Republics of Russia

Constituent units of the Russian Federation

Republics

Map of the de jure republics within Russia

Category| Federated state
Location| Russian Federation
Number| 21[a]
Populations|

* Smallest: Altai, 206,195
* Largest: Bashkortostan, 4,072,102

Areas|

* Smallest: Ingushetia, 3,123 km2 (1,206 sq mi)
* Largest: Sakha, 3,083,523 km2 (1,190,555 sq mi)

Government|

* Republican government

Subdivisions|

* Districts, cities and towns of republic significance

The republics  are one type of federal subject of the Russian Federation. Twenty-one republics are internationally recognized as part of Russia; another is under its de facto control.[1][2][3][b] The original republics were created as nation states for ethnic minorities. The indigenous ethnicity that gives its name to the republic is called the titular nationality. However, due to centuries of Russian migration, a titular nationality may not be a majority of its republic's population. By 2017, the autonomous status of all republics was formally abolished, making the republics politically equivalent to the other federal subjects of Russia.

Formed in the early 20th century by Vladimir Lenin and the Bolsheviks after the collapse of the Russian Empire in 1917, republics were intended to be nominally independent regions of Soviet Russia with the right to self-determination. Lenin's conciliatory stance towards Russia's minorities made them allies in the Russian Civil War and with the creation of the Soviet Union in 1922 the regions became autonomous republics, albeit subordinate to a union republic. While officially autonomous, the autonomies of these administrative units varied throughout the history of the Soviet Union but largely remained under the control of the central government. The 1980s saw an increase in the demand of autonomy as the Soviet Union began large scale reforms of its centralized system. In 1990, most of the autonomous republics declared their sovereignty. The Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 and Russia became independent. The current republics were established with the signing of the Federation Treaty in 1992, which gave them substantial rights and autonomy.

Russia is an asymmetrical federation in that republics have their own constitutions, official languages, and national anthems, but other subjects do not. The republics also originally had more powers devolved to them, though actual power varied between republics, depending largely upon their economic importance. Through the signing of bilateral treaties with the federal government, republics gained extensive authority over their economies, internal policies, and even foreign relations in the 1990s. However, after the turn of the century, Vladimir Putin's centralization reforms steadily eradicated the autonomy of the republics with the exception of Chechnya. The bilateral agreements were abolished and in practice all power now rests with the federal government. Since the termination of the final bilateral treaty in 2017, some commentators consider Russia to no longer be a federation.[5][6]

In 2014, Russia invaded and annexed Crimea from Ukraine, incorporating the territory as the Republic of Crimea. However, it remains internationally recognized as part of Ukraine. During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russia declared the annexation of four partially-occupied Ukrainian provinces (oblasts), including the territory that had been under the control of the break-away Donetsk and Luhansk republics since 2014, and claimed the entirety of Donetsk and Luhansk provinces as Russian republics. These also remain internationally recognized as part of Ukraine.

## History

[edit]

The republics were established in early Soviet Russia after the collapse of the Russian Empire. On 15 November 1917, Vladimir Lenin issued the Declaration of the Rights of the Peoples of Russia, giving Russia's minorities the right to self-determination.[7] This declaration, however, was never truly meant to grant minorities the right to independence and was only used to garner support among minority groups for the fledgling Soviet state in the ensuing Russian Civil War.[8] Attempts to create independent states using Lenin's declaration were suppressed throughout the civil war by the Bolsheviks. When the Soviet Union was formally created on 30 December 1922, the minorities of the country were relegated to Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republics (ASSR), which had less power than the union republics and were subordinate to them. In the aftermath of the civil war the Bolsheviks began a process of delimitation in order to draw the borders of the country. Through Joseph Stalin's theory on nationality, borders were drawn to create national homelands for various recognized ethnic groups.[9] Early republics like the Kazakh ASSR and the Turkestan ASSR in Central Asia were dissolved and split up to create new union republics.[10] With delimitation came the policy of indigenization which encouraged the de-Russification of the country and promotion of minority languages and culture.[11] This policy also affected ethnic Russians and was particularly enforced in ASSRs where indigenous people were already a minority in their own homeland, like the Buryat ASSR.[12] Language and culture flourished and ultimately institutionalized ethnicity in the state apparatus of the country.[13] Despite this, the Bolsheviks worked to isolate the country's new republics by surrounding them within Russian territory for fear of them seeking independence. In 1925 the Bashkir ASSR lost its border with the future Kazakh SSR with the creation of the so-called "Orenburg corridor", thereby enclaving the entire Volga region.[14] The Komi-Zyryan Autonomous Oblast lost access to the Barents Sea and became an enclave on 15 July 1929 prior to being upgraded to the Komi ASSR in 1936.[15]

Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet on the incorporation of Tuva into the Soviet Union as an autonomous oblast, 11 October 1944. Tuva would not become an ASSR until 1961.

By the 1930s, the mood shifted as the Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin stopped enforcing indigenization and began purging non-Russians from government and intelligentsia. Thus, a period of Russification set in.[11] Russian became mandatory in all areas of non-Russian ethnicity and the Cyrillic script became compulsory for all languages of the Soviet Union.[16] The constitution stated that the ASSRs had power to enforce their own policies within their territory,[17] but in practice the ASSRs and their titular nationalities were some of the most affected by Stalin's purges and were strictly controlled by Moscow.[18] From 1937, the "bourgeois nationalists" became the "enemy of the Russian people" and indigenization was abolished.[16] On 22 June 1941, Germany invaded the Soviet Union, forcing it in to the Second World War, and advanced deep in to Russian territory. In response, Stalin abolished the Volga German ASSR on 7 September 1941 and exiled the Volga Germans to Central Asia and Siberia.[19] When the Soviets gained the upper hand and began recapturing territory in 1943, many minorities of the country began to be seen as German collaborators by Stalin and were accused of treason, particularly in southern Russia.[20] Between 1943 and 1945, ethnic Balkars,[21] Chechens,[22] Crimean Tatars,[23] Ingush,[22] and Kalmyks[24] were deported en masse from the region to remote parts of the country. Immediately after the deportations the Soviet government passed decrees that liquidated the Kalmyk ASSR on 27 December 1943,[24] the Crimean ASSR on 23 February 1944,[25] the Checheno-Ingush ASSR on 7 March 1944,[22] and renamed the Kabardino-Balkar ASSR the Kabardian ASSR on 8 April 1944.[26] After Stalin's death on 5 March 1953, the new government of Nikita Khrushchev sought to undo his controversial legacy. During his Secret speech on 25 February 1956 Khrushchev rehabilitated Russia's minorities.[27] The Kabardino-Balkar ASSR[19] and the Checheno-Ingush ASSR[28] were restored on 9 January 1957 while the Kalmyk ASSR was restored on 29 July 1958.[28] The government, however, refused to restore the Volga German ASSR[29] and the Crimean ASSR, the latter of which was transferred to the Ukrainian SSR on 19 February 1954.[25]

Republics of the Soviet Union in 1954–1991

The autonomies of the ASSRs varied greatly throughout the history of the Soviet Union but Russification would nevertheless continue unabated and internal Russian migration to the ASSRs would result in various indigenous people becoming minorities in their own republics. At the same time, the number of ASSRs grew; the Karelian ASSR was formed on 6 July 1956 after being a union republic from 1940[30] while the partially recognized state of Tuva was annexed by the Soviets on 11 October 1944 and became the Tuvan ASSR on 10 October 1961.[31] By the 1980s General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev's introduction of glasnost began a period of revitalization of minority culture in the ASSRs.[32] From 1989, Gorbachev's Soviet Union and the Russian SFSR, led by Boris Yeltsin, were locked in a power struggle. Yeltsin sought support from the ASSRs by promising more devolved powers and to build a federation "from the ground up".[33] On 12 June 1990, the Russian SFSR issued a Declaration of State Sovereignty, proclaiming Russia a sovereign state whose laws take priority over Soviet ones.[34] The following month Yeltsin told the ASSRs to "take as much sovereignty as you can swallow" during a speech in Kazan, Tatar ASSR.[35] These events prompted the ASSRs to assert themselves against a now weakened Soviet Union. Throughout 1990 and 1991, most of the ASSRs followed Russia's lead and issued "declarations of sovereignty", elevating their statuses to that of union republics within a federal Russia.[36] The Dagestan ASSR and Mordovian ASSR were the only republics that did not proclaim sovereignty.[37]

In the final year of the Soviet Union, negotiations were underway for a new treaty to restructure the country in to a loose confederation. Gorbachev invited the ASSRs to be participants in the drafting of the treaty, thereby recognizing them as equal to the union republics.[38] However, a coup attempt in August 1991 derailed the negotiations and the union republics began to declare their independence throughout the year.[38] The Soviet Union collapsed on 26 December 1991 and the position of the ASSRs became uncertain. By law, the ASSRs did not have the right to secede from the Soviet Union like the union republics did[39][40] but the question of independence from Russia nevertheless became a topic of discussion in some of the ASSRs. The declarations of sovereignty adopted by the ASSRs were divided on the topic of secession. Some advocated the integrity of the Russian Federation, others were muted on the subject, while others like the Komi ASSR,[41] Mari ASSR,[42] and Tuvan ASSR[43] reserved the right to self-determination. Yeltsin was an avid supporter of national sovereignty and recognized the independence of the union republics in what was called a "parade of sovereignties".[39] In regards to the ASSRs, however, Yeltsin did not support secession and tried to prevent them from declaring independence. The Checheno-Ingush ASSR, led by Dzhokhar Dudayev, unilaterally declared independence on 1 November 1991[44] and Yeltsin would attempt to retake it on 11 December 1994, beginning the First Chechen War.[45] When the Tatar ASSR held a referendum on whether to declare independence on 21 March 1992, he had the ballot declared illegal by the Constitutional Court.[46]

A Chechen fighter near the burned-out presidential palace during the battle of Grozny, January 1995. The building became a symbol of resistance for the supporters of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria.

