglong (1970) Kargil Hills (1995) Khasi Hills (1952) Lai (1972) Leh Hills (1995) Senapati (1971) Mara (1972) Matak (2020) Mising (1995) Moran (2020) Rabha Hasong (1995) Sadar Hills (1971) Sonowal Kachari (2005) Tamenglong (1971) Thengal Kachari (2005) Tiwa (1995) Tripura Tribal Areas (1982) Ukhrul (1971) and de facto autonomous area – North Sentinel Island (1956)	[29]
Indonesia	special region	Yogyakarta (1950) (2005) (2024)
	special autonomous region	Central Papua (2022) Highland Papua (2022) (2000) South Papua (2022) Southwest Papua (2022) (2008)
Iraq	semi-autonomous region	Kurdistan Region (1992)	[30]
Italy	Italian: [[Autonomous regions with special statute (Italy)|regione autonoma]] autonomous region	(1948) (1963) (1948) (1946) (1948)	`
	Italian: provincia autonoma autonomous province	(1972) (1972)
Mauritius	autonomous island	(2002)	[31]
	Romanian; Moldavian; Moldovan: unitate teritorială autonomă autonomous territorial unit	(1995) Left Bank of the Dniester (2005)
Myanmar	self-administered zones	Danu Self-Administered Zone Kokang Self-Administered Zone Naga Self-Administered Zone Pa Laung Self-Administered Zone Pa-O Self-Administered Zone Wa Self-Administered Division (2011)
Nicaragua	Spanish; Castilian: región autónoma autonomous region	North Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region (1986) South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region (1986)	[32]
	self-governing entity	Azad Kashmir (1974)Gilgit baltistan (2009)
Panama	Spanish; Castilian: [[Comarca#Panama|comarca indígena]] indigenous territory	Emberá-Wounaan (1983) Guna de Madungandí (1996) Kuna de Wargandí (2000) Guna Yala (1938) Ngöbe-Buglé (1997) Naso Tjër Di Comarca (2020)	[33]
Papua New Guinea	autonomous region	(2000)	[34]
Philippines	Filipino; Pilipino: rehiyong awtonomus autonomous region	(2019)	[35]
Portugal	Portuguese: [[Autonomous Regions of Portugal|região autónoma]] autonomous region	(1976) (1976)
	(autonomous) republic
	autonomous province	(1934)
	autonomous district
Saint Kitts and Nevis	autonomous island	(1967)	[36]
	Portuguese: região autónoma autonomous region	Autonomous Region of Príncipe (1995)	[37]
Serbia	Serbian: autonomna pokrajina autonomous province	Vojvodina (1945) Kosovo and Metohija (1945–1999)
Somalia	dowlad goboleedka ee federal state	(2012) (2016) (2013) (2023) (1998) (2014)	[38]
Tajikistan	autonomous province	Gorno-Badakhshan (1925)	[39]
	revolutionary government	(1964)	[40]
Trinidad and Tobago	autonomous island	Tobago (1980)
Ukraine	autonomous republic	(1992–2014)
United Kingdom		(1999) (1999) Northern Ireland (1998)
Uzbekistan	Uzbek: respublika (autonomous) republic

Dependent and associated territories with autonomy

Country	Native term Translation or equivalent	Instances (areas became autonomous in the year(s) indicated, if available)	References
Netherlands	autonoom land autonomous country	Aruba (1986) (2010) (2010)
New Zealand	state in free-association	Cook Islands (1965) Niue (1974)
	self-administering territory	Tokelau (1948)
United Kingdom	Crown Dependency
	British Overseas Territory
United States	Commonwealth	Puerto Rico (1952) Northern Mariana Islands (1978)	[41]
	Territory	Guam (1950) (1954) American Samoa (1967)

