Federated countries list. federal states. United Arab Emirates

There are currently 27* federal states in the world. How they were created, what influence the subjects have on the central government, and it on them, how powers are delimited between them - read in the Kommersant reference book.

Republic of Austria

Form of government: parliamentary republic

Place in the world: area - 83.9 thousand square meters. km (112th place in the world), population - 8.8 million (97th), GDP - $ 386 billion (28th)

Components: nine lands, one of which is the capital

It arose after the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, was originally called German Austria and planned to become part of Germany. It did not exist as an independent state in 1938-1945 due to joining the Third Reich. The federal structure is enshrined in a constitution adopted in 1920 by the National Assembly, formed in a general election.

The constitution establishes that the territory of Austria consists of independent lands, but does not give them the possibility of secession. To change the borders of the subjects, the adoption of identical laws of the federation and the states is required. When concluding an international treaty that changes the borders of the country, the consent of the affected lands is also required. A significant change in the territory of Austria took place in 1921, when the land of Burgenland, the right to which Hungary disputed, became part of it. In 1922, Vienna seceded from Lower Austria and became an independent state.

The head of state is the popularly elected president. Nevertheless, the main powers to govern the country are exercised by the government, headed by the chancellor. Formally, he is appointed by the president, but in practice he becomes the leader of the party of the parliamentary majority. Parliament consists of two chambers. The lower (Nationalrat) is elected on party lists, the upper (Bundesrat) consists of representatives of the lands (from 3 to 12, depending on the population).

The constituent entities have their own parliaments (Landtags). The executive branch is headed by the head of government (landesshauptmann), who is elected by the Landtag and sworn in by the federal president. The federal authorities have no formal influence on the appointment.

In the distribution of powers, which is enshrined in the constitution, a clear advantage is given to the federal authorities. They are in charge of not only international affairs, economics and finance, security, industry and transport, but even school education. The heads of the public security departments in the Länder are appointed directly by the head of the Austrian Ministry of the Interior in agreement with the heads of the Länder. Tax revenues are partially distributed between the budgets of different levels, part of the taxes goes exclusively to the lands (for example, land, for the maintenance of firefighters, income from entertainment events, hunting fees, etc.). The principles for the distribution of income are established by laws adopted every five years. The lands have their own constitutions and citizenship, but do not have their own language. They can conclude international treaties only with bordering countries or their parts within their competence and with the consent of the federal authorities.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Form of government: parliamentary republic

Place in the world: area - 51.2 thousand square meters. km (125th), population - 3.5 million (133rd), GDP - $16.6 billion (113th)

Components: two formations (entities) - the Republika Srpska (RS) and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBG), as well as the Autonomous Okrug Brcko. FBG also has a federal structure and is divided into ten cantons

It arose as a result of the collapse of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The territorial structure is enshrined in the constitution, adopted in December 1995 as Appendix No. 4 to the Dayton Accords, which put an end to the civil war in the republic. The document does not provide for the possibility of separating components. Nevertheless, the RS authorities have repeatedly announced the possibility of organizing a referendum on secession from BiH.

The Constitution provides for the formation of state bodies on a national basis. Parliament (Assembly) consists of two chambers. The House of Representatives is elected on the basis of party lists on the territory of the FBG (2/3 of the members) and the RS (1/3 of the members). The House of Peoples (upper) includes five representatives of Croats, Bosniaks and Serbs each, elected by the parliaments of the entities. The collective head of state, the presidium, consists of a Bosnian, a Croat and a Serb, elected in the FBG and RS respectively. The Chairman of the Council of Ministers (Government) is appointed by the Presidium and approved by the House of Representatives. In addition, there is an international administration in the country, headed by the High Representative for BiH, who monitors compliance with the Dayton Accords. He has broad powers, can dismiss local officials, repeal laws and issue decrees.

The constitution lists the duties of the center (foreign, customs and monetary policy, foreign trade, immigration issues, air traffic, etc.). All powers not directly assigned to him are exercised by subjects who are granted significant independence. Both entities elect their presidents and parliaments, have police, the judiciary and the prosecutor's office, statistical and tax services. Until 2006, they also had their own armed forces, which are now unified and subordinate to the federal ministry of defence. In addition, the entities have their own constitutions, citizenship, flag, coat of arms and anthem. They can establish "special parallel relations" with neighboring countries, as well as conclude international agreements with the consent of the federal parliament. The Brčko District, which, unlike other regions of the country, does not have a dominant nationality, is formally included in both entities and is directly subordinate to the federal authorities.

Kingdom of Belgium

Form of government: a constitutional monarchy

Place in the world: area - 30.5 thousand square meters. km (137th), population - 11.4 million (79th), GDP - $ 466 billion (24th)

Components: three communities, three regions and four language zones

Belgium was formed as a unitary state, but at the end of the 20th century, in the course of successive constitutional reforms, it became a unique multi-level federation.

According to the second article of the constitution, the country is divided into three communities exercising cultural and linguistic autonomy - Flemish, French and German-speaking. The third article divides the state into three regions with territorial-administrative and economic autonomy. These are the Flemish region, or Flanders (44.3% of the territory, 58% of the population and 58% of GDP), the Walloon region, or Wallonia (55.2, 32 and 23%), and the Brussels-Capital Region (0.5, 10 and 19 %). The fourth article defines four language areas - Dutch, French, bilingual metropolitan and German. Flanders and Wallonia are each divided into five provinces with considerable independence. The boundaries of all entities can only be changed by their legislatures.

Formally, the country's government is appointed by the king and approved by the bicameral federal parliament. It is usually headed by a representative of the party that won the election. The constitution requires that the cabinet of ministers, excluding the prime minister, should consist of no more than 14 people - equally divided between the Flemish and French communities. The electoral system is designed in such a way that in fact governments can only form coalitions. During the acute political crisis of 2010-2011, due to the inability of the parties to agree, the country lived without a government for 541 days.

The regions are responsible for managing the economy, including foreign trade and the introduction of local taxes and fees, issues of territorial development, ecology, etc. The communities are primarily responsible for culture and education, as well as for some social issues. Each region and community has its own parliament and government, but the "Flemish subjects" united them. The competence of the subjects is enshrined in the constitution, and the center exercises the "residual" powers that have not been delegated to them. These are, for example, issues of foreign policy, defense and the fight against crime, public finance, including the redistribution of income, nuclear energy and the management of state-owned companies. At the same time, the constitution provides for the possibility of defining a list of the exclusive powers of the federation, after which the regions will receive all the remaining powers. At present, in rich Flanders, voices are heard about the need to move towards a confederate structure of the country, in which the center would have only questions of foreign policy and defense.

Russian Federation

Form of government: presidential-parliamentary republic

Place in the world: area - 17.1 million square meters. km (1st), population - 146.9 million (9th), GDP - $ 1.3 trillion (12th)

Components: 22 republics, 9 territories, 46 regions, 1 autonomous region, 4 autonomous districts and 3 federal cities (Moscow, St. Petersburg and Sevastopol)

After the collapse of the USSR and until the adoption of the first Constitution of the Russian Federation on December 12, 1993, the issues of delimitation of powers between the center and the subjects were regulated by the Federal Treaty signed on March 31, 1992. The document was signed by President Boris Yeltsin and authorized representatives of all subjects of the former RSFSR, except for Tatarstan and Chechen-Ingushetia. Relations with Tatarstan were regulated in 1994 by the Treaty on Mutual Delegation of Powers. Separated from Chechnya, Ingushetia became part of Russia on June 4, 1992 following a referendum, and the status of Chechnya was finally determined with the adoption of the constitution of the republic on March 23, 2003.

According to the Constitution, the boundaries between subjects can be changed with their mutual consent. According to this principle, in 2003-2008, as a result of the unification of regions through referendums, their number decreased from 89 to 83. Each subject of the Russian Federation has its own fundamental act (constitution or charter). The right to unilaterally withdraw from the federation is not provided, and the admission of a new subject to Russia is possible on the basis of an international agreement with the approval of the Constitutional Court and both chambers of parliament. According to this mechanism, in 2014 Crimea became part of Russia. As a result, two new subjects were formed - the Republic of Crimea and the federal city of Sevastopol.

