Federal subjects of Russia

The federal structure of Russia provides in addition to the state level, 85 subjects of the federation (including the internationally controversial classification of the located on the Crimean peninsula Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol city federal Ranges ) with varying degree of autonomy, which in turn are grouped into nine federal districts. With the end of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the incorporation of Russia within the borders of the Russian Federation initially remained largely intact since 2005, however, came several times to reform and changes in the subject structure.

Federal districts

At the federal districts it is not an additional or even the highest federal level directly above or beside federal subjects, but an additional administrative structure: Each federal district is headed by a appointed by the President of the Russian Federation of personal and authorized representative of a control function on the exerts heads of the federal subjects (usually called governor or president ). Historical model are those of Peter I in 1708 introduced eight provinces that were, however, decreased with increasing population growth over time in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The tasks of the newly created in 2000, president's representative in the federal districts include the enforcement of government policies, including the personnel policy of the President, the coordination of the federal bodies in the regions, the contribution to the regional bodies of power, the enforcement of President decrees and disciplinary complaints.

Subjects of the federation

Russia's 85 federal subjects strongly differ from each other in terms of their population and geographical size, its resources occurrence and the level of their economic development. The regional development strategies in Russia, therefore, focused on the compensation policy. For a transfer system between the central government and the regions was created.

According to the constitution, all regions are equal members of the Russian Federation. In reality, however, there are differences. Republics are ranked higher because they have a constitution, the other regions have only a statute.

Among the subjects of the federation include:

  • 21 republics. These have their own constitution and legislation within the Russian Federation and have the highest degree of internal autonomy. Republics have been built for the larger non-Russian peoples. Except Tatarstan and Chechnya all republics have signed the Federation Treaty of 31 March 1992 with Russia.
  • 1 autonomous oblast ( Awtonomnaja Oblast, Jewish Autonomous Oblast only )
  • 4 autonomous counties ( Awtonomny Okrug )
  • 9 regions ( Krai )
  • 46 regions ( oblast)
  • Two cities with subject status ( Moscow, St. Petersburg)

Tasks and competences at regional level

The distribution of power between the central government and the regions defined in the Constitution of the Russian Federation. The federal level has about 700 areas of responsibility while remaining after the centralization reforms under President Putin from 2000 to 2008 around 50 areas of competence in the regions. The reforms related to the enforcement of federal law by the cancellation of regional acts and the legal and technical supervision over the regional governors and parliaments.

The central government is responsible solely for defense, customs and foreign policy. In other areas, such as land ownership and use of land, raw materials, water and other resources in the health system and the tax system, the central government and the regional authorities are jointly responsible. Among the common powers the Constitution gives little information about the distribution of power between the central government and the regions. Practically, this means that these tasks are performed by the central government. In principle, the regions may decide in the context of national tax law on income and expenditure. The revenues of the regions do not coincide but often their expenditure needs, so that many regions of the central government transfer payments depend. The Regions may issue debt securities. The regions may powers that are neither exclusively the central government were transferred be exercised jointly by the central government and the regions, exercise alone.

All subjects of the federation after federal districts

Note: The numbers in the table correspond to those in the map.

Changes the subject structure at the federal level

Performed reforms

  • The Perm region was created on 1 December 2005 from the previous Perm Oblast and the Autonomous District of the Komi - Permyaks. These were the first region merging since 1993.
  • The Autonomous counties of the Evenki and Taimyr were January 1, 2007 incorporated in the Krasnoyarsk region ( referendum of 17 April 2005).
  • The Kamchatka Oblast and Koryak Autonomous District of the form 1 July 2007 the new region of Kamchatka ( referendum on 23 October 2005, 85 percent of the population of the two subjects of the federation agreed to ).
  • On 1 January 2008, the Autonomous District of Ust- Ordynsker Buryat was incorporated in the Irkutsk Oblast ( referendum of 16 April 2006).
  • On 1 March 2008, the Autonomous District of the Buryat Aginer and the Oblast Chita to Transbaikalia region combined (Russian Забайкальский край, Zabaikalsky krai) ( referendum of 11 March 2007).
  • In March 2014, the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol Russia joined. Your membership is disputed internationally.

Planned reforms

  • Integration of the Jewish Autonomous Oblast in the Khabarovsk region.
  • Merger of the Arkhangelsk Oblast and the Nenets Autonomous Okrug.
  • Merger of the Buryat Republic to the region Transbaikalia to a new region Baikal ( Baikalsky krai)
  • Merger of Kemerovo Oblast, the Altai region and the Altai Republic.
  • Merger of the oblasts Novosibirsk, Omsk and Tomsk.
  • Merger of the Tyumen Oblast and the Autonomous circles the Khanty-Mansi and Yamal -Nenets region of Tyumen ( Tjumenski krai).
  • Inclusion of the city of Moscow in the Moscow Oblast.
  • Inclusion of the city of Saint Petersburg in the Leningrad Oblast.

Rajon

Below the regional level is differentiated in Russia between Rajons and communities. The Rajons roughly correspond to the German districts, Austrian or Swiss political districts districts. In Rajons and communities are not separate political levels but only two levels of government, with the Rajons available through the municipalities.

According to Article 12 of the Constitution, municipalities have the right to self-government and shall make decisions regarding the management of municipal property, the preparation and implementation of the municipal budget and the establishment of local taxes and duties independently. The financial resources are provided for issues of local importance, eg the maintenance of municipal housing property.

Autonomous Republic of Crimea Guberniya Kraj Republic of Karelia Komi Republic Dagestan Karachay-Cherkessia Buryatia Khakassia Stavropol Krai Zabaykalsky Krai Vologda Oblast Pskov Oblast Vladimir Oblast Voronezh Oblast Oryol Oblast Ryazan Oblast Smolensk Oblast Tambov Oblast Tula Oblast Volgograd Oblast Rostov Oblast Orenburg Oblast Penza Oblast Samara Oblast Saratov Oblast Ulyanovsk Oblast Sverdlovsk Oblast Chelyabinsk Oblast Omsk Oblast Tomsk Oblast Sakhalin Oblast Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug Chukotka Autonomous Okrug Evenk Autonomous Okrug Taymyr Autonomous Okrug Chita Oblast Raion Central Federal District Autonomous okrugs of Russia Albania#Administrative divisions Administrative divisions of Germany Administrative divisions of France Administrative divisions of Latvia Administrative divisions of Ukraine Administrative divisions of Hungary Administrative divisions of Georgia (country) Administrative divisions of the Maldives Provinces of Mongolia Administrative units of Pakistan
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