List of autonomous areas by country

Countries with at least one autonomous area

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.^[A][B] 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 (PRC)	特別行政區 (Chinese, an official language of both Hong Kong and Macau) região administrativa especial (Portuguese, another official language of Macau) special administrative region (English, another official language of Hong Kong)	Hong Kong (1997) [C][3]  Macao (1999) [D][4]	[5]
Finland	itsehallinnollinen maakunta (Finnish) självstyrande landskap (Swedish) autonomous province	Åland (1922) [E][6][7]	[8]
United Kingdom	UK constituent country with devolution	Northern Ireland (1999) [F]	[9]
Italy	autonome Provinz (German) provincia autonoma (Italian) autonomous province	South Tyrol (1946, 1972) [G]	[10]
Israel /  Palestine	"سلطة الحكم الذاتي الفلسطينية المؤقتة" (Arabic) "Palestinian Interim Self-Government Authority" הסמכות המינהלית הפלסטינית (Hebrew) interim administrative authority	Palestinian National Authority (1994) [H]  · Gaza Strip and West Bank [I]	[11][12]

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^[13] 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.^[14]
• 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^[15][16] and are in customs union with it.^[17]

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)	[18]
Azerbaijan	muxtar respublika autonomous republic	Nakhchivan (1924)	[19][20]
Cameroon	region with special status	Northwest (2019)  · Southwest (2019)	[21]
Chile	Provincias de Chile y Comuna de Chile province and communes	Easter Island	[22]
	Comuna de Chile communes	Juan Fernández Islands	[23]
China (PRC)	自治区 (zìzhìqū) autonomous region	Guangxi (1958)  · Inner Mongolia (1947)  · Ningxia (1958)  · Xinjiang (1955)  · Tibet (1965)	[5]
	自治州 (zìzhìzhōu) 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	[5]
	自治县 (zìzhìxiàn) autonomous county	117 (full list)	[5]
	自治旗 (zìzhìqí) autonomous banner	Evenki  · Morin Dawa  · Oroqen	[5]
Denmark	autonomous territory (Danish Realm)	Faroe Islands (1948)  ·  Greenland (1979)	[8]
Fiji	autonomous region	Rotuma (1927)	[24]
France	sui generis collectivité sui generis collectivity	New Caledonia (1999)	[25]
	collectivité d'outre-mer overseas collectivity	Saint Barthélemy (2007)  · Saint Martin (2007)  ·  Saint Pierre and Miquelon (2003)  ·  Wallis and Futuna (2003)
	pays d'outre-mer overseas country	French Polynesia (2004)
Georgia	avtonomiuri respublika autonomous republic	Abkhazia (1991-2008) [J] [K] ·  Adjara (1991)	[26]
	provisional administrative entity	South Ossetia (2007-2008) [J]	[27]
Greece	aftonomi monastiki politia 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	daerah istimewa/khusus special region	Yogyakarta (1950)  ·  Aceh (2005)  ·  Jakarta (2024)
	daerah otonomi khusus special autonomous region	Papua (2000)  ·  West Papua (2008)  · Central Papua (2022)  · Highland Papua (2022)  · South Papua (2022)  · Southwest Papua (2022)
Iraq	semi-autonomous region	Kurdistan Region (1992)	[30]
Italy	regione autonoma autonomous region	Aosta Valley (1948)  ·  Friuli-Venezia Giulia (1963)  ·  Sardinia (1948)  ·  Sicily (1946)  ·  Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol (1948)	[8]`
	provincia autonoma autonomous province	South Tyrol (1972)  ·  Trentino (1972)
Mauritius	autonomous island	Rodrigues (2002)	[31]
Moldova	unitate teritorială autonomă autonomous territorial unit	Gagauzia (1995)  · Left Bank of the Dniester (2005)	[8]
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	región autónoma autonomous region	North Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region (1986)  · South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region (1986)	[32]
Pakistan	self-governing entity	Azad Kashmir (1974) Gilgit-Baltistan (2009)
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	Bougainville (2000)	[34]
Philippines	rehiyong awtonomus autonomous region	Bangsamoro (2019)	[35]
Portugal	região autónoma autonomous region	Azores (1976)  ·  Madeira (1976)	[8]
Russia	respublika (autonomous) republic	Adygea ·  Altai Republic ·  Bashkortostan ·  Buryatia ·  Chechnya ·  Chuvashia ·  Republic of Crimea[L] ·  Dagestan ·  Donetsk[L] ·  Ingushetia ·  Kabardino-Balkaria ·  Kalmykia ·  Karachay-Cherkessia ·  Karelia ·  Khakassia ·  Komi ·  Luhansk[L] ·  Mari El ·  Mordovia ·  North Ossetia-Alania ·  Sakha Republic ·  Tatarstan ·  Tuva ·  Udmurtia	[8]
	avtonomnaya oblast autonomous province	Jewish Autonomous Oblast (1934)	[8]
	avtonomny okrug autonomous district	Chukotka ·  Khanty-Mansi ·  Nenets ·  Yamalo-Nenets	[8]
Saint Kitts and Nevis	autonomous island	Nevis (1967)	[36]
São Tomé and Príncipe	região autónoma autonomous region	Autonomous Region of Príncipe (1995)	[37]
Serbia	autonomna pokrajina autonomous province	Vojvodina (1945) · Kosovo and Metohija (1945–1999) [M]
Somalia	dowlad goboleedka ee federal state	Galmudug (2012) ·  Hirshabelle (2016) ·  Jubaland (2013)[N] ·  Khatumo[O] (2023) ·  Puntland (1998)[P] ·  South West State of Somalia (2014) ·  Somaliland [Q]	[38]
Tajikistan	viloyat mukhtor autonomous province	Gorno-Badakhshan (1925)	[39]
Tanzania	Serikali ya Mapinduzi Zanzibar revolutionary government	Zanzibar (1964)	[40]
Trinidad and Tobago	autonomous island	Tobago (1980)
Ukraine	avtonomna respublika autonomous republic	Crimea (1992–2014) [L]
United Kingdom	UK constituent country with devolution	Scotland (1999)  ·  Wales (1999) Northern Ireland (1998)	[8]
Uzbekistan	respublika (autonomous) republic	Karakalpakstan