The head of state is the popularly elected president. The highest legislative body is the Federal Assembly, which consists of two chambers - the Federation Council (2 representatives from each subject) and the State Duma (450 deputies). The senator from the legislature of the region is chosen from among their number by the deputies of the regional legislative assembly, from the executive - by the governor from the three candidates proposed by him in the elections. Deputies of the State Duma are elected by the people according to party lists and single-seat constituencies. The supreme body of executive power is the government of the Russian Federation, headed by the prime minister, who is appointed by the president with the consent of the State Duma.

A typical system of authorities in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation is the governor (head of the republic, mayor or chairman of the government), the legislative assembly, the government (administration), and the courts. The heads of regions are elected directly by the citizens or legislative bodies of the subject on the proposal of the President of the Russian Federation. Legislative bodies consist of deputies elected by a mixed majority-proportional system.

The competence of the center and issues of joint jurisdiction of the federation and subjects are enshrined in the Constitution. The Russian Federation is in charge of international relations, defense, public finances, nuclear energy, and space activities. In joint jurisdiction - personnel of judicial and law enforcement agencies, establishing the principles of taxation, issues of land use, subsoil use, issues of education and health care; regional, international and foreign economic relations. In the exclusive jurisdiction of the subjects - their own budgets, issues of internal administrative-territorial division, management of regional property. The state language throughout the territory of the Russian Federation is Russian, but the Constitution gives the republics the right to establish their own state languages.

Federal Republic of Germany

Form of government: parliamentary republic

Place in the world: area - 357 thousand square meters. km (62nd), population - 81.5 million (16th), GDP - $ 2.94 trillion (5th)

Components: 16 states, of which 3 are actually cities - Berlin, Hamburg, Bremen

It was created in the territories of the American, British and French zones of occupation after the Second World War. The federal structure is enshrined in the main law, which was approved by the parliaments of 12 subjects of the future federation. Only Bavaria was opposed, but the support of the majority of the lands was sufficient for the adoption of the document.

The Basic Law prohibits changing the principle of dividing the country into lands, however, it allows changing their territories, which requires approval in a referendum. According to this procedure, in 1952, the three states merged into the current Baden-Württemberg, and in 1996 the merger of Berlin and Brandenburg failed. In 1957, the Saarland, which had previously been a French protectorate, joined the FRG. The most significant change in the territory of Germany occurred in 1990, when five lands of the former German Democratic Republic (which arose in 1949 on the site of the Soviet zone of occupation) became part of it on the basis of an international treaty. The right to exit the lands from the federation is not provided, there were no attempts to exit.

The head of state is the president, who is elected by the federal assembly. This temporary body includes deputies of the federal parliament (Bundestag) and representatives of the states. The real powers are in the hands of the chancellor who heads the government, who is elected only by the Bundestag. The Bundestag is elected according to a mixed system (constituencies and party lists). At the federal level, the regions are represented by a separate body, the Bundesrat. It is not formally the upper house of parliament, but its approval is required by laws amending the constitution or affecting regional issues. The Länder are represented in the Bundesrat by members of their governments ranging from three to six people (depending on the population).

In the constituent entities, legislative functions are carried out by land parliaments - landtags (in Bremen and Hamburg they are called burgerschafts, in Berlin - the chamber of deputies). They appoint heads of executive power - prime ministers or burgomasters (in city-lands). The federal authorities have no formal influence on the appointment.

According to the basic law, the competence of the federation includes issues of defense, security, international relations, finance, transport, post, and communications. But even in these areas, the lands are given broad powers. For example, the heads of regional ministries of internal affairs are appointed by the prime ministers of their respective lands. Most taxes are collected and distributed centrally. The subjects are assigned revenues from a part of secondary taxes (on property, inheritance, transport), they cannot introduce their own taxes. The lands have their own constitutions and have limited international legal personality (they can conclude external agreements only with the consent of the center and on issues of their competence), but they do not have their own language and citizenship.

Swiss Confederation

Form of government: parliamentary republic

Place in the world: area - 41.3 thousand square meters. km (132nd), population - 8.5 million (99th), GDP - $660 billion (19th)

Components: 26 cantons

Despite the name, it is a federal state, formed on the basis of a previously weak confederal union. The evolution of confederation to federation took place after the Civil War of 1847. The basic provisions of the federal structure are enshrined in the constitution of 1848 and are preserved in its latest version of 1999. It stipulates that the change in the composition of the cantons requires the holding of referendums in the affected regions and cantons, as well as at the federal level. The only such change occurred in 1978, when the French-speaking districts seceded from the German-speaking canton of Bern, creating the new canton of Jura.

The highest legislative body is the bicameral Federal Assembly. The members of the lower house are elected in direct elections under a proportional system, with each canton assigned a certain number of seats depending on the population. Also, the inhabitants of each subject elect one or two deputies of the upper house, representing the interests of the cantons. Executive power is exercised by the Bundesrat, which consists of seven members elected by parliament. Each year, a president (together with a vice president) is elected from among them. Formally, he remains the first among equals, and the role of both the government and the collective head of state is played by the Bundesrat as a whole. Each canton has its own parliaments and governments elected by the people. In addition, in two cantons, people's meetings have been preserved - gatherings of all residents, at which various issues of governance are resolved.

According to the constitution, the subjects are sovereign and independent, they have all the powers that are not assigned to the federation. The competence of the central authorities includes foreign policy, security, customs, financial policy, transport, radio and television, etc. Everything else goes to the cantons (in particular, the police, education, culture). Sometimes the powers are divided between different levels of government (for example, both the federation and the cantons collect their own taxes). The cantons have their own constitutions and languages. They can conclude international treaties in the area of ​​their competence, as well as treaties among themselves for the joint resolution of issues under their control. A feature of Switzerland is the active use of referendums to resolve both regional and federal issues. At the same time, the vote on changing the constitution requires the approval of not only the majority of citizens, but also the majority of cantons. In addition, the eight cantons themselves can initiate a referendum on the approval of federal laws and international treaties.

Islamic Republic of Pakistan

Form of government: parliamentary republic

Place in the world: area - 881.9 thousand square meters. km (33rd), population - 210.5 million (5th), GDP - $ 284 billion (41st)

Components: 4 provinces, federally administered tribal areas, federal capital territory

Pakistan was created during the decolonization of British India and included areas populated predominantly by Muslims. It was divided into two territorially unrelated parts - West and East Pakistan. In 1971, as a result of a short war, East Pakistan gained independence as the Republic of Bangladesh. The foundations of federalism in the country were laid by the British Government of India Act of 1935, which, with a number of amendments, was in force until the adoption of the first constitution of 1956. The principles of federal relations have changed radically several times.

The current constitution of 1973 mentions six constituent parts of the federation: the four provinces, the federally administered tribal territories, and the capital territory. In addition, Islamabad controls two more regions that are de jure not included in the system of federal relations: the province of Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, which Pakistan officially recognizes as an independent state. India considers both regions to be the territory of its state of Jammu and Kashmir.

The constitution provides for a bicameral parliament, with the lower house (the National Assembly) representing the population and the upper house (the Senate) representing the regions. The National Assembly is elected in the subjects depending on their population. Most legislators delegate Punjab - 148 out of 342, least of all - the Federal Capital Territory (2). In the Senate, each province gives 14 deputies, tribal territories - 8, the capital - 2. At the same time, in both chambers there are additional quotas for various sectors of society (women, non-Muslims, professional communities). The political system is designed in such a way that the dominance of the Punjabis in the National Assembly is balanced by the equal representation of the regions in the Senate. However, to resolve some sensitive issues, such as the adoption of the budget, only the approval of the lower house is sufficient. The president of the country is elected by deputies of the federal and provincial parliaments, and the prime minister represents the majority only in the lower house. Throughout the history of the country, the balance of power between them has repeatedly changed, at present, the real executive power is in the hands of the prime minister.

