View source for Social:Federal republic

{{Short description|Federation of states or territories with a republican form of government}}
{{Forms of government}}

A '''federal republic''' is a [[Social:Federation|federation]] of [[Social:Federated state|states]] with a [[Social:Republic|republic]]an form of government.<ref>{{cite web|title=republic|url=http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/republic}}</ref> At its core, the literal meaning of the word republic when used to reference a form of government means: "a country that is governed by elected representatives and by an elected leader (such as a president) rather than by a monarch".

In a federal republic, a [[Philosophy:Separation of powers|division of powers]] exists between the federal government and the government of the individual subdivisions. While each federal republic manages this division of powers differently, common matters relating to security and defense, and monetary policy are usually handled at the federal level, while matters such as infrastructure maintenance and education policy are usually handled at the regional or local level. However, views differ on what issues should be a federal competence, and subdivisions usually have sovereignty in some matters where the federal government does not have jurisdiction. A federal republic is thus best defined in contrast to a [[Earth:Unitary state|unitary republic]], whereby the central government has complete sovereignty over all aspects of political life. This more decentralized structure helps to explain the tendency for more populous countries to operate as federal republics.<ref>[[Organization:Forum of Federations|Forum of Federations]]: [http://www.forumfed.org/libdocs/FedCountries/FC-USA.pdf], Schram, Sanford. Handbook of Federal Countries: United States, pg 373–391, 2005.</ref> Most federal republics codify the division of powers between orders of government in a written constitutional document.

The political differences between a federal republic and other [[Social:Federation|federal states]], especially [[Social:Federal monarchy|federal monarchies]] under a [[Social:Parliamentary system|parliamentary system]] of government, are largely a matter of legal form rather than political substance, as most federal states are democratic in structure if not practice with [[Philosophy:Separation of powers#Checks and balances|checks and balances]]. However, some federal monarchies, such as the [[Place:United Arab Emirates|United Arab Emirates]] are based upon principles other than democracy.

Otherwise, federal states primarily contrast with [[Earth:Unitary state|unitary state]]s, where the central government retains many of the powers that are delegated to the subdivisions in federal republics. While there are exceptions, the overall tendency is for federal republics to be larger, more populous, and more internally heterogeneous than unitary states, with such larger size and internal heterogeneity being more manageable in a federal system than in a unitary one.