On 31 March 1992, every subject of Russia except the Tatar ASSR and the de facto state of Chechnya signed the Treaty of Federation with the government of Russia, solidifying its federal structure and Boris Yeltsin became the country's first president.[47] The ASSRs were dissolved and became the modern day republics. The number of republics increased dramatically as the autonomous oblasts of Adygea, Gorno-Altai, Khakassia, and Karachay-Cherkessia were elevated to full republics,[48] while the Ingush portion of the Checheno-Ingush ASSR refused to be part of the breakaway state and rejoined Russia as the Republic of Ingushetia on 4 June 1992.[49] The Republic of Tatarstan demanded its own agreement to preserve its autonomy within the Russian Federation and on 15 February 1994, Moscow and Kazan signed a power-sharing deal, in which the latter was granted a high degree of autonomy.[6] 45 other regions, including the other republics, would go on to sign autonomy agreements with the federal center.[50] By the mid 1990s, the overly complex structure of the various bilateral agreements between regional governments and Moscow sparked a call for reform.[50] The constitution of Russia was the supreme law of the country, but in practice, the power-sharing agreements superseded it while the poor oversight of regional affairs left the republics to be governed by authoritarian leaders who ruled for personal benefit.[51] Meanwhile, the war in Chechnya entered a stalemate as Russian forces were unable to wrest control of the republic despite capturing the capital Grozny on 8 February 1995 and killing Dudayev months later in an airstrike.[52] Faced with a demoralized army and universal public opposition to the war, Yeltsin was forced to sign the Khasavyurt Accord with Chechnya on 30 August 1996 and eventually withdrew troops.[53] A year later Chechnya and Russia signed the Moscow Peace Treaty, ending Russia's attempts to retake the republic.[54] As the decade drew to a close, the fallout from the failed Chechen war and the subsequent financial crisis in 1998 resulted in Yeltsin resigning on 31 December 1999.[55]

Vladimir Putin with local people in the Siberian republic of Tuva, 2007 Statehood Day celebrations in Yakutsk, the capital of the Republic of Sakha, 2013

Yeltsin declared Vladimir Putin as interim president and his successor. Despite preserving the republic's de facto independence following the war, Chechnya's new president Aslan Maskhadov proved incapable of fixing the republic's devastated economy and maintaining order as the territory became increasingly lawless and a breeding ground for Islamic fundamentalism.[56] Using this lawlessness extremists invaded neighboring Dagestan and bombed various apartment blocks in Russia, resulted in Putin sending troops into Chechnya again on 1 October 1999.[57] Chechen resistance quickly fell apart in the face of a federal blitzkrieg and indiscriminate bombing campaign as troops captured Grozny on 6 February 2000 and pushed rebels in to the mountains.[58] Moscow imposed direct rule on Chechnya on 9 June 2000[59] and the territory was officially reintegrated in to the Russian Federation as the Chechen Republic on 24 March 2003.[60]

Putin would participate in the 26 March 2000 election on the promise of completely restructuring the federal system and restoring the authority of the central government.[61] The power-sharing agreements began to gradually expire or be terminated and after 2003 only Tatarstan and Bashkortostan continued to negotiate on their treaties' extensions.[50] Bashkortostan's power-sharing treaty expired on 7 July 2005,[62][better source needed] leaving Tatarstan as the sole republic to maintain its autonomy, which was renewed on 11 July 2007.[63] After an attack by Chechen separatists at a school in Beslan, North Ossetia, Putin abolished direct elections for governors and assumed the power to personally appoint and dismiss them.[64] Throughout the decade, influential regional leaders like Mintimer Shaimiev of Tatarstan[65] and Murtaza Rakhimov of Bashkortostan,[66] who were adamant on extending their bilateral agreements with Moscow, were dismissed, removing the last vestiges of regional autonomy from the 1990s. On 24 July 2017, Tatarstan's power-sharing agreement with Moscow expired, making it the last republic to lose its special status. After the agreement's termination, some commentators expressed the view that Russia ceased to be a federation.[5][6] In 2022, Russia's ethnic republics suffered heavy losses in the invasion of Ukraine.[67]

## Constitutional status

[edit]

Russian President Boris Yeltsin and Tatarstan President Mintimer Shaimiev shaking hands after signing an agreement to grant Tatarstan devolved powers in 1994. During the 1990s the republics had significant autonomy.

Republics differ from other federal subjects in that they have the right to establish their own official language,[68] have their own constitution, and have a national anthem. Other federal subjects, such as krais and oblasts, are not explicitly given this right. During Boris Yeltsin's presidency, the republics were the first subjects to be granted extensive power from the federal government, and were often given preferential treatment over other subjects, which has led to Russia being characterized as an "asymmetrical federation".[69][70] The Treaty of Federation signed on 31 March 1992 stipulated that the republics were "sovereign states" that had expanded rights over natural resources, external trade, and internal budgets.[71] The signing of bilateral treaties with the republics would grant them additional powers, however, the amount of autonomy given differed by republic and was mainly based on their economic wealth rather than ethnic composition.[72] Sakha, for example, was granted more control over its resources, being able to keep most of its revenue and sell and receive its profits independently due to its vast diamond deposits.[73] North Ossetia on the other hand, a poorer republic, was mainly granted more control over defense and internal security due to its location in the restive North Caucasus.[74] Tatarstan and Bashkortostan had the authority to establish their own foreign relations and conduct agreements with foreign governments.[75] This has led to criticism from oblasts and krais. After the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis, the current constitution was adopted but the republics were no longer classified as "sovereign states" and all subjects of the federation were declared equal, though maintaining the validity of the bilateral agreements.[73]

In theory, the constitution of Russia was the ultimate authority over the republics, but the power-sharing treaties held greater weight in practice. Republics often created their own laws which contradicted the constitution.[75] Yeltsin, however, made little effort to rein in renegade laws, preferring to turn a blind eye to violations in exchange for political loyalty.[76] Vladimir Putin's election on 26 March 2000 began a period of extensive reforms to centralize authority with the federal government and bring all laws in line with the constitution.[77] His first act as president was the creation of federal districts on 18 May 2000, which were tasked with exerting federal control over the country's subjects.[78] Putin later established the so-called "Kozak Commission" in June 2001 to examine the division of powers between the government and regions.[79] The Commission's recommendations focused mainly on minimizing the basis of regional autonomy and transferring lucrative powers meant for the republics to the federal government.[80] Centralization of power would continue as the republics gradually lost more and more autonomy to the federal government, leading the European Parliament to conclude that Russia functions as a unitary state despite officially being a federation.[81] On 29 December 2010, President Dmitry Medvedev signed a law banning the leaders of the republics from holding the title of 'president'.[82] Tatarstan, however, resisted attempts to abolish its presidential post and remained the only republic to maintain the title.[83] Putin subsequently signed a law forcing Tatarstan to abolish its title by June 2022.[84] On 19 June 2018, a bill was passed that elevated the status of the Russian language at the expense of other official languages in the republics.[85] The bill authorized the abolition of mandatory minority language classes in schools and for voluntary teaching to be reduced to two hours a week.[86]

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chechnya's leader Ramzan Kadyrov, 2008

Chechnya is the sole exception to Putin's centralization efforts. With the republic's reentry into Russia after the Second Chechen War, Chechnya was given broad autonomy in exchange for remaining within the country. At the end of the war, Putin bought the loyalty of local elites and granted Chechnya the right to manage its own affairs in dealing with separatists and governing itself outside of Russian control in a process called "Chechenization".[87] With the appointment of Ramzan Kadyrov by Putin to lead the republic in 2007, the independence of Chechnya has grown significantly. The Russian government gives Chechnya generous subsidies in exchange for loyalty and maintaining security in the region.[88] Observers have noted Putin's reluctance or inability to exert control over Kadyrov's rule for fear it could trigger another conflict.[89] Chechnya under Kadyrov operates outside of Russian law,[90] has its own independent security force,[91] and conducts its own de facto foreign policy.[92] This has led to Chechnya being characterized as a "state within a state".[93]

There are secessionist movements in most republics, but these are generally not very strong. The constitution makes no mention on whether a republic can legally secede from the Russian Federation. However, the Constitutional Court of Russia ruled after the unilateral secession of Chechnya in 1991 that the republics do not have the right to secede and are inalienable parts of the country.[94] Despite this, some republican constitutions in the 1990s had articles giving them the right to become independent. This included Tuva, whose constitution had an article explicitly giving it the right to secede.[75] However, following Putin's centralization reforms in the early 2000s, these articles were subsequently dropped. The Kabardino-Balkar Republic, for example, adopted a new constitution in 2001 which prevents the republic from existing independently of the Russian Federation.[95] After Russia's annexation of Crimea, the State Duma adopted a law making it illegal to advocate for the secession of any region on 5 July 2014.[96]

## Status of southeast Ukraine

[edit]

See also: Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation; Political status of Crimea; and Russian annexation of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts

Regions of Ukraine annexed by Russia, with a red line marking the area of actual control by Russia on 30 September 2022.