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) ·  Curaçao (2010) ·  Sint Maarten (2010)
New Zealand	state in free-association	Cook Islands (1965) ·  Niue (1974)
	self-administering territory	Tokelau (1948)	[25]
United Kingdom	Crown Dependency	Guernsey  ·  Isle of Man ·  Jersey	[8]
	British Overseas Territory	Anguilla  ·  Bermuda  ·  British Virgin Islands  ·  Cayman Islands  ·  Falkland Islands  ·  Gibraltar  ·  Montserrat	[8]
United States	Commonwealth	Puerto Rico (1952)  ·  Northern Mariana Islands (1978)	[41]
	Territory	Guam (1950)  ·  US Virgin Islands (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
Bolivia	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)  ·  Republika Srpska (1995)	[45]
Comoros	île autonome autonomous island	Anjouan (2002)  · Grande Comore (2002)  ·  Mohéli (2002)	[46]
Guernsey	Jurisdiction	Alderney  ·  Sark (1565)	[47]
Spain	comunidad autónoma (in Spanish)[48] autonomia erkidegoa (in Basque)[49] comunautat autonòma (in Occitan)[50] comunitat autònoma (in Catalan/Valencian)[51] comunidade autónoma (in Galician)[52] autonomous community (nationalities and regions of Spain)	Andalusia (1981)  ·  Aragon (1982)  ·  Asturias (1981)  ·  Balearic Islands (1983)  ·  Basque Country (1979)  ·  Canary Islands (1982)  ·  Cantabria (1981)  ·  Castile–La Mancha (1982)  ·  Castile and León (1983)  ·  Catalonia (1979)  ·  Extremadura (1983)  ·  Galicia (1981)  ·  La Rioja (1982)  ·  Madrid (1983)  ·  Murcia (1982)  ·  Navarre (1982)  ·  Valencian Community (1982)	[8]
	ciudad autónoma autonomous city	Ceuta (1995)  ·  Melilla (1995)	[8]
	Entitat territorial autònoma Autonomous territorial entity	Val d'Aran (1990)	[8]

