Federal district

A federal district is a special area within a country that has a special kind of government. It is part of a larger group of states or regions called a federation. In some countries, like India and Malaysia, these districts are directly controlled by the national government. In other countries, such as Brazil and Russia, they work more like regular states or regions.

A bird’s eye view of the Washington Monument and the surrounding area of Washington, D.C.

Federal districts often hold important cities, such as the capital city, where the government of the whole country operates. This helps keep the central government close to key decision-making places. These districts can have unique rules and laws that differ from other parts of the country, making them interesting to learn about.

Countries

Current

Brazil

The Federal District holds the Brazilian capital Brasília.

India

In India, eight areas are managed directly by the central government. These are called Union Territories and include places like Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir.

Malaysia

In Malaysia, three special areas are controlled by the national government. These include the capital Kuala Lumpur and the administrative center Putrajaya.

Nigeria

The Federal Capital Territory in central Nigeria contains the country’s capital, Abuja. This area was created in 1976 from parts of nearby states.

Pakistan

In Pakistan, there is an area called the Islamabad Capital Territory that is managed directly by the government.

Russia

Russia has three major cities treated as separate regions: Moscow, Saint Petersburg, and Sevastopol.

United States

The United States has a special area called the District of Columbia where the national government is based. There are also smaller areas inside states that are managed directly by the national government.

Venezuela

The Capital District (Venezuela) is where the Venezuelan capital Caracas is located.

Former

Argentina

The capital Buenos Aires used to be a Federal District but became an autonomous city in 1994.

Australia

The Jervis Bay Territory was given to the national government by New South Wales in 1915 so the capital could have access to the sea.

Mexico

The old Federal District became Mexico City in January 2016.