On 18 March 2014, Russia annexed the Autonomous Republic of Crimea of Ukraine after a referendum.[97] The peninsula subsequently became the Republic of Crimea, the 22nd republic of Russia. However, Ukraine and most of the international community do not recognize Crimea's annexation[98] and the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 68/262 declared the referendum to be invalid.[99]

On 24 February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine and conquered large swaths of southern and eastern Ukraine. As early as March leaders in both the Luhansk People's Republic[100] and Donetsk People's Republic[101] expressed their wish to join Russia, originally once Russia captured all their claimed territory. However, after sudden Ukrainian gains in the east in September 2022, the republics organised a series of referendums on joining Russia, in which an overwhelming majority reportedly supported annexation.[102] On 30 September 2022, Putin formally announced the annexation of the two republics and also of two Ukrainian oblasts of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.[103] The referendums were condemned internationally – the European Union and G7 rejected them as illegal[104] while the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the annexations as a violation of the UN Charter.[105]

## Republics

[edit]

* For the individual flags of the republics, see Flags of the federal subjects of Russia.

Name  | Map  | Domestic names  | Capital  | Titular population & change 2010–2021[c] | Russian population & change 2010–2021  | Population (2021)[106]
| Area

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Republic of Adygea |  | Russian: Республика Адыгея (Respublika Adygeya)
Adyghe: Адыгэ Республик (Adıgə Respublik) |

Maykop

Russian: Майкоп
Adyghe: Мыекъуапэ (Mıequapə) |

Circassians (25.7%)
0.1%

| 64.4%
0.8%  |

496,934

7,792 km2 (3,009 sq mi)

Altai Republic |  | Russian: Республика Алтай (Respublika Altay)
Altay: Алтай Республика (Altay Respublika)
Kazakh: Алтай Республикасы (Altai Respublikasy) |

Gorno-Altaysk

Russian: Горно-Алтайск
Altay: Улалу (Ulalu)
Kazakh: Горно-Алтайск (Gorno-Altaisk) |

Altai (37.0%)
2.5%

| 53.7%
2.9%  |

210,924

92,903 km2 (35,870 sq mi)

Republic of Bashkortostan |  | Russian: Республика Башкортостан (Respublika Bashkortostan)
Bashkir: Башҡортостан Республикаһы (Başqortostan Respublikahı) |

Ufa

Russian: Уфа
Bashkir: Өфө (Öfö) |

Bashkirs (31.5%)
2.0%

| 37.5%
1.4%  |

4,091,423

142,947 km2 (55,192 sq mi)

Republic of Buryatia |  | Russian: Республика Бурятия (Respublika Buryatiya)
Buryat: Буряад Улас (Buryaad Ulas) |

Ulan-Ude

Russian: Улан-Удэ
Buryat: Улаан Үдэ (Ulaan Üde) |

Buryats (32.5%)
2.5%

| 64.0%
2.1%  |

978,588

351,334 km2 (135,651 sq mi)

Chechen Republic |  | Russian: Чеченская Республика (Chechenskaya Respublika)
Chechen: Нохчийн Республика (Noxçiyn Respublika) |

Grozny

Russian: Грозный
Chechen: Соьлжа-ГӀала (Sölƶa-Ġala) |

Chechens (96.4%)
1.1%

| 1.2%
0.7%  |

1,510,824

16,165 km2 (6,241 sq mi)

Chuvash Republic |  | Russian: Чувашская Республика (Chuvashskaya Respublika)
Chuvash: Чӑваш Республики (Čăvaš Respubliki) |

Cheboksary

Russian: Чебоксары
Chuvash: Шупашкар (Šupaškar) |

Chuvash (63.7%)
4.0%

| 30.7%
3.8%  |

1,186,909

18,343 km2 (7,082 sq mi)

Republic of Dagestan |  | Russian: Республика Дагестан (Respublika Dagestan)

Other official names

* Aghul: Республика Дагъустан (Respublika Daġustan)
Avar: Дагъистаналъул Жумгьурият (Daġistanałul Jumhuriyat)
Azerbaijani: Дағыстан Республикасы (Dağıstan Respublikası)
Chechen: Дегӏестан Республика (Deġestan Respublika)
Dargwa: Дагъистан Республика (Daġistan Respublika)
Kumyk: Дагъыстан Жумгьурият (Dağıstan Cumhuriyat)
Lak: Дагъусттаннал Республика (Daġusttannal Respublika)
Lezgian: Республика Дагъустан (Respublika Daġustan)
Nogai: Дагыстан Республикасы (Dağıstan Respublikası)
Rutul: Республика Дагъустан (Respublika Daġustan)
Tabassaran: Дагъустан Республика (Daġustan Respublika)
Tat: Республикей Догъисту (Respublikei Doġistu)
Tsakhur: Республика Дагъустан (Respublika Daġustan)

Makhachkala

Russian: Махачкала |

Thirteen indigenous nationalities (96.1%) 0.0%

List

* Aghuls (0.9%)
Avars (30.5%)
Azerbaijanis (3.7%)
Chechens (3.2%)
Dargins (16.6%)
Kumyks (15.8%)
Laks (5.2%)
Lezgins (13.3%)
Nogais (1.2%)
Rutuls (0.9%)
Tabasarans (4.0%)
Tats (0.5%)
Tsakhurs (0.3%)

| 3.3%
0.3%  |

3,182,054

50,270 km2 (19,409 sq mi)

Republic of Ingushetia |  | Russian: Республика Ингушетия (Respublika Ingushetiya)
Ingush: ГӀалгӀай Мохк (Ġalġay Moxk) |

Magas

Russian: Магас
Ingush: Магас (Magas) |

Ingush (96.4%)
2.3%

| 0.7%
0.1%  |

509,541

3,123 km2 (1,206 sq mi)

Kabardino-Balkar Republic |  | Russian: Кабардино-Балкарская Республика (Kabardino-Balkarskaya Respublika)
Kabardian: Къэбэрдей-Балъкъэр Республикэ (Qəbərdey-Batlqər Respublikə)
Karachay-Balkar: Къабарты-Малкъар Республика (Qabartı-Malqar Respublika) |

Nalchik

Russian: Нальчик
Kabardian: Налщӏэч (Nalş’əç)
Karachay-Balkar: Нальчик (Nalçik) |

Balkars (13.7%)
1.0%
Kabardians (57.1%)
0.1%

| 19.8%
2.7%  |

904,200

12,470 km2 (4,815 sq mi)

Republic of Kalmykia |  | Russian: Республика Калмыкия (Respublika Kalmykiya)
Kalmyk: Хальмг Таңһч (Haľmg Tañğç) |

Elista

Russian: Элиста
Kalmyk: Элст (Elst) |

Kalmyks (62.5%)
5.1%

| 25.7%
4.5%  |

267,133

74,731 km2 (28,854 sq mi)

Karachay-Cherkess Republic |  | Russian: Карачаево-Черкесская Республика (Karachayevo-Cherkesskaya Respublika)

Other languages

* Abaza: Къарча-Черкес Республика (Qarça-Çerkes Respublika)
Kabardian: Къэрэшей-Шэрджэс Республикэ (Qərəṩey-Ṩərcəs Respublikə)
Karachay-Balkar: Къарачай-Черкес Республика (Qaraçay-Çerkes Respublika)
Nogai: Карашай-Шеркеш Республика (Karaşay-Şerkeş Respublika)

Cherkessk

Russian: Черкесск (Čerkessk)

Other languages

* Abaza: Черкес къала (Čerkes q̇ala)
Kabardian: Шэрджэс къалэ (Ṩərcəs qalə)
Karachay-Balkar: Черкесск (Çerkessk)
Nogai: Шеркеш шахар(Şerkeş şahar)

Abazins (8.1%)
0.3%
Kabardians (12.7%)
0.8%
Karachays (44.4%)
3.4%
Nogais (3.7%)
0.4%

| 27.5%
4.1%  |

469,865

14,277 km2 (5,512 sq mi)

Republic of Karelia |  | Russian: Республика Карелия (Respublika Kareliya)
Karelian: Karjalan tazavaldu[d] |

Petrozavodsk

Russian: Петрозаводск
Karelian: Petroskoi |

Karelians (5.5%)
1.9%

| 86.4%
4.2%  |

533,121

180,520 km2 (69,699 sq mi)

Republic of Khakassia |  | Russian: Республика Хакасия (Respublika Khakasiya)
Khakas: Хакас Республиказы (Xakas Respublikazı) |

Abakan

Russian: Абакан
Khakas: Абахан (Abaxan) |

Khakas (12.7%)
0.6%

| 82.1%
0.4%  |

534,795

61,569 km2 (23,772 sq mi)

Komi Republic |  | Russian: Республика Коми (Respublika Komi)
Komi: Коми Республика (Komi Respublika) |

Syktyvkar

Russian: Сыктывкар
Komi: Сыктывкар (Syktyvkar) |

Komi (22.3%)
1.4%

| 69.7%
4.6%  |

737,853

416,774 km2 (160,917 sq mi)

Mari El Republic |  | Russian: Республика Марий Эл (Respublika Mariy El)
Hill Mari: Мары Эл Республик (Mary El Republik)
Meadow Mari: Марий Эл Республик (Marij El Republik) |

