Subnational entity is a generic term for an administrative region within a country — on an arbitrary level below that of the sovereign state — typically with a local government encompassing multiple municipalities, counties, or provinces with a certain degree of autonomy in a varying number of matters. Confusingly, in countries that are not nation states, this may well mean that some or all "subnational" entities in reality are also national entities.

Subnational entities are conceptually separate from dependent areas so that the former are included in the core or mainland of the respective state.

Designations

Some of the designations for subnational entities are:

• Autonomous community - Autonomous communities of Spain
• Autonomous region - Political divisions of China
• Bailiwick - Channel Islands
• Bundesland - States of Austria, States of Germany
• Canton - Cantons of Bosnia, Cantons of Switzerland, Cantons of France
• City - Nelson, New Zealand (the only city in the country that is not part of a larger region)
• Commune - Commune in France, Comune of Italy
• Community (subdivision) - Belgium
• County - Counties of Ireland
• Department - Departments of France, Departments of Bolivia
• District
• Krai - Krais of Russia
• Län - Counties of Sweden, Provinces of Finland
• Municipality - Municipality of China, Municipalities_of_Sweden
• Oblast
• Parish
• Periphery - Peripheries of Greece
• Prefecture - Prefectures of Japan
• Province - Provinces of Thailand, Provinces of the Philippines, Political divisions of China, Provinces of Spain, Provinces of Canada
• Region - Regions of Finland, Regions of France, List of regions in New Zealand
• Republic - Republics of Russia
• Subprefecture
• State - U.S. state, Australian states and territories, States and territories of India
• Territory - Provinces and territories of Canada, Chatham Islands
• Voivodship - Voivodships of Poland

Compare:

• Country (a national or supra-national entity)
• Empire (a supra-national entity)
• State (a national or supra-national entity)

See also

• List of subnational entities by country
• List of capitals of subnational entities
• List of subnational name etymologies
• List of the most populous subnational entities
• list of the largest subnational entities by area