All sub-national regions are autonomous

Country	Native term Translation or equivalent	Instances (areas became autonomous in the year indicated, if available)	References
	departamento (autonomous) department	Beni (2006) Pando (2006) Santa Cruz (2006) Tarija (2006) La Paz (2009) Cochabamba (2009) Chuquisaca (2009) Oruro (2009) Potosi (2009)	[42]
	provincia autónoma autonomous province	Gran Chaco (2009)	[43]
	municipio autónomo autonomous municipality	Huacaya Tarabuco Mojocoya Charazani Jesús de Machaca Pampas Aullagas San Pedro de Totora Chipaya Salinas de Garci Mendoza Chayanta Charagua	[44]
	territorio indígena indigenous territory	All native community lands (tierras comunitarias de origen): Asamblea del Pueblo Guaraní, Central de Pueblos Nativos Guarayos, Central de Pueblos Indigenas del Beni, Central Indigena de la Region Amazonica de Bolivia, Central Indigena de Pueblos Amazonicos de Pando, Central de Pueblos Indigenas del Tropico de Cochabamba, Central de Pueblos Indigenas de La Paz, Organizacion de la Capitania Wehenayek Tapiete.
Bosnia and Herzegovina	entitet entity	Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (1995) (1995)	[45]
Comoros	île autonome autonomous island	(2002) Grande Comore (2002) (2002)	[46]
	Jurisdiction	(1565)	[47]
Spain	Spanish; Castilian: [[autonomous communities of Spain|comunidad autónoma]] (in Spanish)[48] Basque: autonomia erkidegoa (in Basque)[49] Galician: comunidade autónoma (in Galician)[50] autonomous community (nationalities and regions of Spain)	(1981) (1982) (1981) (1983) (1979) (1982) (1981) (1982) (1983) (1979) (1983) (1981) (1982) (1983) (1982) (1982) (1982)
	Spanish; Castilian: [[autonomous cities of Spain|ciudad autónoma]] autonomous city	(1995) (1995)
	Catalan; Valencian: Entitat territorial autònoma Autonomous territorial entity	(1990)

Other entities called "autonomous"

A number of entities are also officially called "autonomous", though they do not have an exceptional freedom from external authority, and would not fall under the definition of autonomous area. They are listed here for clarity.

Capitals called "autonomous"

Country	Native term Translation or equivalent	Instances (areas became autonomous in the year indicated, if available)	References
Mexico	autonomous city	Mexico City (2016)	[51]
Argentina	ciudad autónoma autonomous city	Buenos Aires (1994)	[52]
Armenia	autonomous city	Yerevan
Belarus	autonomous city	Minsk
Cambodia	krong autonomous municipality		[53]
Central African Republic	commune autonome autonomous commune	Bangui	[54]
Guinea-Bissau	sector autónomo autonomous sector	Bissau Region	[55]
Hungary	autonomous city	Budapest
Indonesia	daerah khusus ibukota special capital region	Jakarta	[56]
Romania	autonomous municipality	Bucharest
Serbia	autonomous city	Belgrade
Uzbekistan	shahar autonomous city	Tashkent (1918)	[57]
United Kingdom	Sui generis City

Independent cities called "autonomous"

Country	Native term Translation or equivalent	Instances (areas became autonomous in the year indicated, if available)	References
Japan	Japanese: 村落共同体 village community	Atarashiki (1948)
	Korean: 특별자치시 special autonomous city	Sejong
Cambodia	krong autonomous municipality	Phnom Penh Sihanoukville Pailin Kep

Self-declared entities called "autonomous"

Country	Native term Translation or equivalent	Instances (areas became autonomous in the year indicated, if available)	References
Mexico	Municipios Autónomos Autonomous Municipalities	Rebel Zapatista Autonomous Municipalities (2020–2023)
	Rêveberiya Xweser Autonomous Administration	Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (2012)
	Federación de Juntas Vecinales Federation of Neighborhood Councils	Fejuve (1979)

See also

• Autocephaly
• Autonomous administrative division
• Dependent territory (includes list)
• Federated state
• List of administrative divisions by country
• List of leaders of dependent territories
• List of national capitals serving as administrative divisions
• List of sovereign states