==Contemporary==

{| border="2" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;" class="wikitable sortable"
!Country!!Official name and style!![[Place:Administrative division|Administrative division]]s!!Form of government!![[Social:Head of state|Head of state]]!![[Social:Head of government|Head of government]]
|-
|{{flag|Argentina}}
| Argentine Republic
|Provinces (23) and  autonomous city (1)
|[[Social:Presidential system|Presidential system]]
|colspan="2" |<div style="text-align: center;">Javier Milei</div>
|-
|{{flag|Austria}}<ref>CIA World Factbook: [https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/austria/ Austria], 14 May 2009</ref>
|Republic of Austria
|States (9)
|[[Social:Parliamentary republic|Parliamentary republic]]
|[[Biography:Alexander Van der Bellen|Alexander Van der Bellen]]
|Karl Nehammer
|-
|{{flag|Bosnia and Herzegovina}}<ref>CIA World Factbook: [https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/bosnia-and-herzegovina/ Bosnia and Herzegovina], 14 May 2009</ref>
|Bosnia and Herzegovina
|Entities (2) and self-governing district (1)
|[[Social:Parliamentary republic|Parliamentary republic]]
|Željka Cvijanović<br>Denis Bećirović<br>Željko Komšić
|Borjana Krišto
|-
|{{flag|Brazil}}<ref>CIA World Factbook: [https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/brazil/ Brazil], 14 May 2009</ref>
|Federative Republic of Brazil
|States (26) and federal district (1)
|[[Social:Presidential system|Presidential system]]
|colspan="2" |<div style="text-align: center;">Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva</div>
|- 
|{{flag|Comoros}}
|Union of the Comoros
|Autonomous islands (3)
|[[Social:Presidential system|Presidential system]]
|colspan="2" |<div style="text-align: center;">Azali Assoumani</div>
|-
|{{flag|Ethiopia}}<ref>CIA World Factbook: [https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/ethiopia/ Ethiopia], 14 May 2009</ref>
|Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
|Regions (10) and chartered cities (2)
|[[Social:Parliamentary republic|Parliamentary republic]]
|Sahle-Work Zewde
|[[Biography:Abiy Ahmed|Abiy Ahmed]]
|-
|{{flag|Germany}}<ref>CIA World Factbook: [https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/germany/ Germany], 14 May 2009</ref>
|Federal Republic of Germany
|States (16)
|[[Social:Parliamentary republic|Parliamentary republic]]
|Frank-Walter Steinmeier
|Olaf Scholz
|-
|{{flag|India}}<ref>CIA World Factbook: [https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/india/ India], 14 May 2009</ref>
|Republic of India
|States (28) and union territories (8)
|[[Social:Parliamentary republic|Parliamentary republic]]
|Droupadi Murmu
|Narendra Modi
|- 
|{{flag|Iraq}}
|Republic of Iraq
|Governorates (19)
|[[Social:Parliamentary republic|Parliamentary republic]]
|Abdul Latif Rashid
|Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani
|-
|{{flag|Mexico}}<ref>CIA World Factbook: [https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/mexico/ Mexico], 14 May 2009</ref>
|United Mexican States
|States (31) and autonomous entity (1)
|[[Social:Presidential system|Presidential system]]
|colspan="2" |<div style="text-align: center;">Andrés Manuel López Obrador</div>
|- 
|{{flag|Micronesia}}
|Federated States of Micronesia
|States (4)
|[[Social:Presidential system|Presidential system]]
|colspan="2" |<div style="text-align: center;">David W. Panuelo</div>
|-
|{{flag|Nepal}}<ref>CIA World Factbook: [https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/nepal/ Nepal], 14 May 2009</ref>
|Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal<ref>{{Cite web |title=UNTERM |url=https://unterm.un.org/unterm/display/record/unhq/na/3922e336-a0f8-4780-b597-d9485555160e |access-date=2022-07-03 |website=unterm.un.org}}</ref>
|Provinces (7)
|[[Social:Parliamentary republic|Parliamentary republic]]
|Ram Chandra Poudel
|Pushpa Kamal Dahal
|-
|{{flag|Nigeria}}<ref>CIA World Factbook: [https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/nigeria/ Nigeria], 14 May 2009</ref>
|Federal Republic of Nigeria
|States (36) and federal territory (1)
|[[Social:Presidential system|Presidential system]]
|colspan="2" |<div style="text-align: center;">Muhammadu Buhari</div>
|-
|{{flag|Pakistan}}<ref>CIA World Factbook: [https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/pakistan/ Pakistan], 14 May 2009</ref>
|Islamic Republic of Pakistan
|Provinces (4), autonomous territories (2) and federal territory (1)
|[[Social:Parliamentary republic|Parliamentary republic]]
|Arif Alvi
|Shehbaz Sharif
|- 
|{{flag|Russia}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Russia_2014|title=Text of the Russian constitution in English|publisher=Constituteproject.org}}</ref> 
|Russian Federation 
|Federal subjects (85)
|[[Social:Semi-presidential system|Semi-presidential system]]
|Vladimir Putin
|Mikhail Mishustin
|-
|{{flag|Somalia}}
|Federal Republic of Somalia
|Federal member states (6)
|[[Social:Parliamentary republic|Parliamentary republic]]
|Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed (acting)
|Hamza Abdi Barre
|- 
|{{flag|South Sudan}}
|Republic of South Sudan
|States (10), administrative areas (2) and area with special administrative status (1)
|[[Social:Presidential system|Presidential system]]
|colspan="2" |<div style="text-align: center;">Salva Kiir Mayardit</div>
|- 
|{{flag|Sudan}}
|Republic of the Sudan
|States (18)
|''Provisional government''
|Abdel Fattah al-Burhan
|Osman Hussein
|-
|{{flag|Switzerland}}<ref>CIA World Factbook: [https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/switzerland/ Switzerland], 14 May 2009</ref>
|Swiss Confederation
|Cantons (26)
|Directorial [[Social:Parliamentary republic|Parliamentary republic]]
|colspan="2" |<div style="text-align: center;">Federal Council (2023):
<br>-Alain Berset
<br>-Ignazio Cassis
<br>-Albert Rösti
<br>-Élisabeth Baume-Schneider
<br>-Guy Parmelin
<br>-Karin Keller-Sutter
<br>-Viola Amherd
</div>
|-
|{{flag|United States}}<ref>CIA World Factbook: [https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/united-states/ United States], 14 May 2009</ref>
|United States of America
|States (50), federal district (1) and territories (14), nine of which are uninhabited.
|[[Social:Presidential system|Presidential system]]
|colspan="2" |<div style="text-align: center;">Joe Biden</div>
|-
|{{flag|Venezuela}}<ref>CIA World Factbook: [https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/venezuela/ Venezuela], 14 May 2009</ref>
|Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
|States (23) and capital district (1)
|[[Social:Presidential system|Presidential system]]
|colspan="2" |<div style="text-align: center;">Nicolás Maduro</div>
|-
|}