Yoshkar-Ola

Russian: Йошкар-Ола (Yoshkar-Ola)
Hill Mari: Йошкар-Ола (Joškar-Ola)
Meadow Mari: Йошкар-Ола (Joškar-Ola) |

Mari (40.1%)
3.8%

| 52.5%
5.1%  |

677,097

23,375 km2 (9,025 sq mi)

Republic of Mordovia |  | Russian: Республика Мордовия (Respublika Mordoviya)
Erzya: Мордовия Республикась (Mordovija Respublikaś)
Moksha: Мордовия Pеспубликась (Mordovija Respublikaś) |

Saransk

Russian: Саранск
Erzya: Саран ош (Saran oš)
Moksha: Саранош (Saranoš) |

Mordvins (38.7%)
1.4%

| 54.1%
0.7%  |

783,552

26,128 km2 (10,088 sq mi)

Republic of North Ossetia–Alania |  | Russian: Республика Северная Осетия–Алания (Respublika Severnaya Osetiya–Alaniya)
Ossetian: Республикӕ Цӕгат Ирыстон–Алани (Respublikæ Cægat Iryston–Alani) |

Vladikavkaz

Russian: Владикавказ
Ossetian: Дзӕуджыхъӕу (Dzæudžyqæu) |

Ossetians (68.1%)
3.0%

| 18.9%
1.9%  |

687,357

7,987 km2 (3,084 sq mi)

Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) |  | Russian: Республика Саха (Якутия) (Respublika Sakha)
Yakut: Саха Өрөспүүбүлүкэтэ (Saxa Öröspüübülükete) |

Yakutsk

Russian: Якутск (Yakutsk)
Yakut: Дьокуускай (Cokuuskay) |

Yakuts (55.3%)
5.4%

| 32.6%
5.2%  |

995,686

3,083,523 km2 (1,190,555 sq mi)

Republic of Tatarstan |  | Russian: Республика Татарстан (Respublika Tatarstan)
Tatar: Татарстан Республикасы (Tatarstan Respublikası) |

Kazan

Russian: Казань
Tatar: Казан (Qazan) |

Tatars (53.6%)
0.4%

| 40.3%
0.6%  |

4,004,809

67,847 km2 (26,196 sq mi)

Republic of Tuva |  | Russian: Республика Тува (Respublika Tuva)
Tuvan: Тыва Республика (Tıva Respublika) |

Kyzyl

Russian: Кызыл
Tuvan: Кызыл (Kızıl) |

Tuvans (88.7%)
6.7%

| 10.1%
6.2%  |

336,651

168,604 km2 (65,098 sq mi)

Udmurt Republic |  | Russian: Удмуртская Республика (Udmurtskaya Respublika)
Udmurt: Удмурт Элькун (Udmurt Elkun) |

Izhevsk

Russian: Ижевск
Udmurt: Ижкар (Ižkar) |

Udmurts (24.1%)
3.9%

| 67.7%
5.5%  |

1,452,914

42,061 km2 (16,240 sq mi)

## Proposed republics

[edit]

Main article: Proposed federal subjects of Russia

### Entities in Russia

[edit]

In response to the apparent federal inequality, in which the republics were given special privileges during the early years of Yeltsin's tenure at the expense of other subjects, Eduard Rossel, then governor of Sverdlovsk Oblast and advocate of equal rights for all subjects, attempted to transform his oblast into the Ural Republic on 1 July 1993 in order to receive the same benefits.[108] Initially supportive, Yeltsin later dissolved the republic and fired Rossel on 9 November 1993.[109] The only other attempt to formally create a republic occurred in Vologda Oblast when authorities declared their wish to create a "Vologda Republic" on 14 May 1993. This declaration, however, was ignored by Moscow and eventually faded from public consciousness.[110] Other attempts to unilaterally create a republic never materialized. These included a "Pomor Republic" in Arkhangelsk Oblast,[110] a "Southern Urals Republic" in Chelyabinsk Oblast,[111] a "Chukotka Republic" in Chukotka Autonomous Okrug,[112] a "Yenisei Republic" in Irkutsk Oblast,[111] a "Leningrad Republic" in Leningrad Oblast,[110] a "Nenets Republic" in the Nenets Autonomous Okrug,[113] a "Siberian Republic" in Novosibirsk Oblast,[110] a "Primorsky Republic" in Primorsky Krai,[111] a "Neva Republic" in the city of Saint Petersburg,[111] and a republic consisting of eleven regions in western Russia centered around Oryol Oblast.[110]

Other attempts to create republics came in the form of splitting up already existing territories. After the Soviet Union's collapse, a proposal was put forth to split the Karachay-Cherkess Republic into multiple smaller republics. The idea was rejected by referendum on 28 March 1992.[114] A similar proposal occurred in the Republic of Mordovia to divide it to separate Erzyan and Mokshan homelands. The proposal was rejected in 1995.[115]

### Entities outside Russia

[edit]

Map showing Russian political and military influence or interference in Post-Soviet conflicts as of 2021

#### Abkhazia

[edit]

After the brief 2008 Russo-Georgian War, Russia secured the de facto independence of Abkhazia from Georgia and promptly recognized it. Georgian officials have expressed worry that Russia will seek to absorb the region. On 25 November 2014, Abkhazia signed a treaty integrating its economy and military with Russia,[116] which Georgia described as a step to "toward de facto annexation".[117] However, the proposal to join Russia has little to no support among Abkhazia's political elite or the general public,[118] with many of the former expressing their view that Abkhazia is different situationally from nearby South Ossetia.[119] Despite this, Abkhazia relies entirely on Russia for financial support and much of its state structure is highly integrated with Russia; it uses the Russian ruble, its foreign policy is coordinated with Russia, and a majority of its citizens have Russian passports.[120] On 12 November 2020, Abkhazia and Russia signed a new integration agreement expanding on their previous one from 2014, which Georgia condemned as another step toward annexation.[121] The new agreement envisioned further harmonization of Abkhazia with Russian law and was criticized within the region for risking the loss of Abkhazia's sovereignty, which the government denied.[122]

#### South Ossetia

[edit]

Main article: Proposed Russian annexation of South Ossetia

After the Soviet Union's collapse South Ossetia sought to break away from Georgia and become independent. On 19 January 1992 a referendum was held. Ostensibly, 99.9% of voters approved independence, but the results were not recognized internationally.[123][124] A second question asking for unification with Russia also ostensibly passed at about 99.9%.[125] Similar to Abkhazia, South Ossetia had its independence secured and recognized by Russia in 2008. However, unlike Abkhazia, officials in both Russia and South Ossetia have repeatedly expressed their wish to see South Ossetia join Russia.[126] An opinion poll conducted in 2010 showed that over 80% of people supported integration with Russia.[127] On 18 March 2015 South Ossetia signed a treaty integrating the region's economy and military with Russia, identical to the one signed by Abkhazia.[128] The treaty was condemned by Georgia as an "actual annexation" of the region.[129] Later that year South Ossetian president Leonid Tibilov said he was preparing a referendum to join Russia.[130] However, such a referendum never took place due to Russia's refusal to endorse the proposal.[131] Instead a referendum was held on 9 April 2017 to change South Ossetia's official name to "Republic of South Ossetia–The State of Alania" to mirror its northern counterpart North Ossetia, officially the "Republic of North Ossetia–Alania", implying future unification.[132]

On 30 March 2022 the government of South Ossetia announced it would revive attempts to hold a referendum on joining Russia.[133] Officials expressed hope of finishing the legal process to hold the referendum by 10 April, however, it is unknown whether Russia will again reject the proposal or not.[118] On 13 May 2022 outgoing president Anatoly Bibilov signed a decree authorizing a referendum on annexation by 17 July.[134] However, Alan Gagloyev, who defeated Bibilov in an election, expressed skepticism, saying that while he does not oppose the referendum, he believes there should first be a "signal" from Russia.[135] Gagloyev promptly scrapped the referendum pending talks with Russia on integration.[136]

#### Transnistria

[edit]

Main article: Proposed Russian annexation of Transnistria

A billboard in Tiraspol, Transnistria, with Soviet symbolism. Nostalgia for the Soviet Union and Russian influence remain common in Transnistria, which has made repeated requests to join Russia.