External links

• Autonomy World Map

Notes and References

1. Lucas I. González. Political Power, Fiscal Crises, and Decentralization in Latin America: Federal Countries in Comparative Perspective (and some Contrasts with Unitary Cases). Publius: The Journal of Federalism. 11 February 2008. Oxford University Press. 10.1093/publius/pjn001. 38. 2. 211–247.
2. Olausson, Pär M. (2007) Autonomy and Islands: A Global Study of the Factors that Determine Island Autonomy, Turku: Åbo Akademi University Press, pp. 21–25
3. Web site: Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau, The Government of the HKSAR. The Joint Declaration (and following pages). 1 July 2007.
4. Web site: Joint declaration of the Government of the People's Republic of China and The Government of the Republic of Portugal on the question of Macao. io.gov.mo.
5. Edouard Gourdon, Histoire du Congrès de Paris, Paris, 1857, full text at google Print
6. Later confirmated by the Act on the Autonomy of Åland of 1920 (which was later replaced by new legislations by the same name in 1951 and 1991) and the League of Nations in 1922 following the Åland crisis.
7. Web site: The working autonomies in Europe. Society for Threatened Peoples. 25 February 2008. Benedikter, Thomas. 19 June 2006. https://web.archive.org/web/20080309063149/http://www.gfbv.it/3dossier/eu-min/autonomy.html. 9 March 2008. dead.
8. Web site: Agreement reached in the multi-party negotiations . 3 November 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111003065655/http://www.nio.gov.uk/agreement.pdf . 3 October 2011 .
9. Web site: Accordo Degasperi-Gruber.
10. Web site: Area C and the future of Palestinian economy. World Bank. 7 September 2015.
11. http://israelipalestinian.procon.org/view.background-resource.php?resourceID=000921 1995 Oslo Interim Agreement
12. Web site: Treaty concerning the Archipelago of Spitsbergen, and Protocol [1925] ATS 10]. austlii.edu.au.
13. Article 6 of Council Directive 2006/112/EC of 28 November 2006 (as amended) on the common system of value added tax (OJ L 347, 11 December 2006, p. 1) Eur-lex.europa.eu.
14. Web site: Currency converter Swiss Franc, CHF. NM Currency Converter. nm-devises.com.
15. http://leg13.camera.it/_dati/leg13/lavori/stampati/sk0500/relazion/0257.htm It is legal tender in Campione d'Italia
16. Web site: 2.1.2 Erhebungsgebiet. admin.ch. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20131214004244/http://www.ezv.admin.ch/php/modules/dienstdokumente/ddContent.php?id=185595&id_doc=D25_d&lang=de. 14 December 2013.
17. Web site: Barbuda Local Government Act of 1976.
18. Web site: Regions and territories: Nagorno-Karabakh. BBC News. 25 February 2008. 15 January 2008.
19. [Treaty of Moscow (1921)|Treaty of Moscow (1921) and Treaty of Kars (1921)]
20. https://africanarguments.org/2020/01/cameroon-grants-special-status-anglophone-conflict/
21. Web site: Easter Islands now a "special territory" with more autonomy.
22. Web site: Constitucional act granting special status of Easter Island and Juan Fernández Islands. As the special charter is being discussed, they remain being governed as provinces of the Valparaíso Region . 11 July 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100830025050/http://sil.senado.cl/cgi-bin/sil_proyectos.pl?3955-07 . 30 August 2010 . dead .
23. Web site: Provinces of China. Statoids. 25 February 2008. 26 June 2006.
24. Book: Laws of Fiji . Suva, Fiji . Government of Fiji . 1927 . 1978 . Rotuma Act . http://www.itc.gov.fj/lawnet/fiji_act/cap122.html . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20050419112327/http://www.itc.gov.fj/lawnet/fiji_act/cap122.html . 19 April 2005. .
25. Included on the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories.
26. Web site: Regions of Georgia. Statoids. 25 February 2008. 30 November 2007.
27. Web site: Sanakoev Appointed as Head of S.Ossetia Administration. Civil.ge. 14 March 2008. 10 May 2007.