At the local level, the system of organizing power is similar. Each province has legislatures elected by majoritarian system (quotas for minorities are also present here). They appoint chairmen of regional governments, who are in fact the executive branch. However, there are also governors who are appointed from the center and have the right to dissolve local parliaments. The recent trend has been a gradual increase in the powers of the provinces. The 18th amendment to the constitution, adopted in 2010, allowed them to take loans, including abroad, extended the principle of parity ownership to mineral deposits, and transferred the service sales tax to the regions. The amendment also abolished the category of joint responsibility, transferring 40 of the 47 competencies included there to the local level.

Malaysia

Form of government: a constitutional monarchy

Place in the world: area - 330.8 thousand square meters. km (67th), population - 32.4 million (41st), GDP - $296 billion (38th)

Components: 13 states, 3 federal territories

The state arose from the unification of the former British possessions of the Federation of Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak and North Borneo. According to the constitution, the accession to the federation of new states or the change of their borders takes place by decision of the federal parliament. However, in 1965, this procedure was used to expel Singapore from the federation, which became an independent state.

Some federations are led by a collective head. So, for example, the presidium of Bosnia and Herzegovina consists of Serb Nebojsa Radmanovic (second from left), Croat Zeljko Komsic (second from right) and Bosnian Bakir Izetbegovic (right)

A feature of Malaysia is a different form of government in the subjects. Nine states are headed by hereditary monarchs (seven have sultans, one has a great ruler, and one has a rajah). Every five years, they elect a head of state, a supreme ruler (yang di pertuan-agong) from among their members. He, in turn, appoints the governors of four other states. The lower house of the federal parliament is elected in single-member districts, the upper house is partly appointed by the supreme ruler, partly elected by the state parliaments. The monarch performs mainly representative functions. The real executive power belongs to the government, headed by the prime minister, who becomes the leader of the parliamentary majority party. All states have elected unicameral parliaments and advisory governments. The federal territories (the capital city of Kuala Lumpur, the administrative center of Putrajaya and the financial center of Labuan) are administered directly by the federal government.

The powers of the federation and the states are enshrined in a special appendix to the constitution. The federation's extensive list of powers includes foreign policy, defense and security (including prisons and police), anti-corruption, finance and trade, navigation, road infrastructure, media, tourism, gambling, etc. The states are in charge of secondary issues, including transactions with land, agriculture and forestry, river fisheries, etc. There are also issues of overlapping competence, but the priority in them is given to the federation. State revenues also depend heavily on subsidies from the center, calculated depending on the population. In addition, deductions from the alcohol trade, the forestry and mining industries, agriculture, and the entertainment industry are assigned to the states.

United Arab Emirates

Form of government: a constitutional monarchy

Place in the world: area - 83.6 thousand square meters. km (113th), population - 9.4 million (94th), GDP - $349 billion (31st)

Components: seven emirates

The federation was formed in 1971 by the union of six emirates that gained independence from Great Britain. In 1972, another emirate joined it. The constitution allows the accession of any independent Arab country, which requires the approval of the authorities of all emirates. Leaving the federation is prohibited.

The main body of power is the Supreme Council (SC), which includes the monarchs of all emirates. It determines the general policy of the country, makes decisions on all major issues. The Supreme Council elects the president and vice-president of the country for five years, who traditionally become the emirs of the largest emirates of Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The President presides over the meetings of the Supreme Council, signs the laws adopted by him, and represents the country in the world. The UAE Government is headed by the Prime Minister, who is appointed and removed by the President with the consent of the Supreme Court. The Federal National Council (parliament) includes representatives of the emirates, and each of them is assigned a certain number of seats depending on the population (from 4 to 8). Traditionally, deputies were appointed by emirs, but in 2006, for the first time, half of them were elected by an electoral college. The UAE Parliament performs only advisory functions, and the main role in the adoption of laws belongs to the Supreme Court. If there are some republican elements at the federal level (formally an elected president), then the emirates, where all power belongs to hereditary rulers, are absolute monarchies.

Among the powers of the federation enshrined in the constitution are foreign policy, defense and security, finance, mail, telephone and Internet, road construction, air travel, education and health, immigration issues, etc. All unspecified areas are the responsibility of the emirates. They have the right, with the consent of the Armed Forces, to conclude international agreements with neighboring countries, their right to be members of OPEC and the Organization of Arab Oil Exporting Countries is separately stipulated. By constitution, the emirates must benefit from the existence of the federation and enjoy its protection. At the same time, they must transfer part of their income to the federation's budget.

Republic of India

Form of government: parliamentary republic

Place in the world: area - 3.29 million square meters. km (7th), population - 1.33 billion (2nd), GDP - $2.26 trillion (7th)

Components: 29 states, 7 union territories including the National Capital Territory of Delhi

The constitution adopted by the Constituent Assembly convened after independence divided the Union (as the country is named in the document) into four categories of units. 9 states had their own parliaments and governments, 8 former principalities or their unions were ruled by nominal monarchs, 10 states and one union territory by presidential appointees. This system did not take into account the requests of the numerous ethnic groups of the country, so the process of dividing the territories began almost immediately. To streamline it, in 1956 a full-scale change in the structure of the country was carried out - 14 equivalent states and 6 union territories were created. Subsequently, the number of subjects and their boundaries changed several times due to the division of states, the acquisition of state status by the union territories or the annexation of new lands (for example, the annexation of Portuguese India in 1961).

The constitution does not guarantee integrity to the subjects of the federation, with the exception of Jammu and Kashmir (only this state has its own constitution). The Federal Parliament has the right to change the division of the country in any way. A significant change occurred in 2000, when three new states were created at once. The last (29th) state of Telingana was formed in 2014 by spinning off from Andhra Pradesh. In general, subjects vary greatly in their importance. The most populous state of Uttar Pradesh has 200 million people, while the island union territory of Lakshadweep has only 65,000.

The head of India is considered to be the president, who is elected by the electoral college, but the real power lies with the prime minister, who represents the majority of the lower house of parliament. The latter is elected by popular vote according to the majoritarian system. Representatives of the constituent entities are elected to the upper house by indirect voting, depending on the size of their population (from 1 to 31). India is a centralized federation: the subjects enjoy little autonomy, their powers can be reduced or expanded by the federal parliament. State governors are appointed by the president in consultation with the federal government. But in the states there is also a position of head of government, appointed by the local parliament. The Union Territories are governed solely by the President's representatives. At the same time, two territories - Delhi and Pondicherry (former French India) - are partially equalized in rights with the states, have their own governments and are represented in the upper house of parliament. States do not have citizenship, but they can set their own official languages. It is also worth noting the possibility of the president introducing a state of emergency, including in individual states "due to the failure of the constitutional mechanism in them," in which India becomes, in fact, a unitary state.

Republic of Iraq

Form of government: parliamentary republic

Place in the world: area - 438.3 thousand square meters. km (58th), population - 38.3 million (36th), GDP - $171.5 billion (53rd)

Components: 19 provinces, 4 of which are part of Iraqi Kurdistan

Iraq gained independence from Great Britain in 1932, and in 1958, after the overthrow of the monarchy, it became a republic. However, the transformation into a federation took place only after the overthrow of the dictator Saddam Hussein.

The country is currently divided into 19 provinces. According to the constitution on October 15, 2005, Iraq should consist of regions, provinces and the capital city of Baghdad. Regions must be formed on the basis of one or more provinces at the initiative of local authorities or the population, their creation is approved by referendum. However, at the moment, the only existing federal region is Kurdistan, which existed in the provinces of Erbil, Dahuk, Sulaymaniyah and Halabja even before the entry into force of the constitution. Basra has repeatedly expressed its desire to become an autonomous region, but a referendum on this issue has not yet been held.

The lower house of the Iraqi Parliament is elected in direct elections from party lists. The upper one, which should include representatives of regions and provinces, has not yet been formed. The executive power is headed by the prime minister, nominated by the largest faction of the parliament and approved by the majority of deputies. The President, who is a symbol of the unity of the country, is also elected by the deputies. In practice, in the formation of governing bodies, the ethno-religious principle is applied, according to which the post of president is occupied by a Kurd, the prime minister is a Shiite, and the speaker of parliament is a Sunni.

