Unitary state

{{Short description|State with a supreme central government}} [[File:Map of unitary and federal states.svg|thumb|upright=1.7|De jure map of the world{{legend|#0000b0;|Unitary states}} {{legend|#00e000;|Federal states}}]] thumb|upright=1.7|The spectrum of regional integration or separation

A '''unitary state''' is a sovereign state governed as a single entity in which the central government is the supreme authority. The central government may create or abolish administrative divisions (sub-national or sub-state units). Such units exercise only the powers that the central government chooses to delegate. Although political power may be delegated through devolution to regional or local governments by statute, the central government may alter the statute, to override the decisions of devolved governments or expand their powers.

The modern unitary state concept originated in France; in the aftermath of the Hundred Years' War, national feelings that emerged from the war unified France. The war accelerated the process of transforming France from a feudal monarchy to a unitary state. The French then later spread unitary states by conquests, throughout Europe during and after the Napoleonic Wars, and to the world through the vast French colonial empire.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Holmes |first1=Urban T. Jr. |url=https://www.questia.com/read/82238646 |url-status=dead |title=A History of the French Language |last2=Schutz |first2=Alexander Herman |date=1948 |publisher=Harold L. Hedrick |edition=revised |location=Columbus, OH |author-link=Urban T. Holmes Jr. |author-link2=:de:Alexander Herman Schutz |name-list-style=amp |page=61 }}</ref>{{New archival link needed|date=April 2026}} Presently, prefects remain an illustration of the French unitary state system, as the representatives of the State in each department, tasked with upholding central government policies.

Unitary states stand in contrast to federations, also known as ''federal states''. A large majority of the UN member countries, 166 out of 193, have a unitary system of government, while significant population and land mass is under some kind of federation.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.un.org/en/sections/issues-depth/democracy/index.html |title=Democracy |date=2015-11-20 |website=United Nations |access-date=2019-02-22 |archive-date=2021-02-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210213090624/https://www.un.org/en/sections/issues-depth/democracy/index.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== Devolution compared with federalism == A unitary system of government can be considered to be the opposite of federalism. In federations, the provincial/regional governments share powers with the central government as equal actors through a written constitution, to which the consent of both is required to make amendments. This means that the sub-national units have a right to existence and powers that cannot be unilaterally changed by the central government.<ref name="pg">{{cite journal |last1=Ghai |first1=Yash |last2=Regan |first2=Anthony J. |date=September 2006 |title=Unitary state, devolution, autonomy, secession: State building and nation building in Bougainville, Papua New Guinea |journal=The Round Table |volume=95 |issue=386 |pages=589–608 |doi=10.1080/00358530600931178 |s2cid=153980559 |issn=0035-8533|url=https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar//handle/123456789/21028 }}</ref>

== List of current unitary sovereign states == ''Italics'': States with limited recognition from other sovereign states or intergovernmental organizations.