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)	[53]
Argentina	ciudad autónoma autonomous city	Buenos Aires (1994)	[54]
Armenia	autonomous city	Yerevan
Belarus	autonomous city	Minsk
Cambodia	krong autonomous municipality	Phnom Penh [R]	[55]
Central African Republic	commune autonome autonomous commune	Bangui	[56]
Guinea-Bissau	sector autónomo autonomous sector	Bissau Region	[57]
Hungary	autonomous city	Budapest
Romania	autonomous municipality	Bucharest
Serbia	autonomous city	Belgrade
Uzbekistan	shahar autonomous city	Tashkent (1918)	[58]
United Kingdom	Sui generis City	City of London

Independent cities called "autonomous"

Country	Native term Translation or equivalent	Instances (areas became autonomous in the year indicated, if available)	References
Japan	村落共同体 village community	Atarashiki (1948)
South Korea	특별자치시 special autonomous city	Sejong
Cambodia	krong autonomous municipality	Phnom Penh · Sihanoukville · Pailin · Kep	[55]

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)
Syria	Rêveberiya Xweser Autonomous Administration	Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (2012)
Bolivia	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

Notes

1. For example: "China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region". United Nations. Retrieved 25 February 2008.
2. See International recognition of Kosovo for states that do and do not recognize the Republic of Kosovo.
3. Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1984
4. 'Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration of 1987
5. Åland convention
6. Good Friday Agreement (1998)
7. Gruber–De Gasperi Agreement (1946)
8. Oslo Accords (1993)
9. Oslo II Accord (1995)
10. De facto, Abkhazia and South Ossetia declared independence from Georgia, but de jure they are still part of Georgia
11. The flag of Abkhazia shown is the proposed flag of the Georgian government from 2013.
12. Claimed by Ukraine and considered by most of the international community to be part of Ukraine.
13. Since 1999, it hasn't been under the direct control of Serbia. It became an "entity under interim international administration" and disputed territory.
14. Proclaimed autonomous in 2011
15. Officially known as the SSC-Khaatumo Administration
16. On 31 March 2024, following changes to the Constitution of Somalia, the government of Puntland stated that it no longer recognises the authority of the Somali federal government and would no longer participate in Somali federal institutions. Furthermore, it was stated that Puntland would "operate as a state that's independent from Somalia until there is a federal government with a constitution agreed upon in a referendum in which Puntland participates".
17. Claimed but uncontrolled, as the territory is administered by the de facto independent Republic of Somaliland; its independence has not been recognised internationally
18. along with Independent cities called "autonomous"