Legislative functions in the provinces are carried out by councils elected in direct elections. Governors are elected by the councils and can be recalled by them at the initiative of the country's prime minister. They control local security forces and form budgets. However, their powers are limited, funding also comes almost entirely from the center, although the law allows the provinces to collect local taxes. Kurdistan has more autonomy. It has an elected president and parliament, a constitution, its own taxes, representations abroad, and even armed forces.

The principles of separation of powers between the center and the subjects are enshrined in the constitution. The competence of the federation includes international relations, security, fiscal and customs policy, mail, statistics, etc. The joint competence of the center and the subjects includes the electric power industry, water supply, and healthcare. Spheres not mentioned in the constitution are administered by the provinces and regions. According to the constitution, oil belongs to the people, the issues of its development should be dealt with jointly by central and regional authorities, and revenues should be evenly distributed among the subjects.

Republic of South Sudan

Form of government: presidential republic

Place in the world: area - 644.3 thousand square meters. km (41st), population - 11.9 million (75th), GDP - $13.3 billion (122nd)

Components: 32 states

South Sudan gained independence as a result of years of armed conflict with the central government in Khartoum. Based on the Declaration of Independence, an interim constitution declares South Sudan to be "a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, multi-linguistic, multi-religious and multi-racial democratic decentralized state." It was assumed that the constitution will be valid until 2015, after which a permanent law will be adopted. However, this did not happen. In 2013, civil war broke out again in the youngest state on the planet.

According to the constitution, South Sudan is divided into 10 states. In 2015, President Salva Kiir decreed a new administrative division of the country into 28 states. Despite objections from the opposition, the South Sudanese parliament confirmed his authority to create new states and appoint their governors. In January 2017, the number of states was increased to 32.

The provisional constitution established that during the transitional period there would be a parliament consisting of two houses - the National Assembly (lower) and the Council of States (upper). The National Assembly included members of the current Legislative Assembly of South Sudan and all South Sudanese who were members of the Sudanese Parliament. In the Council of States - southerners, representing the region in the upper house of the all-Sudanese parliament, another 20 people were appointed by the president. The President of South Sudan, elected in a general election before secession, has broad powers. He is both head of state and government, has the power to declare and lift a state of emergency, initiate constitutional amendments, dismiss the state governor, and dissolve the local legislature. New presidential and parliamentary elections were to be held in the country back in 2015, then they were postponed to 2018.

The interim constitution enshrines the federal principles of decentralization and the division of powers between levels of government. The states declare their own constitutions, legislative and executive authorities. State lines are subject to change subject to 2/3 approval by the Council of States (rather than by presidential decree). The constitution sets out in detail the powers of the different levels of government. The central government has 58 powers (including defense, foreign policy, citizenship issues, regulation of the monetary sphere), the states have 42 powers (social security, external and internal loans, state property management, medical care, trade licenses). The joint responsibility category includes 34 functions (higher education and research, health policy, banking and insurance, river transport, disaster management). All local languages ​​are recognized as national languages ​​and are guaranteed protection, but only English has official status.

Union of the Comoros

Form of government: presidential republic

Place in the world: area - 1.9 thousand square meters. km (174th), population - 806 thousand (161st), GDP - $648 million (199th)

Components: three islands

The islands of the Comorian archipelago of Grand Comore, Anjouan, Moheli and Mayotte received centralized administration only in the 19th century, together with the French colonial administration. In December 1974, during a referendum, the inhabitants of the three islands voted for independence, and in Mayotte, for remaining part of France. Despite this, the constitution of the Comoros in the first article calls Mayotte part of the federation. At the same time, separatist sentiments are also strong on other islands. So, in August 1997, Anjouan and Moheli announced their separation, but soon returned to the country. In 2008, even armed intervention was required to suppress the separatists on Anjouan.

The head of state and the chairman of the government is the president, who is elected together with three vice-presidents for a five-year term. When electing the president, the principle of rotation of the islands that he represents is provided. The country's parliament, the National Assembly, has 33 members. Legislative assemblies of the islands represent 3 people each, 24 are elected in single-member constituencies.

The political instability of the Union led not only to about 20 successful and unsuccessful military coup attempts that survived the islands, but also to 5 constitutional referendums that changed the basic law. At a referendum on May 17, 2009, changes were made to the constitution that significantly curtailed the autonomy of the islands. The presidents of the islands were reduced in status to governors, and individual constitutions of the subjects were reduced to charters, the approval of which requires the opinion of a constitutional court. In addition, the amendments directly prohibit the islands from separating from the Union and proclaim the unconditional priority of national legislation over local legislation.

Prior to the adoption of the amendments, the Basic Law defined only the exclusive competence of the central government, transferring all functions that do not affect national or intersubjective interests to the local level. In the new edition, the document establishes an exhaustive list of powers of the regions, which include, in particular, road maintenance, education, regulation of agriculture, trade, etc.

Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

Form of government: parliamentary republic

Place in the world: area - 1.1 million square meters. km (26th), population - 94.4 million (14th), GDP - $72 billion (67th)

Components: nine states and two cities

Ethiopia, the only state in Africa that escaped European colonization, was an empire for a long time. It was replaced in 1974 by the socialist regime, which ceased to exist in 1991. The modern system was enshrined in a constitution that came into force in 1995.

Ethiopia is an example of a federation organized along ethnic lines. The constitution gives all "nations, nationalities and peoples" the right to self-determination or secession. This requires a 2/3 majority in the local legislature and a simple majority in a referendum organized by the federal government. De facto, according to this procedure, Eritrea separated from Ethiopia in 1993. There were no other attempts at secession.

The Federal Parliament consists of two chambers - the Council of People's Representatives (lower) and the Federation Council (upper). The lower house is elected by majoritarian system, the upper house is delegated one representative from each ethnic group plus an additional representative from every million people of the total population of this group. The order in which these representatives are elected is determined by the states themselves. The head of state is the president, who is elected from among the members of the lower house of parliament for a six-year term. The supreme executive power belongs to the prime minister, who represents the party that won the parliamentary elections.

The states have their own executive and legislative branches. Regional governments are accountable to local parliaments. The capital of Addis Ababa and the city of Dire Dawa have a special self-governing status. Their heads are also elected by local parliaments, but are accountable to the federal government. Amharic is the working language of the federal government, but states can set their own official languages.

The constitution contains a detailed list of the powers of the various levels of government. Thus, the sphere of competence of the federation includes the determination of the main parameters of social and economic development, the federal police, foreign policy, defense, foreign trade, and the declaration of a state of emergency. All powers not expressly assigned to federal or joint powers are exercised by the states. States can make their own constitutions, regulate the circulation of land, collect taxes and fees, establish their own law enforcement forces.

Federal Republic of Nigeria

Form of government: presidential republic

Place in the world: area - 923.8 thousand square meters. km (31st), population - 195 million (7th), GDP - $405 billion (27th)

Components: 36 states and federal capital territory

A single system of government in the territory of modern Nigeria was created by the British colonial administration at the beginning of the 20th century. Within the framework of common borders, there were regions that were heterogeneous in historical, cultural, confessional and ethnic terms. Federal principles of government were reflected in the 1946 constitution, which divided the country into three regions (north, west and east) and endowed each of them with its own legislative body. At the same time, even in the colonial period, centrifugal tendencies developed, which, after Nigeria gained independence, led to an armed conflict in the east of the country, which continued in 1967-1970. The current constitution, adopted in 1999, marks the beginning of a "fourth republic" after years of military rule.

By the time of independence in 1960, the country was divided into three regions. By 1996, their number had reached 36, not counting the Capital Territory (created in 1976). The constitution provides that the creation of a new state takes place on the basis of an act of parliament in a rather complicated procedure. The initiative must be supported by two-thirds of the legislative and executive bodies of the affected territories, approved in a referendum by two-thirds of their residents, approved by all other states and supported by two-thirds of the votes in each of the houses of the Nigerian Parliament. To change the borders of existing states, the referendum stage is excluded from the procedure.