===Unitary republics=== {{colbegin|colwidth=20em}} * ''{{flag|Abkhazia}}'' * {{flagcountry|Albania}} * {{flagcountry|Algeria}} * {{flagcountry|Angola}} * {{flagcountry|Armenia}} * {{flagcountry|Azerbaijan}} * {{flag|Bangladesh}}<ref name="WorldAtlas">{{cite web |url=https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-is-a-unitary-state.html |title=What is a Unitary State? |website=WorldAtlas |date=August 2017 |access-date=2019-02-22}}</ref> * {{flag|Barbados}}<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Faulconbridge|first1=Guy|last2=Ellsworth|first2=Brian|date=2021-11-30|title=Barbados ditches Britain's Queen Elizabeth to become a republic|language=en|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/prince-charles-travels-barbados-celebrate-creation-republic-2021-11-29/|access-date=2021-11-30}}</ref> * {{flag|Belarus}} * {{flag|Benin}} * {{flag|Bolivia}} * {{flag|Botswana}} * {{flag|Bulgaria}} * {{flag|Burkina Faso}} * {{flag|Burundi}} * {{flag|Cameroon}} * {{flag|Cabo Verde}} * {{flag|Central African Republic}} * {{flag|Chad}} * {{flag|Chile}} * {{flag|People's Republic of China}} * {{flag|Colombia}} * {{flag|Democratic Republic of the Congo}}<ref name="WorldAtlas" /> * {{flag|Republic of the Congo}} * {{flag|Costa Rica}} * {{flag|Croatia}} * {{flag|Cuba}} * {{flag|Cyprus}} * ''{{flag|Northern Cyprus}}'' * {{flag|Czech Republic}} * {{flag|Djibouti}} * {{flag|Dominica}} * {{flag|Dominican Republic}} * {{flag|East Timor}} * {{flag|Ecuador}} * {{flag|Egypt}} * {{flag|El Salvador}} * {{flag|Equatorial Guinea}} * {{flag|Eritrea}} * {{flag|Estonia}} * {{flag|Fiji}} * {{flag|Finland}} * {{flag|France}} * {{flag|Gabon}} * {{flag|Gambia}} * {{flag|Georgia}} * {{flag|Ghana}} * {{flag|Greece}} * {{flag|Guatemala}}<ref name="WorldAtlas" /> * {{flag|Guinea}} * {{flag|Guinea-Bissau}} * {{flag|Guyana}} * {{flag|Haiti}}<ref name="WorldAtlas" /> * {{flag|Honduras}} * {{flag|Hungary}} * {{flag|Iceland}}<ref name="WorldAtlas" /> * {{flag|Indonesia}}<ref name="WorldAtlas" /> * {{flag|Ireland}} * {{flag|Israel}} * {{flag|Italy}}<ref name="WorldAtlas" /> * {{flag|Côte d'Ivoire}} * {{flag|Kazakhstan}}<ref name="WorldAtlas" /> * {{flag|Kenya}}<ref name="WorldAtlas" /> * {{flag|Kiribati}} * {{flag|North Korea}} * {{flag|South Korea}} * ''{{flag|Kosovo}}'' * {{flag|Kyrgyzstan}} * {{flag|Laos}} * {{flag|Latvia}} * {{flag|Lebanon}} * {{flag|Liberia}} * {{flag|Libya}} * {{flag|Lithuania}} * {{flag|Madagascar}} * {{flag|Malawi}} * {{flag|Maldives}} * {{flag|Mali}} * {{flag|Malta}} * {{flag|Marshall Islands}} * {{flag|Mauritania}} * {{flag|Mauritius}} * {{flag|Moldova}} * {{flag|Mongolia}} * {{flag|Montenegro}} * {{flag|Mozambique}} * {{flag|Myanmar}} * {{flag|Namibia}} * {{flag|Nauru}} * {{flag|Nicaragua}} * {{flag|Niger}} * {{flag|North Macedonia}} * {{flag|Palau}} * ''{{flag|Palestine}}'' * {{flag|Panama}} * {{flag|Paraguay}} * {{flag|Peru}} * {{flag|Philippines}}<ref name="WorldAtlas" /> * {{flag|Poland}} * {{flag|Portugal}} * {{flag|Romania}} * {{flag|Rwanda}} * ''{{flag|Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic}}'' * {{flag|Samoa}} * {{flag|San Marino}} * {{flag|São Tomé and Príncipe}} * {{flag|Senegal}} * {{flag|Serbia}} * {{flag|Seychelles}} * {{flag|Sierra Leone}} * {{flag|Singapore}} * {{flag|Slovakia}} * {{flag|Slovenia}} * ''{{flag|Somaliland}}'' * {{flag|South Africa}} * ''{{flag|South Ossetia}}'' * {{flag|Sri Lanka}} * {{flag|Suriname}} * {{flag|Syria}} * ''{{flag|Republic of China (Taiwan)}}''<ref>See also Political status of Taiwan, two Chinas and Cross-Strait relations.</ref> * {{flag|Tajikistan}} * {{flag|Tanzania}} * {{flag|Togo}} * ''{{flag|Transnistria}}'' * {{flag|Trinidad and Tobago}} * {{flag|Tunisia}} * {{flag|Turkey}} * {{flag|Turkmenistan}} * {{flag|Uganda}}<ref name="WorldAtlas" /> * {{flag|Ukraine}} * {{flag|Uruguay}} * {{flag|Uzbekistan}} * {{flag|Vanuatu}} * {{flag|Vietnam}} * {{flag|Yemen}} * {{flag|Zambia}} * {{flag|Zimbabwe}} {{colend}}

===Unitary monarchies=== The United Kingdom is an example of a unitary state. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have a degree of autonomous devolved power, but such power is delegated by the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which may enact laws unilaterally altering or abolishing devolution. Similarly in Spain, the devolved powers are delegated through the central government.