References

1. Lucas I. González (11 February 2008). "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. 38 (2). Oxford University Press: 211–247. doi:10.1093/publius/pjn001.
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. "The Joint Declaration (and following pages)". Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau, The Government of the HKSAR. 1 July 2007.
4. "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. "Provinces of China". Statoids. 26 June 2006. Retrieved 25 February 2008.
6. (in French) Edouard Gourdon, Histoire du Congrès de Paris, Paris, 1857, full text at google Print
7. 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.
8. Benedikter, Thomas (19 June 2006). "The working autonomies in Europe". Society for Threatened Peoples. Archived from the original on 9 March 2008. Retrieved 25 February 2008.
9. "Agreement reached in the multi-party negotiations" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 October 2011. Retrieved 3 November 2011.
10. "Accordo Degasperi-Gruber". Archived from the original on 5 April 2008. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
11. "Area C and the future of Palestinian economy" (PDF). World Bank. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
12. 1995 Oslo Interim Agreement. Text of the Accord
13. "Treaty concerning the Archipelago of Spitsbergen, and Protocol [1925] ATS 10". austlii.edu.au.
14. 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.
15. NM Currency Converter. "Currency converter Swiss Franc, CHF". nm-devises.com.
16. It is legal tender in Campione d'Italia
17. "2.1.2 Erhebungsgebiet". admin.ch. Archived from the original on 14 December 2013.
18. "Barbuda Local Government Act of 1976" (PDF).
19. "Regions and territories: Nagorno-Karabakh". BBC News. 15 January 2008. Retrieved 25 February 2008.
20. Treaty of Moscow (1921) and Treaty of Kars (1921)
21. "Cameroon grants 'special status' its to restive regions. They don't feel special". 13 January 2020.
22. "Easter Islands now a "special territory" with more autonomy".
23. "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". Archived from the original on 30 August 2010. Retrieved 11 July 2010.
24. "Rotuma Act". Laws of Fiji (1978 ed.). Suva, Fiji: Government of Fiji. 1927. Archived from the original on 19 April 2005..
25. Included on the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories.
26. "Regions of Georgia". Statoids. 30 November 2007. Retrieved 25 February 2008.
27. "Sanakoev Appointed as Head of S.Ossetia Administration". Civil.ge. 10 May 2007. Retrieved 14 March 2008.
28. "Departments of Greece". Statoids. 1 September 2007. Retrieved 25 February 2008.
29. "The World's Working Regional Autonomies, Thomas Benedikter". Anthem Press. 2007. Archived from the original on 3 March 2008. Retrieved 25 June 2008.
30. "Provinces of Iraq". Statoids. 29 August 2007. Retrieved 25 February 2008.
31. "Districts of Mauritius". Statoids. 8 May 2007. Retrieved 25 February 2008.
32. "Departments of Nicaragua". Statoids. 12 April 2005. Retrieved 25 February 2008.
33. "Panama Provinces". Statoids. Retrieved 27 February 2008.
34. "Provinces of Papua New Guinea". Statoids. 1 June 2005. Retrieved 25 February 2008.
35. "Provinces of the Philippines". Statoids. 31 January 2008. Retrieved 25 February 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. "Sao Tome and Principe". Central Intelligence Agency. 12 February 2008. Retrieved 25 February 2008.
38. "Somalia's regional states submit Upper House nominations". Somali Review. 10 October 2016. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
39. "Regions of Tajikistan". Statoids. 16 October 2005. Retrieved 25 February 2008.
40. "Regions and territories: Zanzibar". BBC News. 16 August 2007. Retrieved 25 February 2008.
41. "December 2005 report of the President's Task Force on Puerto Rico's Status" (PDF). pfraa.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 March 2009.
42. Doug Hertzler. "Debunking Myths Part II: Bolivia's Autonomy Initiatives". Retrieved 1 April 2010.
43. "5 departamentos se suman a la autonomía; Gran Chaco la primera región autónoma". eju.tv. 7 December 2009. Retrieved 28 January 2011.
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. "Bosnia and Herzegovina Government". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 25 February 2008.
46. "Autonomous Islands of Comoros". Statoids. 16 October 2005. Retrieved 25 February 2008.
47. https://web.archive.org/web/20210709183721/https://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/about/moj/our-responsibilities/Background_Briefing_on_the_Crown_Dependencies2.pdf ^{[bare URL PDF]}
48. Spanish (aka Castilian) is official in
49. Basque is official in the Spanish autonomous communities of Basque Country and Navarre.
50. Occitan is official in the Spanish autonomous community of Catalonia.
51. Catalan/Valencian is official in the Spanish autonomous communities of Catalonia, Balearic Islands Valencian Community.
52. Galician is official in the Spanish autonomous community of Galicia.
53. "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" [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] (in Spanish). 29 January 2016.
54. Pinduli, Irene; Spivacow, R; Del Valle, E; Vidal, S; Negri, AL; Previgliano, H; Farías Edos, R; Andrade, JH; Negri, GM (20 January 2006). "Prevalence of urolithiasis in the autonomous city of Buenos Aires, Argentina". Urological Research. 34 (1): 8–11. doi:10.1007/s00240-005-0003-7. PMID 16425020. S2CID 23228563.
55. "Provinces of Cambodia". Statoids. 13 May 2005. Retrieved 25 February 2008.
56. "Prefectures of the Central African Republic". Statoids. Retrieved 25 February 2008.
57. "Regions of Guinea-Bissau". Statoids. 14 September 2006. Retrieved 25 February 2008.
58. "Regions of Uzbekistan". Statoids. 17 May 2007. Retrieved 25 February 2008.

External links

• Autonomy World Map