The supreme executive power is vested in a popularly elected president. Parliament consists of two chambers. The upper (Senate) includes three representatives from each state and one from the federal capital territory. The lower (House of Representatives) is elected by the majority system. The status of the state language is not fixed in the constitution. It is stipulated that English, as well as the languages ​​of Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba, can be used in the country's parliament. There is no state religion, but Sharia law is in force in a number of states in the Muslim north.

Each state has its own legislature, the number of which depends on the population. The states are headed by an elected governor.

The list of the exclusive competence of the federal government includes 68 functions, including defense, internal security, foreign policy, trade, banking and finance, customs, weights and measures, prisons, communications. The constitution includes 30 powers in the category of joint jurisdiction, including in the field of education, medical care, and statistics. All payments and taxes, with few exceptions, go to the federal budget and from there are distributed among the other levels of government. The amount of transfers from the federal budget is calculated according to a formula that depends on a number of state indicators, including the number and density of population, area, and the amount of income generated in its territory.

Argentine Republic

Form of government: presidential republic

Place in the world: area - 2.78 million square meters. km (8th), population - 44.6 million (31st), GDP - $546 billion (21st)

Components: 23 provinces and the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires

The constitution that laid the foundations for the structure of the country was adopted in 1853 and was the result of a long-term civil war that began after the Viceroyalty of Rio de la Plata declared independence from Spain. Then not only the Unitarian and Federalist parties opposed each other, but also individual provinces (Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay and northern Chile separated from La Plata).

The constitution was adopted by the assembly, in which the first 12 provinces were represented by 2 people each. He was ignored by the authorities of the most populous province of Buenos Aires, who wanted representation in proportion to the number of inhabitants (then they would have almost half the votes). In 1854 Buenos Aires declared its independence. However, during the war that soon began, he lost to the federation and in 1860 joined it. Subsequently, when undeveloped lands were annexed, new provinces were created. In 1880, the city of Buenos Aires was removed from the province of the same name to house the federal government and subordinated to it.

The head of the executive branch is a popularly elected president. Three representatives from each province and capital city are directly elected to the upper house of parliament. The lower one consists of 257 deputies elected in the subjects in proportion to the number of inhabitants (from 5 to 70).

The constitution emphasizes that the provinces "without the intervention of federal bodies" form their own governments. Each region has its own constitution, parliament, governor, Supreme Court and police. Since 1996, the mayor of Buenos Aires, previously appointed by the president, has also been elected. The center is responsible for defense, foreign policy, national finance and the federal police. The Basic Law expressly forbids the regions to legislate for trade, inland and outward shipping, establish customs, print money, enact their own Civil, Commercial, Criminal, Mining and Citizenship Codes, raise armies, and wage war on each other. At the same time, the center does not have the right to independently redistribute tax revenues between subjects. Quite often in the history of the country, the center used its right to federal intervention in the affairs of the states, removing their authorities in order to restore "constitutional order."

Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

Form of government: presidential republic

Place in the world: area - 916.4 thousand square meters. km (32nd), population - 31.6 million (44th), GDP - $215 billion (47th)

Components: 23 states, metropolitan area and federal possessions

The federal structure of the country was assumed even at the time of declaration of independence from Spain. In fact, it was introduced only after the civil war of 1859-1863, when an assembly of representatives of the former provinces adopted the constitution of the United States of Venezuela. The subsequent 14 constitutions formally retained it, but the degree of federalism varied.

The regions were divided or enlarged many times, the total number of subjects either increased or decreased, ranging from 7 to modern 25. The current division as a whole was recorded in the 1909 constitution, which assumed the presence of 20 states and 3 federal territories. In the 1990s, the territories were upgraded to states. When the federation was created, following the American model, a federal (since 1999 it has been called the capital) district was formed to house the authorities. Now it is only one of the areas of Greater Caracas. Federal possessions, created at the end of the 19th century, unite about 12 groups of sea islands with a population of about 1600 people.

The head of state is a popularly elected president. Until the constitutional reform of Hugo Chávez in 1999, the country had a bicameral parliament with a Senate representing the regions. Currently, the unicameral parliament is elected by a mixed system, the states are represented in proportion to the population. In 2017, at the height of the political crisis in the country, a Constitutional Assembly was elected, consisting of 100% supporters of President Nicolas Maduro. It has stripped the opposition-controlled parliament of most of its powers.

State governments are formed in accordance with local constitutions on an elective basis. Until 2009, the capital also elected a mayor - now he is appointed by the president and simultaneously manages federal possessions.

The 1999 Constitution actually confirmed the previously established centralized model of the state. It contains lists of subjects of jurisdiction of the federation (32 points) and states (11 points). At the same time, it is emphasized that any issue that "by its nature" is national can be attributed to the competence of the center. In addition, the constitution gives the president the right to introduce a state of emergency in the regions. States, in particular, are free to determine the boundaries of municipalities, create local police and impose taxes. To ensure the unity of the country, they are forbidden to establish customs fees and impose bans on the consumption of "foreign" goods. The constitution enshrined the obligation of the center to evenly transfer a certain part of the federal fees to the regions.

Form of government: a constitutional monarchy

Place in the world: area - 9.98 million square meters. km (2nd), population - 37 million (38th), GDP - $1.53 trillion (10th)

Components: ten provinces and three territories

The Canadian Federation was established on July 1, 1867 by the British North America Act. It originally consisted of four colonies - Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Passed by the British Parliament in 1982, the Canada Act severed most of the constitutional and legislative ties between the kingdom and its dominion.

A number of issues of federal relations, including the right to secede from the country, have not yet been fully resolved. In 1980 and 1995, French-speaking Quebec twice held a sovereignty referendum, but both times it did not get the required number of votes. In 1998, the Supreme Court of Canada found it illegal to unilaterally secede from the country and introduced mandatory coordination of sovereignty issues with the federal government and other provinces.

The nominal head of state is the British monarch, whose powers are delegated to the governor general, appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the Prime Minister of Canada. In fact, all the functions of the governor-general are performed by the government: on his behalf, it convenes and dissolves parliament, makes appointments to the highest government positions, and leads the army and the federal police. The Prime Minister is formally appointed by the Governor General, but is in fact the leader of the majority party in the House of Commons. The country's parliament consists of the Senate (105 seats) and the House of Commons (308). Senators are appointed by the Governor-General on the proposal of the Prime Minister (there is a quota for each province), deputies of the House of Commons are elected by the majority system.

The highest official in the provinces de jure is the lieutenant governor, appointed by the governor general on the proposal of the premier. In fact, its functions, as well as at the federal level, are performed by the prime minister (head of government) of the province, who is the leader of the majority party in the local legislature. All provinces have elected unicameral legislatures. The provinces do not have their own constitutions.

About 30 issues are in the exclusive federal competence: law enforcement and national defense, federal taxation, money circulation, shipping, postal service, public debt and public property, patents for inventions, copyright, marriages and divorces, etc. The provinces are in charge of organizing provincial civil and criminal courts, adoption of budgets, registration of local companies (excluding banks). Provinces also have the right to establish their own taxes (on the use of natural resources, property, gambling, alcohol, etc.). The official languages ​​in the country are English and French.

United Mexican States

Form of government: presidential republic

Place in the world: area - 1.96 million square meters. km (13th), population - 123.7 million (11th), GDP - $1.05 trillion (15th)

Components: 31 states and federal districts

After a ten-year war of independence, the country managed to be an empire until the United Mexican States (USS) was proclaimed in 1824. Then there was the period of the centralist republic (during which a number of states fought for independence, and Texas managed to win it), the loss of almost half of the land in the war with the United States and the revolution. The result of the latter was the constitution of 1917, which consolidated the current structure.

It has generally been preserved. The most significant change was the granting of state status to the three federal territories in the 1950s and 1970s. The procedure for creating new states is spelled out in the constitution. Territories applying for such a status must have at least 120 thousand inhabitants, be economically independent and receive the approval of 2/3 of the members of the federal and regional parliaments. When creating the ISC, following the American model, a federal district was conceived for the capital, which was chosen as the historical center of the country, Mexico City. At the same time, the constitution allows that the federal authorities may choose "another place of their residence", then the district will be transformed into a state.