28. Web site: Departments of Greece. Statoids. 25 February 2008. 1 September 2007.
29. Web site: The World's Working Regional Autonomies, Thomas Benedikter. Anthem Press. 25 June 2008. 2007. dead. https://archive.today/20080303170813/http://www.eurac.edu/Press/Publications/Monographs/0066644.htm. 3 March 2008.
30. Web site: Provinces of Iraq. Statoids. 25 February 2008. 29 August 2007.
31. Web site: Districts of Mauritius. Statoids. 25 February 2008. 8 May 2007.
32. Web site: Departments of Nicaragua. Statoids. 25 February 2008. 12 April 2005.
33. Web site: 27 February 2008. Panama Provinces . Statoids .
34. Web site: Provinces of Papua New Guinea. Statoids. 25 February 2008. 1 June 2005.
35. Web site: Provinces of the Philippines. Statoids. 25 February 2008. 31 January 2008.
36. See section 3 and 4 about Nevis Island Legislature and Administration in The Saint Christopher and Nevis Constitution Order 1983. Published online by Georgetown University and also by University of the West Indies. Retrieved 8 August 2006.
37. Web site: Sao Tome and Principe. Central Intelligence Agency. 25 February 2008. 12 February 2008.
38. Web site: 10 October 2016 . Somalia's regional states submit Upper House nominations . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20170202215932/http://somalireview.com/2016/10/somalias-regional-states-submit-upper-house-nominations/ . 2 February 2017 . 6 January 2023 . Somali Review.
39. Web site: Regions of Tajikistan. Statoids. 25 February 2008. 16 October 2005.
40. Web site: Regions and territories: Zanzibar. BBC News. 25 February 2008. 16 August 2007.
41. Web site: December 2005 report of the President's Task Force on Puerto Rico's Status . pfraa.com . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090326093201/http://www.prfaa.com/eng/PuertoRicoBookletFinal.pdf . 26 March 2009 .
42. Web site: Debunking Myths Part II: Bolivia's Autonomy Initiatives. Doug Hertzler. 1 April 2010.
43. Web site: 5 departamentos se suman a la autonomía; Gran Chaco la primera región autónoma. eju.tv. 28 January 2011. 7 December 2009.
44. "Las autonomías indígenas avanzan a paso lento per seguro, entre consensos e interrogantes" Diálogos en Democracia, 21 March 2010 (Supplement to Pulso Bolivia).
45. Web site: Bosnia and Herzegovina Government. Encyclopædia Britannica. 25 February 2008.
46. Web site: Autonomous Islands of Comoros. Statoids. 25 February 2008. 16 October 2005.
47. https://web.archive.org/web/20210709183721/https://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/about/moj/our-responsibilities/Background_Briefing_on_the_Crown_Dependencies2.pdf
48. [Spanish language|Spanish]
49. [Basque language|Basque]
50. [Galician language|Galician]
51. Web site: DECRETO por el que se declaran reformadas y derogadas diversas disposiciones de la Constitución Política de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos, en materia de la reforma política de la Ciudad de México . 29 January 2016 . es . DECREE declaring reformed and repealed various provisions of the Political Constitution of the United Mexican States, regarding the political reform of Mexico City . Diario Oficial de la Federación [Official Journal of the Federation].
52. Prevalence of urolithiasis in the autonomous city of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Urological Research. 34. 8–11. 20 January 2006. 10.1007/s00240-005-0003-7. 16425020. Pinduli. Irene. Spivacow. R. Del Valle. E. Vidal. S. Negri. AL. Previgliano. H. Farías Edos. R. Andrade. JH. Negri. GM. 1. 23228563.
53. Web site: Provinces of Cambodia. Statoids. 25 February 2008. 13 May 2005.
54. Web site: Prefectures of the Central African Republic. Statoids. 25 February 2008.
55. Web site: Regions of Guinea-Bissau. Statoids. 25 February 2008. 14 September 2006.
56. Web site: Jakarta. Encyclopædia Britannica. 25 February 2008. 2008.
57. Web site: Regions of Uzbekistan. Statoids. 25 February 2008. 17 May 2007.