Transnistria, a breakaway region of Moldova, had long sought to rejoin Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union. After proclaiming independence and fighting a war against Moldova with the help of Russia in 1992, the region has remained under Russian occupation. Transnistria made multiple appeals to integrate with Russia, which the latter has consistently ignored. In a 2006 referendum an overwhelming majority of people voted in favor of its accession to Russia, though these results could not be independently confirmed.[137] After Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014, Transnistria appealed to Russia to join it.[138] There is still some hope inside Transnistria for Russia to annex the region.[139] Despite ignoring Transnistria's appeals for accession, the region enjoys Russian support and is highly dependent on it. Over 200,000 Transnistrian citizens own a Russian passport[140] and many prefer to leave the region and work in Russia.[141] Russia provides gas at bargain prices, pays the pensions of its residents, and allocates funds to build infrastructure.[142] A Russian military garrison operates in Transnistria ostensibly as a peacekeeping force.[143] Moldova for its part rejects any attempt by Transnistria to secede and join Russia and insists on the withdrawal of all Russian troops from the region.[144] With Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 a Russian general said they planned to create a land bridge connecting to Transnistria.[145] The region has also suffered significant trade losses due to the invasion of Ukraine and has become more reliant on trade with the European Union.[144]

## See also

[edit]

* Oblasts of Russia
* Krais of Russia
* Autonomous okrugs of Russia
* Federal cities of Russia
* Jewish Autonomous Oblast