The executive power is headed by the President, who is elected by a simple majority of the people. Legislative power is vested in a bicameral Congress. In the upper chamber (Senate) 96 deputies represent the subjects of the federation (3 from each, elected from parties), 32 are elected from national party lists. 300 people are elected to the lower house from single-mandate constituencies, 200 from party lists. The system of separation of powers is duplicated in the constitutions of the constituent entities, each of which has a popularly elected governor (since 1997 in the capital) and a unicameral parliament elected according to a mixed system.

The powers of the subjects are residual from those determined by the federal constitution. These are, for example, education, the issuance of permits for a profession, the registration of acts of civil status. At the same time, a number of prohibitions are imposed on the state authorities by the basic law: on international treaties, coinage, customs duties, etc. Governors are directly obliged to "enforce federal laws", there is a mechanism for federal intervention. The constitution proclaims the states free and sovereign, but in practice, regional authorities throughout the 20th century had limited competence. The power of the center was determined by the de facto one-party system (in the 1920-1990s, the Institutional Revolutionary Party dominated at all levels) and the financial dependence of the regions. In recent years, a policy of new federalism has been pursued, which provides for the liberalization of financial relations and the obligation of the center to transfer a large share of national taxes to the regions.

USA

Form of government: presidential republic

Place in the world: area - 9.8 million square meters. km (3rd), population - 326.6 million (3rd), GDP - $18.6 trillion (1st)

Components: 50 states and federal district

The creation of the American Federation was preceded by the War of Independence of 1775-1783, as a result of which 13 British colonies formed a union state. In 1777, the Second Continental Congress passed the Articles of Confederation, a document defining the United States as a confederation. On September 17, 1787, the Philadelphia Convention (55 delegates from 13 then-existing states) adopted the US Constitution, which established the federal structure of the country.

Since 1959, the country has been composed of 50 states. The decision to accept a new territory is made by the US Congress. A prerequisite for this is that the territory has its own constitution. Amalgamation or division of states is possible only with the consent of the US Congress and the legislatures of the affected states. The right to secede from the federation is not provided. Washington also controls a number of associated territories (Guam, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, etc.).

The head of state is the president, who is elected by an electoral college (the number of electors from each state is equal to the number of its representatives in Congress). The highest legislative body is the bicameral Congress. The upper house (Senate) is formed by two representatives from each state. The lower (House of Representatives) is elected by the majority system. The most representative states are California (53 members) and Texas (36).

The state's highest official is the governor, who is elected in a general election. Candidates for this post are nominated at congresses of political parties or through primaries. The removal of the governor from office occurs through impeachment. Legislative power is vested in bicameral legislatures. The lower houses are called the houses of representatives, or assemblies (from 30 to 400 members in different states), the upper houses are called senates (17-65 members). The exercise of legislative power in the Federal District of Columbia, created to house federal agencies, belongs to the US Congress.

The Constitution established a clear list of subjects of jurisdiction related to the competence of the center. Among them are the issuance of banknotes, the formation of an army and navy, the collection of uniform taxes and fees, trade with foreign countries, the establishment of federal courts, etc. Everything else is the adoption of laws, including criminal ones, the holding of elections, the regulation of intrastate trade, the establishment of local taxes, the organization of health care and education, the establishment of a state judiciary, the creation of a national guard - is the responsibility of the states. The status of the state language in the United States is not legally fixed.

Federative Republic of Brazil

Form of government: presidential republic

Place in the world: area - 8.5 million square meters. km (5th), population - 208.6 million (6th), GDP - $1.8 trillion (9th)

Components: 26 states and federal (capital) district

After separation from Portugal, Brazil was an empire, and in 1889, as a result of a bloodless coup, became a republic. The federal structure was proclaimed in the first republican constitution of 1891 and was preserved in six subsequent ones. However, the degree of independence and influence of the regions has changed. Thus, during the period of the Old Republic (1889-1930), the most populous states, São Paulo and Minas Gerais, had unlimited influence, and during the military rule of the 1960s-1970s, the elections of governors were cancelled.

Initially, the country consisted of 20 states (former provinces), and the capital, as in colonial times, was located in Rio de Janeiro. The number of subjects has changed due to the addition of new territories, the division or unification of states. According to the constitution, the change of borders is possible by holding a referendum in the affected territories and adopting an appropriate federal law. So, in 2011, referendums were held in the state of Para, which was planned to be divided into three parts. The initiative did not receive sufficient support. In addition, in 1960 the metropolitan area, which is a full subject of the federation, was transferred to the new city of Brasilia. The constitution also provides for the possibility of creating centrally administered federal territories, but these do not currently exist.

The head of state is the popularly elected president. Legislative power is exercised by the National Congress. It consists of the Chamber of Deputies (513 legislators elected by proportional system in each subject, depending on their population, from 8 to 70) and the Federal Senate (81 deputies - 3 representatives elected by the majority system from each subject). The states have executive, legislative and judicial branches of government, whose powers are enshrined in local constitutions. The heads of the constituent entities are elected by direct vote, the deputies of the unicameral parliaments - according to the lists of parties.

The Basic Law quite clearly distinguishes between the rights of the center and the subjects. The states use only those powers that are not given by the constitution to the center, and local legislation must comply with the federal one. In addition to the traditional competencies of the center in matters of foreign policy and trade, security and public finance, it is worth noting its exclusive right to energy, telecommunications, transport, minerals, citizenship and lotteries. The Center may intervene in the affairs of the states to maintain national integrity, restore public and constitutional order in the event of the financial insolvency of the subject. States have the right to impose only a limited number of taxes, but they are entitled to a mandatory share of a number of federal taxes. The police are divided into federal and civilian subordinate to the governors.

Saint Christopher and Nevis

Form of government: a constitutional monarchy

Place in the world: area - 261 sq. km (192nd), population - 55 thousand (194th), GDP - $852 million (193rd)

Components: islands of St. Christopher (St. Kitts) and Nevis

The country became independent in the course of secession from Great Britain and the disintegration of the previously unified administration of the colonial Federation of the West Indies. Note that, according to the constitution of the country, the names of St. Christopher and St. Kitts are equivalent.

The federation is designed in such a way that the greater demographic weight of St. Kitts (35 thousand inhabitants, or 70% of the total population) is balanced by the greater political independence of Nevis. In particular, only the latter has its own organs of power and even the right to secession. This requires the approval of 2/3 of Nevis voters in a referendum. In 1998, such an attempt was made, but only 61.7% of those who voted were in favor of leaving the federation.

The highest federal legislative body is the National Assembly. However, it is also the legislative assembly of St. Kitts. Thus, while Nevis has the institution of local elections, the voters of St. Kitts can only vote in general elections. Saint Kitts has a parliamentary quota of eight deputies, while three are elected from Nevis. In addition, the assembly includes three senators appointed by the governor general, who represents the formal head of state, the British monarch. Another seat in parliament is reserved for the country's prosecutor general. All executive power is vested in the Prime Minister, who is de jure appointed by the Governor-General after receiving the support of a majority in Parliament.

Only Nevis has its own competencies in the system of separation of powers. Among them are airports and seaports, mining, education, labor relations, and even the regulation of imports and exports. The constitution stipulates that Nevis cannot exercise these powers if they affect the interests of the entire federation, without the consent of the prime minister. The only functions directly assigned to the federation are foreign policy and defense. All revenues, with a few exceptions, go to the national consolidated fund and are then distributed by Parliament.

Australia and Oceania

Australian Union

Form of government: a constitutional monarchy

Place in the world: area - 7.69 million square meters. km (6th), population - 24.8 million (53rd), GDP - $1.2 trillion (14th)

Components: six states, three mainland and seven outer territories

The creation of the federation ended with the adoption by the British Parliament of the Constitutional Act, which proclaimed the Commonwealth of Australia a single, federal, self-governing state, which received the status of a dominion of Great Britain.

The union included six former colonies: Victoria, Western Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, Tasmania, South Australia. In 1911, the Northern Territory was separated from South Australia, and the Australian Capital Territory (the federal capital of Canberra) was separated from New South Wales. All these entities have the independence of the subjects of the federation and have their own constitutions. The country's parliament is authorized to admit new states to the union or create new ones, as well as change the boundaries of subjects with the consent of their inhabitants.