{{colbegin|colwidth=20em}} * {{flag|Andorra}} * {{flag|Antigua and Barbuda}} * {{flag|Bahamas}} * {{flag|Bahrain}} * {{flag|Belize}} * {{flag|Bhutan}} * {{flag|Brunei Darussalam}} * {{flag|Cambodia}} * {{flag|Kingdom of Denmark}}<ref name="WorldAtlas" /> * {{flag|Eswatini}} * {{flag|Grenada}} * {{flag|Jamaica}} * {{flag|Japan}}<ref name="WorldAtlas" /> * {{flag|Jordan}} * {{flag|Kuwait}} * {{flag|Lesotho}} * {{flag|Liechtenstein}} * {{flag|Luxembourg}} * {{flag|Monaco}} * {{flag|Morocco}}<ref name="WorldAtlas" /> * {{flag|Kingdom of the Netherlands}}<ref>{{cite book |last=Habben Jansen |first=Eddy |date=2021 |title=Nederlandse politiek voor Dummies |location=Amersfoort |edition=2nd |publisher=BBNC Uitgevers |isbn=978-90-453-5791-1 |language=nl |trans-title=Dutch politics for dummies |page=18}}</ref> * {{flag|New Zealand}}<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |url=http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/nation-and-government/page-2 |title=Story: Nation and government – From colony to nation |publisher=Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage |encyclopedia=The Encyclopedia of New Zealand |date=29 August 2013 |access-date=19 April 2014}}</ref> * {{flag|Kingdom of Norway}} * {{flag|Oman}} * {{flag|Papua New Guinea}}<ref name="pg" /> * {{flag|Qatar}} * {{flag|Saint Lucia}} * {{flag|Saint Vincent and the Grenadines}} * {{flag|Saudi Arabia}} * {{flag|Solomon Islands}} * {{flag|Spain}} * {{flag|Kingdom of Sweden}} * {{flag|Thailand}} * {{flag|Tonga}} * {{flag|Tuvalu}} * {{flag|United Kingdom}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www2.rgu.ac.uk/publicpolicy/introduction/uk.htm |title=Social policy in the UK |publisher=Robert Gordon University – Aberdeen Business School |work=An introduction to Social Policy |date= June 30, 2014 |first1=Paul |last1=Spicker |access-date=19 April 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140704080747/http://www2.rgu.ac.uk/publicpolicy/introduction/uk.htm |archive-date=4 July 2014}}</ref><ref name="WorldAtlas" /> * {{flag|Vatican City}} {{colend}}

===Unitary states with a unique form of government=== * {{flag|Afghanistan}} (theocracy)<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gul |first1=Ayaz |title=Taliban Say They Will Use Parts of Monarchy Constitution to Run Afghanistan for Now |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/taliban-say-they-will-use-parts-of-monarchy-constitution-to-run-afghanistan-for-now/6248880.html |access-date=21 October 2022 |work=Voice of America |date=28 September 2021 |location=Islamabad, Pakistan |quote=The Taliban said Tuesday they plan to temporarily enact articles from Afghanistan's 1964 constitution that are 'not in conflict with Islamic Sharia (law)' to govern the country.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Constitution of Afghanistan = Assasi Qanun (1964) |url=https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1005&context=afghanenglish |publisher=University of Nebraska-Omaha |access-date=21 October 2022 |quote=Afghanistan is a Constitutional Monarchy; an independent, unitary and indivisible state.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=George |first1=Susannah |title=Inside the Taliban campaign to forge a religious emirate |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/interactive/2023/afghanistan-taliban-islamic-law-rights/ |access-date=19 February 2023 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=18 February 2023 |url-access=subscription }}</ref> * {{flag|Iran}} (theocracy with a presidential republic)

== List of former unitary states == * {{flagicon|Belgium|1830}}{{flag|Belgium}} (1830–1993) * {{flagicon|Brazil|1822}} Brazil (1822–1889) * {{flagicon|Bosnia and Herzegovina|1992}} Bosnia and Herzegovina (1992–1995) * {{flagicon|Comoros|1963}}{{flag|Comoros|1975}} (1975–1978) * {{flagicon|Ethiopia|1897}}{{flagicon|Ethiopia|1975}}{{flagicon|Ethiopia|1987}}{{flag|Ethiopia|1991}} (1270–1995) * {{flagicon|Germany|1933}}{{flagicon|Germany|1935}} Germany (1934-1945) * {{flagicon|Iraq|1924}}{{flagicon|Iraq|1959}}{{flagicon|Iraq|1963}}{{flagicon|Iraq|1991}}{{flag|Iraq|2004}} (1932–2005) * {{flagicon|Nepal|1856}}{{flagicon|Nepal|1930}}{{flag|Nepal}} (1768–2008) *{{flagicon|Republic of Texas|1836}}{{flag|Republic of Texas}} (1836–1846) * {{flag|Somalia}} (1960–2004)

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == * [https://www.britannica.com/topic/unitary-state Unitary state] at the ''Encyclopædia Britannica''

{{DEFAULTSORT:Unitary State}} Category:Constitutional state types Category:Political geography Category:Unitary state