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ 21 within the internationally recognized borders of Russia
2. ^ The Republic of Crimea was annexed by Russia in 2014; the Russian government declared it had annexed Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic in 2022. The United Nations recognize all three as part of Ukraine.[4]
3. ^ Percent of population belonging to a titular ethnic group according to the 2021 Russian Census and change from the 2010 Russian Census.
4. ^ The Karelian language has no official status in the republic but is nevertheless recognized as a "regional language" alongside Finnish and Veps.[107]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Heaney 2023, pp. 6, 16, 43, "Crimea and Sevastopol, which were annexed in 2014, and...four Ukrainian regions annexed de jure, if not de facto, in 2022...After Crimea and Sevastopol were annexed from Ukraine in 2014, the federal centre repeatedly emphasized internal and external threats to their stability...If Russia were ever to achieve similar control over the four territories purportedly annexed from Ukraine in 2022, such focus on their security, too, would seem likely...Putin announced the annexation of four Ukrainian regions: the so-called 'People's Republics' established in the eastern Ukrainian cities of Donetsk and Luhansk...despite Russian control of all of these territories being by no means assured.".
2. ^ Blakkisrud 2023, "Ethnic autonomies within the Russian Federation...As per the 1993 Constitution...Added: Crimea (2014)".
3. ^ Sakwa 2023, "Thus Russia inherited 89 regions in 1991 grouped into three main types (ethno-federal republics, autonomous regions of various sorts, and ordinary regions [oblasts], including today the major cities of Moscow and St Petersburg along with Sevastopol in Crimea). The result in institutional terms is asymmetrical federalism in what is now 85 regions (following the merger of certain smaller entities and the incorporation of the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol in 2014)".
4. ^ Heaney 2018, p. 180.
5. ^ a b Avdaliani, Emil (14 August 2017). "No Longer the Russian Federation: A Look at Tartarstan". Georgia Today. Archived from the original on 7 March 2019. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
6. ^ a b c "Russia revoking Tatarstan's autonomy". European Forum. 9 August 2017. Archived from the original on 7 March 2019. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
7. ^ John Raymond 1992, p. 120.
8. ^ Mälksoo, Lauri (April 2017). "Soviet Approach to Right of Peoples to Self-Determination". History of International Law 2017: 7–8 – via ResearchGate.
9. ^ Cope & Ness 2016, p. 237.
10. ^ Feldbrugge, Simons & Van den Berg 1985, p. 467.
11. ^ a b Greenacre, Liam (23 August 2016). "Korenizatsiya: The Soviet Nationalities Policy for Recognised Minorities". Liam's Look at History. Archived from the original on 6 March 2020. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
12. ^ Bazarova, Vladimirovna (2013). "On the problems of indigenization in the national autonomies of Eastern Siberia in the 1920s – 1930s". Power (in Russian). 21: 176. Archived from the original on 5 June 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021 – via CyberLeninka.
13. ^ Kemp 1999, p. 79.
14. ^ Podobed, Pavlo (28 March 2019). "Idel-Ural: Polyethnic Volcano of the Russian Federation". Prometheus Security Environment Research Center (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 27 January 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
15. ^ "Komi and imperial policy in the Arctic". Free Idel-Ural. 1 June 2020. Archived from the original on 16 June 2020. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
16. ^ a b Chulos & Piirainen 2000, p. 85.
17. ^ Rett 1996, p. 618.
18. ^ Kotljarchuk & Sundström 2017, p. 15-16.
19. ^ a b "Punished Peoples" of the Soviet Union: The Continuing Legacy of Stalin's Deportations" (PDF). Human Rights Watch. September 1991. pp. 11–74\. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 April 2019. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
20. ^ Statiev, Alexander (2005). "The Nature of Anti-Soviet Armed Resistance, 1942–44: The North Caucasus, the Kalmyk Autonomous Republic, and Crimea". Kritika: Explorations in Russian and Eurasian History. 6 (2): 285–318\. doi:10.1353/kri.2005.0029. S2CID 161159084. Archived from the original on 8 March 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2022 – via ResearchGate.
21. ^ Bugay 1996, p. 156.
22. ^ a b c Askerov 2015, p. 12.
23. ^ Pohl, Otto (2000). "The Deportation and Fate of the Crimean Tatars" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 March 2016. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
24. ^ a b Guchinova 2007, p. 187–188.
25. ^ a b "Transfer of the Crimea to the Ukraine". International Committee for Crimea. July 2005. Archived from the original on 15 February 2017. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
26. ^ "Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of April 8, 1944 "On the resettlement of Balkars living in the Kabardino-Balkarian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, and on the renaming of the Kabardino-Balkarian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic in the Kabardian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic"". Library USSR (in Russian). Archived from the original on 27 August 2016. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
27. ^ Tanner 2004, p. 31.
28. ^ a b Polian 2004, p. 199.
29. ^ Minority Rights: Problems, Parameters, and Patterns in the CSCE Context (PDF), Washington, DC: Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, 1991, p. 59, archived (PDF) from the original on 24 June 2021, retrieved 17 June 2021
30. ^ Gladman 2004, p. 102.
31. ^ Toomas, Alatalu (1992). "Tuva: A State Reawakens". Soviet Studies. 44 (5). Taylor & Francis, Ltd: 881–895\. doi:10.1080/09668139208412051. ISSN 0038-5859. JSTOR 152275.
32. ^ Simons & Westerlund 2015, p. 81.
33. ^ Ross 2002, p. 207.
34. ^ Woodruff, David (12 June 1990). "Russian republic declares sovereignty". UPI. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
35. ^ Newton & Tompson 2010, p. 119.
36. ^ Kahn 2002, p. 106.
37. ^ Zamyatin, Konstantin (2013). "Sovereignisation and State Languages: Early Formation of Language Policy of Russia's Finno-Ugric Republics in the Conditions of the USSR Disintegration" (PDF). Finnish-Ugric Communications. 36: 132. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 February 2019. Retrieved 19 November 2020 – via University of Helsinki.
38. ^ a b Starovoitova, Galina (1997). "Sovereignty After Empire: Self-Determination Movements in the Former Soviet Union" (PDF). Peaceworks. 19: 5–11\. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 September 2015. Retrieved 6 June 2021 – via United States Institute of Peace.
39. ^ a b Berman & Yakovlev 1996, p. 104–105.
40. ^ Saunders & Strukov 2010, p. 59.
41. ^ Nikodimovna, Evdokia (2008), Continuing the Chronicle of Ancestors ... (Notes of a Komi human rights activist) (in Russian), Syktyvkar: Polygraph-Service Printing House LLC, pp. 48–49, archived from the original on 22 January 2021, retrieved 6 June 2021, "The Supreme Soviet of the Komi SSR reserves the right to terminate agreements and contracts with the RSFSR and the USSR. The decision to secede from the RSFSR and the USSR is taken by way of a referendum."
42. ^ "Declaration of State Sovereignty of the Mari SSR". Pashkov Library (in Russian). 6 January 2010. Retrieved 5 June 2020. "The Mari SSR reserves the right to self-determination and change its state and legal status."
43. ^ Bairovich, Chimit-Dorzhu (31 May 2012). "Adoption of the Declaration on State Sovereignty of the Soviet Republic of Tuva". Tuva Asia (in Russian). Archived from the original on 15 February 2020. Retrieved 5 June 2020. "The Soviet Republic of Tuva confirms its right to self-determination, exercised on the basis of a popular referendum of the republic's population."
44. ^ Higgins, Andrew (22 January 1995). "Dzhokhar Dudayev: Lone wolf of Grozny". The Independent. Archived from the original on 27 February 2019. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
45. ^ Muratov, Dmitry (12 December 2014). "The Chechen wars murdered Russian democracy in its cradle". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
46. ^ Shapiro, Margaret (23 March 1992). "Tatarstan Votes for Self-Rule Repudiating Russia and Yeltsin". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 10 March 2020. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
47. ^ Smirnova, Lena (24 July 2017). "Tatarstan, the Last Region to Lose Its Special Status Under Putin". The Moscow Times. Archived from the original on 29 December 2018. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
48. ^ On the Procedures of the Transformation of Adyghe, Gorno-Altai, Karachay-Cherkess, and Khakas Autonomous Oblasts into the Soviet Socialist Republics of the RSFSR (Law 1535-1) (in Russian). 3 July 1991.
49. ^ Pakhomenko, Varvara (16 August 2009). "Ingushetia Abandoned". Open Democracy. Archived from the original on 6 March 2020. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
50. ^ a b c Chuman, Mizuki. "The Rise and Fall of Power-Sharing Treaties Between Center and Regions in Post-Soviet Russia" (PDF). Demokratizatsiya: 135–146\. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 March 2019. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
51. ^ "Nations in Transit: Russia". Freedom House. 2005. Archived from the original on 7 March 2019. Retrieved 6 March 2019. "The vast majority of governors were corrupt, ruling their regions as tyrants for their personal benefit and that of their closest allies."
52. ^ Arslanbenzer, Hakan (14 November 2019). "Dzhokhar Dudayev: Fighting for a free Chechnya". Daily Sabah. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
53. ^ Fuller, Liz (30 August 2006). "Khasavyurt Accords Failed To Preclude A Second War". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Archived from the original on 28 May 2023. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
54. ^ Stanley, Alessandra (13 May 1997). "Yeltsin Signs Peace Treaty With Chechnya". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 20 November 2010. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
55. ^ Sinelschikova, Yekaterina (31 December 2019). "How Boris Yeltsin, Russia's first president, resigned". Russia Beyond. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
56. ^ "Aslan Maskhadov". The Telegraph. 9 March 2005. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
57. ^ René 2018, p. 147–148.
58. ^ Williams, Daniel (7 February 2000). "Russians Capture Grozny". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 1 May 2019. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
59. ^ Hoffman, David (9 June 2000). "Putin Lays Direct Rule on Chechnya". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 26 June 2020. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
60. ^ Aris, Ben (24 March 2003). "Boycott call in Chechen poll ignored". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
61. ^ Bohlen, Celestine (9 March 2000). "Russian Regions Wary as Putin Tightens Control". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 7 March 2019. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
62. ^ Turner, Cassandra (2018). We Never Said We're Independent: Natural Resources, Nationalism, and the Fight for Political Autonomy in Russia's Regions (BA thesis). University of Mississippi. p. 49\. Archived from the original on 15 March 2023. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
63. ^ "Federation Council Backs Power-Sharing Bill". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 11 July 2007. Archived from the original on 30 April 2019. Retrieved 3 September 2017.
64. ^ Shtepa, Vadim (4 April 2017). "The Devolution of Russian Federalism". Jamestown. Archived from the original on 12 April 2020. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
65. ^ Malashenko, Alexey (25 January 2010). "Mintimer Shaimiev Steps Down as President of Tatarstan". Carnegie Moscow Center. Archived from the original on 7 May 2019. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
66. ^ Barry, Ellen (13 July 2010). "Russian Regional Strongman to Retire". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 13 July 2018. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
67. ^ Latypova, Leyla (27 September 2022). "Ethnic Minorities Hit Hardest By Russia's Mobilization, Activists Say". The Moscow Times. Archived from the original on 28 September 2022. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
68. ^ Article 68 of the Constitution of Russia
69. ^ Solnick, Steven (29 May 1996). "Asymmetries in Russian Federation Bargaining" (PDF). The National Council for Soviet and East European Research. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 October 2022. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
70. ^ Boex & Martinez-Vazquez 2001, p. 4.
71. ^ Solnick, Steven (30 May 1996). "Center-Periphery Bargaining in Russia: Assessing Prospects of Federal Stability" (PDF). The National Council for Soviet and East European Research: 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 August 2020. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
72. ^ Alexander, James (2004). "Federal Reforms in Russia: Putin's Challenge to the Republics" (PDF). Demokratizatsiya. 12 (2): 237. doi:10.3200/DEMO.12.2.233-263. S2CID 32677267. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 May 2019 – via Semantic Scholar.
73. ^ a b Clark & Kempton 2002, p. 39–77.
74. ^ Drobizheva, Leokadia (April 1998). "Power Sharing in the Russian Federation: the View from the Center and from the Republics" (PDF). Preventing of Deadly Conflicts: 12. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 March 2023. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
75. ^ a b c Sergunin 2016, p. 185.
76. ^ Wegren 2015, p. 68.
77. ^ Sharafutdinova, Gulnaz (2013). "Gestalt Switch in Russian Federalism: The Decline in Regional Power under Putin". Comparative Politics. 45 (3): 357–376\. doi:10.5129/001041512X13815255435013. JSTOR 43664325.
78. ^ Shtepa, Vadim (16 July 2018). "Russian Federal Districts as Instrument of Moscow's Internal Colonization". Jamestown. Archived from the original on 29 November 2020. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
79. ^ Goode 2011, p. 95.
80. ^ Heaney 2009, p. 12.
81. ^ Russel, Martin (20 October 2015). "Russia's constitutional structure: Federal in form, unitary in function" (PDF). European Parliamentary Research Service. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 August 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
82. ^ "Medvedev forbade the heads of subjects to be called presidents". NewsRU (in Russian). 29 December 2010. Archived from the original on 4 April 2019. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
83. ^ "Tatarstan Vote Seen As Test For Russian Regional 'President'". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 15 September 2015. Archived from the original on 6 August 2020. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
84. ^ Voroshilov, Denis (21 December 2021). "Putin signed a law banning the heads of regions from being called presidents". RBC (in Russian). Archived from the original on 25 January 2022. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
85. ^ Hauer, Neil (1 August 2018). "Putin's Plan to Russify the Caucasus". Foreign Affairs. Archived from the original on 24 July 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
86. ^ Coalson, Robert; Lyubimov, Dmitry; Alpaut, Ramazan (20 June 2018). "A Common Language: Russia's 'Ethnic' Republics See Language Bill As Existential Threat". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Archived from the original on 9 November 2020. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
87. ^ Matejova, Miriam (2013). "Russian "Chechenization" and the Prospects for a Lasting Peace in Chechnya". International Journal on World Peace. 30: 11–12 – via ResearchGate.
88. ^ Schwirtz, Michael (8 October 2011). "Russian Anger Grows Over Chechnya Subsidies". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 9 October 2011. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
89. ^ Bullough, Oliver (23 September 2015). "Putin's closest ally – and his biggest liability". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
90. ^ Arutunyan, Anna (25 April 2017). "Why Putin won't get tough on Kadyrov". European Council on Foreign Relations. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
91. ^ Bowen, Andrew (15 June 2015). "Kadyrovtsy: "Vladimir Putin's Combat Infantry" and Ramzan Kadyrov's Henchmen". The Interpreter. Archived from the original on 9 June 2021. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
92. ^ Halbach, Uwe (2018). "Chechnya's Status within the Russian Federation: Ramzan Kadyrov's Private State and Vladimir Putin's Federal "Power Vertical"" (PDF). Foundation Science and Politics: 5 – via German Institute for International and Security Affairs.
93. ^ Zimnitskaya, Hanna (2012). "A State within a State: the Case of Chechnya". International Studies Honors Projects. Archived from the original on 6 May 2021. Retrieved 9 June 2021 – via Macalester College.
94. ^ Guillory, Sean (21 September 2016). "How 'separatists' are prosecuted in Russia: Independent lawyers on one of Russia's most controversial statutes". Meduza. Archived from the original on 8 November 2020. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
95. ^ Bell 2003, p. 78.
96. ^ "Russia broadens anti-incitement law to include separatism". The Times of Israel. 5 July 2014. Archived from the original on 11 November 2020. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
97. ^ Gutterman, Steve; Polityuk, Pavel (18 March 2014). "Putin signs Crimea treaty as Ukraine serviceman dies in attack". Reuters. Archived from the original on 29 March 2014. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
98. ^ Luhn, Alec (18 March 2014). "Red Square rally hails Vladimir Putin after Crimea accession". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 30 August 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
99. ^ Charbonneau, Louis; Donath, Mirjam (27 March 2014). "U.N. General Assembly declares Crimea secession vote invalid". Reuters. Archived from the original on 1 October 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
100. ^ "Ukrainian rebel region Luhansk may vote to join Russia". Reuters. 27 March 2022. Archived from the original on 31 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
101. ^ Humphries, Conor (29 March 2022). Trevelyan, Mark (ed.). "Russia-backed Donetsk Republic may consider joining Russia – leader". Reuters. Archived from the original on 15 April 2022. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
102. ^ Picheta, Rob (27 September 2022). "Russian forces have staged illegal 'referendums' in Ukraine. What comes next?". CNN. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
103. ^ "Putin says Russia has 'four new regions' as he announces annexation of Ukrainian territory". Reuters. 30 September 2022. Archived from the original on 30 September 2022. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
104. ^ "West condemns Russia's 'illegal' annexation of Ukraine provinces". Al Jazeera. 30 September 2022. Archived from the original on 30 September 2022. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
105. ^ "Ukraine: UN Secretary-General condemns Russia annexation plan". United Nations. 29 September 2022. Archived from the original on 1 October 2022. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
106. ^ "National composition of the population" (in Russian). Federal State Statistics Service. Archived from the original on 30 December 2022. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
107. ^ Jung, Hakyung (2012). "Language in a Borderland: On the Official Status of Karelian Language". Slavic Studies: 1 and 13. Archived from the original on 24 January 2021. Retrieved 9 February 2020 – via Academia.
108. ^ Lussier, Orttung & Paretskaya 2000, p. 523–524.
109. ^ Rubin & Snyder 2002, p. 69.
110. ^ a b c d e Joshau & Shlapentokh 2007, p. 105–106.
111. ^ a b c d Ross 2003, p. 24–25.
112. ^ "25 years ago Chukotka withdrew from the Magadan Region". Vesma Today. 29 September 2017. Archived from the original on 6 August 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
113. ^ Kolguyev, Georgy (17 November 2005). "Nenets Republic – It Sounds Weird". Nyaryana Vynder (in Russian). Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
114. ^ Roeder 2007, p. 134.
115. ^ Taagepera, Rein (2013). The Finno-Ugric Republics and the Russian State. New York: Routledge. ISBN 978-0-415-91977-7. "A proposal to divide Mordovia into Erzyan and Mokshan parts was rejected, 628-34 (Mokshin 1995)."
116. ^ Herszenhorn, David (25 November 2014). "Pact Tightens Russian Ties With Abkhazia". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 12 August 2022. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
117. ^ Harding, Luke (25 November 2014). "Georgia angered by Russia-Abkhazia military agreement". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 20 April 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
118. ^ a b "South Ossetia to hold referendum to join Russia in future – report". The Jerusalem Post. 30 March 2022. Archived from the original on 30 March 2022. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
119. ^ Waal, Thomas de (16 July 2019). "Abkhazia and the Danger of 'Ossetianization'". The Moscow Times. Archived from the original on 31 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
120. ^ Tkemaladze, Tamar (14 February 2021). "Abkhazia Is Not Crimea but Everything Is Set to Become It". Modern Diplomacy. Archived from the original on 28 January 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
121. ^ "Georgia condemns adoption of program on creation of common socio-economic space between Russia, occupied Abkhazia". Agenda. 25 November 2020. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
122. ^ Avdaliani, Emil (18 February 2021). "A Fateful Step Towards Annexation". Center for European Policy Analysis. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
123. ^ "Civil.Ge | S.Ossetia Sets Repeat Independence Referendum". old.civil.ge. Archived from the original on 14 October 2017. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
124. ^ "South Ossetians vote for independence". The Guardian. AFP. 13 November 2006.
125. ^ Sotiriou 2019, p. 100.
126. ^ Halpin, Tony (30 August 2008). "Kremlin announces that South Ossetia will join 'one united Russian state'". The Times. Archived from the original on 3 September 2008. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
127. ^ Toal, Gerard; O'Loughlin, John (20 March 2014). "How people in South Ossetia, Abkhazia and Transnistria feel about annexation by Russia". The Washington Post. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
128. ^ "Putin signs treaty integrating South Ossetia into Russia". Al Jazeera America. 18 March 2015. Archived from the original on 31 March 2022. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
129. ^ "Moscow, Tskhinvali Sign 'Integration Treaty'". Civil Georgia. 18 March 2015. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
130. ^ "Breakaway Tskhinvali proposes name change New name emphasizes South Ossetia as part of Russia". Agenda. 29 December 2015. Archived from the original on 6 October 2022. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
131. ^ Fuller, Liz (8 February 2017). "South Ossetia Referendum On Name Change Steers Clear Of Thornier Unification Issue". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Archived from the original on 14 September 2017. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
132. ^ Tamkin, Emily (10 April 2017). "An Occupied Region's Referendum Brings Georgia New Iteration of Old Challenges". Foreign Policy. Archived from the original on 21 October 2022. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
133. ^ "Breakaway Georgian territory of South Ossetia plans to join Russia". The Globe and Mail. 30 March 2022. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
134. ^ "Breakaway region of Georgia to hold referendum on joining Russia". The Guardian. 13 May 2022. Archived from the original on 27 October 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
135. ^ Fabbro, Robin; Shoshiashvili, Tata (13 May 2022). "South Ossetia to hold Russian annexation referendum on 17 July". OC Media. Archived from the original on 13 May 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
136. ^ "South Ossetia shelves plan for referendum to join Russia". DW. 31 May 2022. Archived from the original on 21 June 2022. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
137. ^ "Trans-Dniester Votes for Independence and Russian Accession". DW. 18 September 2006. Archived from the original on 31 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
138. ^ "Moldova's Trans-Dniester region pleads to join Russia". BBC News. 18 March 2014. Archived from the original on 4 January 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
139. ^ Porzucki, Nina (24 March 2014). "Where's Transnistria? And why do people there hope Russia will annex them next?". Public Radio International. Archived from the original on 6 June 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
140. ^ Kolstø, Pål (11 June 2014). "Transnistria is a bridge too far for Russia". Open Democracy. Archived from the original on 6 June 2021. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
141. ^ Lungu, Karina (1 September 2016). "Transnistria: From entropy to exodus". European Council on Foreign Relations. Archived from the original on 29 April 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
142. ^ Mondello, Mauro (18 April 2022). "Near Ukraine, a Breakaway Russian Republic Plows On". New Lines Magazine. Archived from the original on 24 April 2022. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
143. ^ Coakley, Amanda (11 February 2022). "Ukraine crisis 'very sensitive' for Russia-backed breakaway state". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 24 February 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
144. ^ a b "Transnistria: The breakaway region torn between Moldova, Russia and the EU". Middle East Eye. Archived from the original on 10 April 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
145. ^ Cole, Brendan (22 April 2022). "Russia targets Moldova invasion next as they seek land corridor via Ukraine". Newsweek. Retrieved 22 April 2022.