The nominal head of state is the British monarch, whose powers are delegated to the governor-general, appointed on the advice of the Australian government. The real power belongs to the bicameral parliament - it is its powers that are spelled out in the constitution as the powers of the federal center. The upper chamber is the Senate (76 seats). 12 senators are elected by residents from each of the 6 states, 2 more each from the Northern and Australian Capital Territories. The lower house is the House of Representatives (150 seats), whose members are elected by the majority system. Executive power is exercised by the government headed by the prime minister. The latter is the leader of the majority party or coalition in the House of Representatives.

The monarch appoints state governors and territorial administrators. But in fact, the regions are managed by the heads of local governments, who represent the majority in the local legislature. Local parliaments may be unicameral or bicameral and are elected by popular vote. The status of the territories is similar to that of the states, except that the federal parliament can overrule any decision of the territory's parliament.

The federal government is in charge of defense, foreign policy and trade, finance, including the collection of taxes, pensions and other social security, employment, immigration, customs, issuance of passports, control over television broadcasting. The powers of state and territory administrations are limited to health and education, road construction, law enforcement, budgeting, forestry, motor vehicle registration, and fire protection.

Federated States of Micronesia

Form of government: presidential republic

Place in the world: area - 702 sq. km (181st), population - 105 thousand (183rd), GDP - $308 million (203rd)

Components: four states

The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) is located on more than 600 islands, the largest groups of which are the states of Kosrae (formerly Kusaiye), Pohnpei (Ponape), Chuuk (Truk) and Yap. Since the middle of the 20th century they have been in free association with the United States. The federal structure is enshrined in a constitution adopted by referendum in 1978, drawn up on the American model.

Parliament, unicameral Congress, includes 14 deputies. One senator from each state is elected for four years, ten more - for two years in single-member districts in proportion to the number of inhabitants in each state. The most populous Chuuk has a quota of five deputies, Pohnpei three, Yap and Kosrae send one representative each. The president and vice president are elected by Congress from four-year senators and cannot represent the same state. The places that have become vacant are replaced through new elections. The states have their own legislatures. Governors are elected by the people of the states in general elections.

The current basic law recognizes traditional tribal leaders and customary law as part of the political system. Formal traditional government institutions are provided for by the constitutions of the states of Yap and Pohnpei (all four subjects of the federation have their own constitutions). The constitution assigns 18 functions to the competence of the center, including national defense, foreign policy, customs duties, financial and banking spheres, criminal law, immigration and citizenship issues, regulation of mining. The powers of the states are not spelled out in the constitution; it refers to them everything that is not directly assigned to the federation and is not of a "national character." There is also a category of joint powers, these include, in particular, education, health care and social security.

*The guide does not include the Federal Republic of Somalia, the Republic of Sudan and the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal. Formally, Somalia was proclaimed a federation in 2012, but a civil war continues in the country and the de facto government does not control a significant part of the country's territory. The Sudanese authorities have repeatedly stated the possibility of transformation into a unitary state after the secession of South Sudan in 2011. The transitional constitution is still in force in the country, and the development of a new permanent constitution is being delayed. Nepal was proclaimed a federal republic after the abolition of the monarchy in 2008. According to the 2015 constitution, the country is divided into seven provinces. The boundaries and names of the new administrative-territorial units have not yet been determined.

"Federation" is translated from Latin as "association", "union". This is one of the forms of state structure of the country. In the article, we will analyze in detail what is inherent in a federal state structure, compile a list of countries with such a system and find out if Russia is a federal state.

In contact with

The federal state and its features

• states;
• cantons;
• land, etc.

Each education is endowed state sovereignty. It has its own system of legislative, executive and judicial bodies.

State formations that are part of a federation cannot have the features of a state. That is, these entities cannot secede from the union and are deprived of the right to participate in international relations.

The federation is divided into types, which, in turn, are divided into types. The following types are distinguished according to the peculiarities of the constitutional and legal status of subjects:

1. Symmetrical. In such countries, all subjects enjoy equal constitutional and legal status. America is an example of such a federation.
2. Asymmetrical. The regions enjoy different constitutional and legal status. Brazil is an example.

Distinguish between federations according to the features of formation:

Distinguish between federations by way of education:

1. Contractual. They are formed on the basis of an agreement between states independent of each other. They will unite to jointly resolve common issues.
2. Constitutional. To a greater extent, constitutional federations are formed on the basis of unitary countries. The law of these countries spells out the main principle - the integrity of the territory and the prohibition of free secession from the country. Russia, Brazil, Germany can serve as an example of such states.

There are federations according to the degree of centralization of power:

1. Centralized. Examples are: Russia, Germany, Argentina.
2. decentralized. Example, Switzerland.

signs

hallmarks federal countries are:

List of countries

List federated countries of Asia:

• Pakistan.
• Malaysia.
• United Arab Emirates.
• India.
• Nepal.
• Myanmar.

List of African countries:

States North and South America:

• Mexico.
• Brazil.
• Saint Kitts and Nevis.
• Canada.
• Venezuela.
• Argentine.

Federated States of Australia and Oceania:

• Federated States of Micronesia.
• Australian Union.

List European countries:

• Kingdom of Belgium.
• Bosnia and Herzegovina.
• Germany.
• Austria.

What is the difference between federal and unitary states

A unitary form of government is possessed by states in which the subjects are single administrative-territorial units and do not have their own sovereignty. A unitary state, unlike a federal one, has a single state power, legal system and constitution.

Main signs of a unitary state:

1. A single constituent normative act throughout the territory, its legislative force has the same force throughout the territory.
2. The highest authorities are the same for the entire territory.
3. The system of legislation is the same for all territories.
4. General citizenship.
5. General monetary system.
6. The subjects of the state do not have sovereignty.

Form of government in Russia

Experts have long been arguing about whether Russia is a federal state. If you answer this question from a legal point of view, the answer is yes.

It says that Russia is a democratic federal state with a republican form of government. IN the composition of the Russian Federation includes 83 subjects who do not have the right to arbitrarily secede from the Russian Federation. Each subject has three branches of power - legislative, executive and judicial. Russian subjects have the right to issue regional laws that do not contradict federal law.

The system of power in the country is demarcated not only horizontally, but also vertically. That is, the subjects of jurisdiction and powers of the authorities of the Russian Federation and the authorities of the subjects have been established. These points are enshrined in the Constitution.

Based on this, we can say that Russia is a federation, but not in its traditional form, like, for example, the countries of Europe.

To understand which states are federal, one must refer to their constitutions. At the same time, there is a certain set of formal features by which it is determined how fair it is to call a particular country a federation.

signs of a federation

A mandatory feature of this form is the presence of entities that have a certain degree of independence in relation to the central government. The degree of autonomy is regulated in each individual case by a federal treaty. But in any case, it does not have sovereignty.

Examples of federal states are the Russian Federation, the United States of America, Canada, Brazil, Germany, India, Australia, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, Belgium and Austria. However, it is worth considering that the list is not exhausted by these countries. Each of them has its own traditions in the distribution of powers between the center and the subject.

Types of federal states

The list of countries with a federal structure includes 28 states. Each of them can be attributed to either a symmetrical or asymmetric form of government.

A distinctive feature of symmetrical federations is the equality of all subjects. They have the same names, the same state authorities in their structure and an equal level of autonomy. The most striking examples are Austria, Germany and the USA.

It should be noted that not every state can successfully exist in the status of a symmetrical federation. Most of them are quite heterogeneous in their territory, and each subject can have traditions in politics and economy that are different from their neighbors.

Asymmetric federation

Asymmetric federations are India, Brazil, Tanzania and Canada, since the subjects of these federations have different names and different status in the public administration system.

Some researchers believe that Russia is also included in the list of federal countries and states with an asymmetric structure. However, some clarifications are needed here. Despite the different status of krais, republics, oblasts and autonomous oblasts, each subject has the same powers as those of a similar status. That is, all regions are equal among themselves and occupy the same positions in public administration. This applies to all republics and autonomous regions.

