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Some countries have several levels of autonomous regions. For example, Russia among its subdivisions has (autonomous) republics, autonomous region (autonomous oblast) and autonomous districts ( okrugs).

1 Modern autonomous regions

More information on existing autonomous regions can be found at the list of autonomous entities.

2 Spain

In the case of Spain, after the drafting of the Spanish Constitution of 1978, the first areas to become autonomous communities were highly nationalistic, ethnically distinct ones such as the Basque Country and Catalonia. It was not intended that all Spanish regions should become autonomous communities; however, this is what ended up happening, in what was dubbed café para todos ("coffee for everyone"). However, the more ethnically distinct autonomous communities have more powers than ones that are less so.

3 Portugal

In Portugal, the two island regions of Azores and Madeira became autonomous regions in 1976 with self-rule by a regional government and a regional legislative assembly. They gain their autonomy because of the great distance from the capital of the country, it is not due to ethnic distinction like in Spain.

4 China

In the People's Republic of China, administrative divisions with various levels of autonomy occur at several levels of the administrative hierarchy. Except for special administrative regions, all of these autonomous divisions are designated for one or more ethnic minorities.

At the province level:

• Special administrative regions (2 in total)
  • Hong KongThe Hong Kong Special Administrative Region or Hong Kong (, pinyin: Xinggng, WG: Hsiang-kang, Cantonese IPA, Jyutping or Penkyamp: hoeng1 gong2, meaning Fragrant Harbour , is one of two Special Administrative Regions (SARs) of the People's Republic of Chi
  • MacauThe Macau Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China short form Macau or Macao (see Names), is a small territory on the southern coast of China. It is 70 km southwest of Hong Kong and 145 km from Guangzhou. It was the oldest European
• Autonomous regionAn autonomous region used in the context of China, translates for zizhiqu ( zizhiqu , which are province-level divisions with a designated ethnic minority, and are guaranteed more rights under the constitution than provinces. For example, they have a chais (5 in total)
  • GuangxiGungxi ( Simplified Chinese: , Traditional: , Wade-Giles: Kuang-hsi Tongyong Pinyin: Guangsi also transliterated as Kwangsi is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. Its formal name is the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region . Together, Guan
  • Inner MongoliaInner Mongolia ( Mongolian: Obur Mongghul-un Obertegen Jasaqu Orun; Chinese: ; Hanyu Pinyin: Nei Mengg Zizhiqu) is an Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China. Inner Mongolia is contrasted with Outer Mongolia, which was used by the Republic of
  • NingxiaNingxia , also spelled Ningsia is an autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, located on the northwest loess highland, the Yellow River flows through a vast area of its land. Province Abbreviation(s): Capital Yinchuan Area Total % water Ranked
  • TibetThe Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) ( Tibetan: , Po Rangyongjong; Chinese: , Xizang Zizhiqu , is a province-level administrative subdivision of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Within the PRC the TAR is identified with Tibet, a characterization hotly d
  • Xinjiang

At the prefecture level:

• Autonomous prefectures (30 in total)

At the county level:

• Autonomous counties (117 in total)
• Autonomous banners (3 in total)

See Political divisions of China for more information.