## Sources

[edit]

* Heaney, Dominic, ed. (2018). The Territories of the Russian Federation 2018. Europa Territories of the World series. Routledge. p. 180\. ISBN 978-1-35110-391-6. OCLC 1027753558.
* Heaney, Dominic, ed. (2022). "Territorial Surveys". The Territories of the Russian Federation 2022 (23rd ed.). Abingdon: Routledge. ISBN 9781032249698.
* Heaney, Dominic, ed. (2023). "The Government of the Russian Federation". The Territories of the Russian Federation 2023 (24th ed.). Abingdon: Routledge. pp. 43–51\. ISBN 9781032469744.
* John Raymond, Walter (1992). Dictionary of Politics: Selected American and Foreign Political and Legal Terms. Brunswick Publishing Corp. p. 120\. ISBN 9781556180088.
* Cope, Zak; Ness, Immanuel (2016). The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Imperialism and Anti-Imperialism. Palgrave Macmillian. p. 237\. ISBN 978-0-230-39278-6.
* Feldbrugge, Ferdinand; Simons, William; Van den Berg, Gerard (1985). Encyclopedia of Soviet Law. Martinus Nijhoff Publishers. p. 467\. ISBN 90-247-3075-9.
* Blakkisrud, Helge (2023). "Ethnic Relations". In Gill, Graeme (ed.). Routledge Handbook of Russian Politics and Society (Second ed.). Abingdon/New York: Routledge. pp. 449–462\. ISBN 978-1-032-11052-3.
* Sakwa, Richard (2023). "Democratisation". In Gill, Graeme (ed.). Routledge Handbook of Russian Politics and Society (Second ed.). Abingdon/New York: Routledge. pp. 33–45\. ISBN 978-1-032-11052-3.
* Kemp, Walter (1999). Nationalism and Communism in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union: A Basic Contradiction?. Macmillian Press LTD. p. 79\. ISBN 978-0-230-37525-3.
* Chulos, Chris; Piirainen, Timo (2000). The Fall of an Empire, the Birth of a Nation: National Identities in Russia. Ashgate Publishing. p. 85\. ISBN 978-1-315-20039-2.
* Rett, Ludwikowski (1996). Constitution-making in the Region of Former Soviet Dominance. Duke University Press. p. 618\. ISBN 978-0-8223-1802-6.
* Kotljarchuk, Andrej; Sundström, Olle (2017). Ethnic and Religious Minorities in Stalin's Soviet Union: New Dimensions of Research (PDF). Södertörn University. pp. 15–16\. ISBN 978-91-7601-777-7.
* Bugay, Nikolay (1996). The Deportation of Peoples in the Soviet Union. Nova Science Publishers. p. 156\. ISBN 1-56072-371-8.
* Askerov, Ali (2015). Historical Dictionary of the Chechen Conflict. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 12\. ISBN 978-1-4422-4925-7.
* Guchinova, Elza-Bair (2007). Deportation of the Kalmyks (1943–1956): Stigmatized Ethnicity. Hokkaido University Press. pp. 187–188.
* Tanner, Arno (2004). The Forgotten Minorities of Eastern Europe: The History and Today of Selected Ethnic Groups in Five Countries. East-West Books. p. 31\. ISBN 9789529168088.
* Polian, Pavel (2004). Against Their Will: The History and Geography of Forced Migrations in the USSR. Central European University Press. p. 199\. ISBN 963-9241-68-7.
* Gladman, Imogen (2004). The Territories of the Russian Federation 2004. Europa Publications. p. 102\. ISBN 1-85743-248-7.
* Simons, Greg; Westerlund, David (2015). Religion, Politics and Nation-Building in Post-Communist Countries. Ashgate Publishing. p. 81\. ISBN 9781472449696.
* Ross, Cameron (2002). Regional Politics in Russia. Manchester University Press. p. 207\. ISBN 0-7190-5890-2.
* Newton, Julie; Tompson, William (2010). Institutions, Ideas and Leadership in Russian Politics. Palgrave Macmillian. p. 119\. ISBN 978-1-349-36232-5.
* Kahn, Jeffery (2002). Federalism, Democratization, and the Rule of Law in Russia. Oxford University Press. p. 106\. ISBN 0-19-924699-8.
* Berman, Margo; Yakovlev, Alexander (1996). Striving for Law in a Lawless Land: Memoirs of a Russian Reformer. M.E. Sharpe. pp. 104–105\. ISBN 1-56324-639-2.
* Saunders, Robert; Strukov, Vlad (2010). Historical Dictionary of the Russian Federation. Scarecrow Press. pp. 59. ISBN 978-0-8108-7460-2.
* René, De La Pedraja (2018). The Russian Military Resurgence: Post-Soviet Decline and Rebuilding, 1992-2018. McFarland & Company. pp. 147–148\. ISBN 978-1-47666-991-5.
* Boex, Jameson; Martinez-Vazquez, Jorge (2001). Russia's Transition to a New Federalism. International Bank for Reconstruction. p. 4\. ISBN 0-8213-4840-X.
* Clark, Terry; Kempton, Daniel (2002). Unity or Separation: Center-Periphery Relations in the Former Soviet Union. Praeger. p. 77\. ISBN 0-275-97306-9.
* Sergunin, Alexander (2016). Explaining Russian Foreign Policy Behavior: Theory and Practice. Ibidem. p. 185\. ISBN 978-3-8382-6782-1.
* Kempton, Daniel; Clark, Terry (2002). Unity or Separation: Center-Periphery Relations in the Former Soviet Union. Praeger. pp. 39–40\. ISBN 0-275-97306-9.
* Wegren, Stephen (2015). Putin's Russia: Past Imperfect, Future Uncertain. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 68\. ISBN 978-1-4422-3919-7.
* Goode, J. Paul (2011). The Decline of Regionalism in Putin's Russia: Boundary Issues. Routledge. p. 95\. ISBN 978-0-203-81623-3.
* Heaney, Dominic (2009). The Territories of the Russian Federation 2009. Routledge. p. 12\. ISBN 978-1-857-43517-7.
* Bell, Imogen (2003). The Territories of the Russian Federation 2003. Europa Publications. p. 78\. ISBN 1-85743-191-X.
* Lussier, Danielle; Orttung, Robert; Paretskaya, Anna (2000). The Republics and Regions of the Russian Federation: A Guide to Politics, Policies, and Leaders. EastWest Institute. pp. 523–524\. ISBN 0-7656-0559-7.
* Rubin, Barnett; Snyder, Jack (2002). Post-Soviet Political Order. Routledge. pp. 69. ISBN 0-415-17069-9.
* Joshau, Woods; Shlapentokh, Vladimir (2007). Contemporary Russia as a Feudal Society: A New Perspective on the Post-Soviet Era. Springer. pp. 105–106\. ISBN 978-0-230-60969-3.
* Ross, Cameron (2003). Federalism and Democratisation in Russia. Manchester University Press. pp. 24–25\. ISBN 978-0-7190-5869-1.
* Roeder, Philip (2007). Where Nation-States Come From: Institutional Change in the Age of Nationalism. Princeton University Press. p. 134\. ISBN 978-0-691-12728-6.
* Sotiriou, Stylianos (2019). Politics and International Relations in Eurasia. Lexington Books. p. 100\. ISBN 9781498565394.