==Historical==
{| border="2" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;"
!Country!!Official name and style!!Period of federal form of government!!Administrative divisions
|-
|{{flagicon image|Chorągiew królewska króla Zygmunta III Wazy.svg}} Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth|| Serenissima Res Publica Poloniae ||1569–1795||Provinces and Voivodeships
|-
|{{flag|Dutch Republic}} || Republic of the Seven United Netherlands|| 1581–1795 ||Provinces
|-
|{{flagicon image|Flag of Canton of Valais (1628–1802).svg}} Valais || Republic of the Seven Tithings || 1613–1798 ||
|-
|{{flag|Gran Colombia}} || Republic of Colombia|| 1819–1831||
|-
|{{flagicon image|Flag of the Federal Republic of Central America.svg}} Federal Republic of Central America || Federal Republic of Central America|| 1823–1838|| 
|-
|{{flagicon image|Flag of New Granada.svg}} Granadine Confederation|| Granadine Confederation || 1858–1863 ||
|-
|{{flagicon image|Flag of Colombia.svg}} United States of Colombia|| United States of Colombia || 1863–1886 || States
|-
|{{flagicon image|Flag of the First Spanish Republic.svg}} [[Place:First Spanish Republic|First Spanish Republic]]|| Spanish Republic || 1873-1874 || [[Social:Cantonal rebellion|Cantons]]
|-
|{{flagicon image|Flag of China (1912–1928).svg}} Republic of China || Republic of China|| 1912–1928 || Provinces
|-
|{{flagicon image|Flag of the Mountain Republic.svg}} [[Place:Mountainous Republic of the Northern Caucasus|Mountainous Republic of the Northern Caucasus]] || Mountainous Republic of the Northern Caucasus || 1917–1922||[[Social:Republic|Republic]]s
|-
|{{flag|Weimar Republic}} || German Reich || 1919–1933 || [[Place:List of historic states of Germany#States of Weimar Germany|States]]
|-
| {{flag|East Germany|name=East Germany}} || German Democratic Republic || 1949–1990 || States
|-
| {{flagcountry|USSR}}{{efn|Nominally a federal union of multiple national republics; in practice its government and economy were highly centralized until its final years.}} || Union of Soviet Socialist Republics || 1922–1991 || Republics
|-
| {{flag|Yugoslavia}}<ref name=CIA1991>{{Cite web |url=http://permanent.access.gpo.gov/lps35389/1991/world91b.txt |title=The CIA World Factbook officially dated October 15, 1991 |access-date=2011-02-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511092520/http://permanent.access.gpo.gov/lps35389/1991/world91b.txt |archive-date=2011-05-11 |url-status=dead }}</ref> || Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia (1945–1963)<br/>Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (1963–1992)|| 1945–1992 || Republics
|-
|{{flag|Serbia and Montenegro}} || Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (1992-2003)
State Union of Serbia and Montenegro (2003-2006)
| 1992–2006||Constituent republics
|-
|{{flag|Burma|1948}} || Union of Burma || 1948–1962 || States
|-
|{{flag|Indonesia}} || Republic of the United States of Indonesia || 1949–1950{{efn|The states lived on until a final treaty in 1956 in which Republic of South Maluku and the State of Eastern Sumatra agreed to devolve into the Republic of Indonesia.}} ||[[Social:Federated state|States]]
|-
|{{flag|Cameroon|1961}} || Federal Republic of Cameroon|| 1961–1972 ||
|-
|{{flag|Czechoslovak Socialist Republic}}<ref name=CIA1991/> || Czechoslovak Republic (1948–1960)<br/>Czechoslovak Socialist Republic (1960–1990) || 1969–1990 || Republics
|-
|{{flagicon image|Flag of the Czech Republic.svg}} Czech and Slovak Federative Republic|| Czech and Slovak Federative Republic ||1990–1992|| Republics
|}

==See also==
* Form of government
* List of republics
* [[Social:Federal monarchy|Federal monarchy]]

== Notes ==
{{notes}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Autonomous types of first-tier administration}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Federal republic}}
[[Category:Federalism|Republic]]

{{Sourceattribution|Federal republic}}