Federated states of the world

Having dealt with the peculiarities of federations, it is worth giving an exhaustive list of countries and states whose federal foundations are beyond doubt.

In Europe, these include:

• Russia,
• austria,
• Germany,
• Switzerland
• Bosnia and Herzegovina,
• Belgium.

The list of federal countries and states of Asia is as follows:

• Pakistan,
• Malaysia,
• United Arab Emirates,
• India,
• Iraq,
• Nepal,
• Myanmar.

In Africa, there are also states with a federal structure. These include:

• Sudan,
• Ethiopia
• Nigeria
• Somalia.

The Republic of Somalia is worthy of special mention, as it has some problems with statehood. As a result of the civil war, the country actually ceased to exist as a single entity, and various quasi-state formations appeared in its place. Some of them claim full independence, while others - only a significant degree of autonomy within the same state.

In America, federal states include:

• Argentina
• Venezuela
• Canada
• mexico,
• Brazil
• Saint Kitts and Nevis.

In addition, Australia and are also federations.

Thus, the state can be federal or unitary. In the first case, symmetrical and asymmetric forms of the device are distinguished. This division is based on the degree of equality of subjects.

Federation (lat. foederatio association, union) is a form of government in which parts of a federal state are state entities with legally defined political independence. Contents ... ... Wikipedia

Government body- (State authority) A state body is a subdivision of the apparatus of state power, designed to manage affairs in the country Signs of state bodies, types of state bodies, state authorities of Russia, ... ... Encyclopedia of the investor

Federation- (Federation) Federation is a form of territorial structure of the state Definition, types and types of federations, advantages and disadvantages of the federal structure of the state, federalism in modern Russia Contents >>>>>>>>>> … Encyclopedia of the investor

Europe- (Europe) Europe is a densely populated highly urbanized part of the world named after a mythological goddess, forming together with Asia the continent of Eurasia and having an area of ​​​​about 10.5 million km² (about 2% of the total Earth area) and ... Encyclopedia of the investor

State- (Country) The state is a special organization of society, ensuring unity and integrity, guaranteeing the rights and freedoms of citizens The origin of the state, signs of the state, form of state government, form of state ... ... Encyclopedia of the investor

This term has other meanings, see Russia (meanings). Request "RF" is redirected here; see also other meanings. Russia Russian Federation ... Wikipedia

Russian Federation- (The Russian Federation) The state of Russia, the history and development of Russia, the political and economic structure Information about the state of Russia, the history of the emergence and development of Russia, the political and economic structure Contents ... ... Encyclopedia of the investor

The state budget- (Government budget) The most important parts of the state budget, the state budget of the Russian Federation Expenditures and revenues of the state budget, budget deficit, Russian budget, corruption in public finance management Content >>>>>>>>>> … Encyclopedia of the investor

Germany- (Deutschland) State of Germany, history and development of Germany, political and economic structure Information about the state of Germany, history of the emergence and development of Germany, political and economic structure Contents ... ... Encyclopedia of the investor

AND; and. [French] fédération] 1. A form of government in which several state entities with a certain legal and political independence form one union state; state,… … encyclopedic Dictionary

Books

• Constitutional law of Russia Textbook for bachelors 4th edition revised and enlarged, Strekozov V.

The main features of a federal state

In a federal state, in contrast to a unitary state, there are two systems of higher authorities (federal and subjects of the federation); along with the federal constitution, the subjects of the federation have the right to adopt their own regulatory legal acts of a constituent nature (for example, constitutions, charters, basic laws); they are empowered to make regional laws; the subjects of the federation, as a rule, have their own citizenship, capital, coat of arms and other elements of the constitutional and legal status of the state, with the exception of state sovereignty.

At the same time, the subject of the federation does not have the right to secede from the federation (secession) and, as a rule, cannot be a subject of international relations. The subjects of the federation may have different names, which are usually determined by historical or legal factors: states, provinces, republics, states or federal states (as in Germany and Austria) and others. A federation should be distinguished from a confederation, which is an international legal union of sovereign states. However, in practice it is very difficult to distinguish the legal nature of certain entities. For example, in science there is still no single approach to what constitutes the European Union.

We can distinguish the most common features that are characteristic of most federal states:

• The territory of the federation consists of the territories of its individual subjects: states, cantons, republics.
• In a union state, the supreme legislative, executive and judicial power belongs to the federal state bodies. The competence between the federation and its subjects is delimited by the union constitution.
• The subjects of the federation have the right to adopt their own constitution, have their own supreme legislative, executive and judicial bodies.
• In most federations, there is a single union citizenship and citizenship of the federal units.
• The main national foreign policy activities in the federations are carried out by the allied state bodies. They officially represent the federation in interstate relations (USA, Germany, Brazil, India, etc.).
• A mandatory feature of the federal form is the bicameral structure of the union parliament. One chamber is regarded as an organ of all-union representation, deputies to it are elected from all over the country. The second chamber is called upon to represent the interests of the members of the federation.

Imitation of federalism

Theoretically, a situation is possible when a colonial empire can "disguise" itself as a federation by transferring some administrative functions and symbols of independence to forcibly annexed provinces and declaring them constituent parts of the federation.

Federation types

According to the peculiarities of the constitutional and legal status of the subjects of a federal state, symmetrical and asymmetric federations are distinguished. In the first, the subjects have the same constitutional and legal status (for example, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the United States of America), in the second, the constitutional and legal status of the subjects is different (for example, the Republic of India, the Federative Republic of Brazil). The question of which type the Russian Federation belongs to is debatable in science. In any case, it is noted that absolutely symmetrical federations do not exist today: they all have certain signs of asymmetry.

Federations are built on territorial and national grounds, which largely determine the nature, content, and structure of the state system.

"Soft federation"

A "soft federation" is a federation whose subjects have the right of secession. It is assumed that in the future the now confederal Union of Russia and Belarus will become such. The subjects of federations can themselves be federations (there are such subjects in the federal Bosnia and Herzegovina, and also were in the USSR). Formally, the "soft federation" was the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. The subjects of such federal states as Canada and Saint Kitts and Nevis have the right to withdraw from the federation. Before the collapse of the USSR, it was assumed that the "renewed" Union of Sovereign States would also be a "soft federation".

Modern federal states

Modern federal states on the world map

See what "Federal States" is in other dictionaries:

Federation (lat. foederatio association, union) is a form of government in which parts of a federal state are state entities with legally defined political independence. Contents ... ... Wikipedia

Federated States of Micronesia ... Wikipedia

See also UN member states (list) The UN currently has 192 member states. Of the internationally recognized independent states, only the Vatican is not included in the UN. Contents 1 The original members of the UN 1.1 ... Wikipedia

- (Federative States of Micronesia) FSM, a state in the western part of the Pacific Ocean, in Micronesia, in arch. Caroline Islands (Central and East Carolina). 701.4 km². The population of St. 103 thousand people (1992), mainly Micronesians of various ... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

Main article: United Nations The number of member states of the UN is 192 states. Country Date / month of entry Year of entry Note Australia November 1, 1945 Austria December 14, 1955 Azerbaijan 2 ... Wikipedia

- (Federative States of Micronesia), FSM, a state in the Western Pacific Ocean, in Micronesia, in the Caroline Islands archipelago (Central and East Carolina). 701.4 km2. Population 106 thousand people (1996), mainly Micronesians ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

See also List of UN member states The UN currently has 193 member states. Of the internationally recognized independent states, only the Vatican is not included in the UN, of the partially recognized SADR, Palestine, the Republic of China (Tai ... Wikipedia

Federated States of Micronesia- (Republic of Micronesia) (Federated States of Micronesia) Federated States of Micronesia, an association of island countries located on approximately 600 islands in the Caroline Islands archipelago in the west. parts of the Pacific Ocean, north of the equator; sq. 701… … Countries of the world. Dictionary

Books

• Tax systems of foreign countries. Textbook, Nikolai Nikolayevich Tyutyuryukov, Alexander Vladimirovich Gurnak, Anastasia Viktorovna Knyazeva. The article considers taxation in foreign countries with which Russia forms international economic blocs (EAEU, BRICS), and countries that are most closely connected by trade relations…