## External links

[edit]

Media related to Republics of Russia at Wikimedia Commons

* v
* t
* e

Subdivisions of Russia

Federal subjects

Oblasts (48)|

* Amur
* Arkhangelsk
* Astrakhan
* Belgorod
* Bryansk
* Chelyabinsk
* Irkutsk
* Ivanovo
* Kaliningrad
* Kaluga
* Kemerovo
* Kherson1
* Kirov
* Kostroma
* Kurgan
* Kursk
* Leningrad
* Lipetsk
* Magadan
* Moscow
* Murmansk
* Nizhny Novgorod
* Novgorod
* Novosibirsk
* Omsk
* Orenburg
* Oryol
* Penza
* Pskov
* Rostov
* Ryazan
* Sakhalin
* Samara
* Saratov
* Smolensk
* Sverdlovsk
* Tambov
* Tomsk
* Tula
* Tver
* Tyumen
* Ulyanovsk
* Vladimir
* Volgograd
* Vologda
* Voronezh
* Yaroslavl
* Zaporozhye1

Republics (24)|

* Adygea
* Altai
* Bashkortostan
* Buryatia
* Chechnya
* Chuvashia
* Crimea1
* Dagestan
* Donetsk1
* Ingushetia
* Kabardino-Balkaria
* Kalmykia
* Karachay-Cherkessia
* Luhansk1
* Karelia
* Khakassia
* Komi
* Mari El
* Mordovia
* North Ossetia–Alania
* Sakha
* Tatarstan
* Tuva
* Udmurtia

Krais (9)|

* Altai
* Kamchatka
* Khabarovsk
* Krasnodar
* Krasnoyarsk
* Perm
* Primorsky
* Stavropol
* Zabaykalsky

Autonomous okrugs (4)|

* Chukotka
* Khanty-Mansi2
* Nenets3
* Yamalo-Nenets2

Federal cities (3)|

* Moscow
* Saint Petersburg
* Sevastopol1

Autonomous oblast (1)|

* Jewish

* 1Considered by most of the international community to be part of Ukraine.

* 2Administratively subordinated to Tyumen Oblast.

* 3Administratively subordinated to Arkhangelsk Oblast.

Non-constitutional official divisions by various institutions

* Federal districts (by President)
* Economic regions (by Ministry of Economic Development)
* Military districts (by Ministry of Defence)
* Judicial districts

* v
* t
* e

Designations for types of administrative division

English terms

Common English terms

| Area|

* Insular area
* Local government area
* Special area
* Unincorporated area
* Unorganized area

|

Borough|

* County borough
* Metropolitan borough

Canton|

Half-canton

Capital|

* Federal capital
* Imperial capital

City|

* Autonomous city
* Charter city
* Independent city
* Incorporated city
* Imperial city
* Free imperial city
* Royal free city

Community|

* Autonomous community
* Residential community

County|

* Administrative county
* Autonomous county
* Consolidated city-county
* County seat
* County town
* Metropolitan county
* Non-metropolitan county
* Regional county municipality
* Viscounty

Country|

* Overseas country

Department|

* Overseas department

District|

* Capital district
* City district
* Congressional district
* Electoral district
* Federal district
* Indian government district
* Land district
* Local government district
* Metropolitan district
* Non-metropolitan district
* Military district
* Municipal district
* Police district
* Regional district
* Rural district
* Sanitary district
* Service district
* Educational service district
* Local service district
* School district
* Intermediate school district
* Special district
* in the US
* Urban district

Division|

* Census division
* Police division
* Subdivision of India

Indian reserve/reservation|

* Indian reservation (United States)
* Indian reserve (Canada)

Municipality|

* City municipality
* County municipality
* Direct-controlled municipality
* District municipality
* Neutral municipality
* Regional municipality
* Resort municipality
* Mountain resort municipality
* Rural municipality
* Specialized municipality

Prefecture|

* Autonomous prefecture
* Subprefecture
* Super-prefecture
* Praetorian prefecture

Province|

* Autonomous province
* Overseas province
* Roman province

Region|

* Administrative region
* Special administrative region
* Autonomous region
* Capital region
* National capital region
* Development region
* Mesoregion
* Microregion
* Overseas region
* Subregion

State|

* Proto-state
* City-state
* Federal state
* Free state
* Sovereign state

Territory|

* Capital territory
* Federal capital territory
* National capital territory
* Dependent territory
* Federal territory
* Incorporated territory
* Organized incorporated territory
* Overseas territory
* Union territory

Town|

* Census town
* Market town

Township|

* Charter township
* Civil township
* Paper township
* Survey township
* Urban township

Unit|

* Regional unit

Zone|

* Economic zone
* Exclusive economic zone
* Free economic zone
* Special economic zone
* Exclusion zone
* Military exclusion zone
* Free speech zone
* Neutral zone
* Self-administered zone
* Trade zone
* Free-trade zone

Other English terms

| Current|

* Alpine resort
* Bailiwick
* Banner
* Autonomous
* Block
* Cadastre
* Circle
* Circuit
* Colony
* Commune
* Condominium
* Constituency
* Duchy
* District
* Eldership
* Emirate
* Enclave and exclave
* Federal dependency
* Governorate
* Hamlet
* Manor
* Royal
* Muftiate
* Neighbourhood
* Parish
* Precinct
* Principality
* Protectorate
* Quarter
* Regency
* Autonomous republic
* Riding
* Sector
* Autonomous
* Shire
* Sultanate
* Suzerainty
* Townland
* Village
* Summer
* Ward

|

Historical|

* Agency
* Barony
* Burgh
* Exarchate
* Hide
* Hundred
* Imperial Circle
* March
* Monthon
* Presidency
* Residency
* Roman diocese
* Seat
* Tenth
* Tithing
* Viceroyalty

Non-English terms or loanwords

| Current|

* Amt
* Apskritis
* Bakhsh
* Barangay
* Bashki
* Bezirk
* Regierungsbezirk
* Comarca
* Comune
* Frazione
* Freguesia
* Fu
* Gemeinde
* Austria
* Germany
* South Tyrol
* Switzerland
* Gemeente
* Gmina
* Hromada
* Județ
* Kampong
* Kommun/Kunta
* Finland
* Sweden
* Län (Sweden)
* Landskap
* Finland
* Località
* Maakunta
* Megye
* Muban
* Mukim
* Njësi administrative
* Obec
* Oblast
* Autonomous
* Okrug
* Ostān
* Poblacion
* Purok
* Qark
* Raion
* Savivaldybė
* Selsoviet
* Sitio
* Seniūnija
* Shahrestān
* Sum
* China
* Sýsla
* Tehsil
* Townlet
* Vingtaine

|

Historical|

* Commote
* Gau
* Heerlijkheid
* Komunë
* Köping
* Korale
* Län/Lääni
* Landskap
* Sweden
* Landskommun
* Maalaiskunta
* Nome
* Egypt
* Greece
* Pagus
* Pargana
* Plasă
* Rreth
* Satrapy
* Socken
* Subah
* Syssel
* Zhou

Used by ten or more countries or having derived terms. Historical derivations in italics.

See also
Autonomous administration
Census division
Electoral district
List of administrative divisions by country
Greek administrative divisions
Slavic administrative divisions
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template