A 'capital
territory' or 'capital
district' is normally a specially designated
administrative division where a
country's seat of
government is located. As such, in the
federal model of government, no one
state or territory takes pre-eminence because the national
capital lies within its
borders. A capital territory can be a specific form of
federal district.
A distinction should be made from administrative divisions which include national capitals, but have no special designated status legally (for example,
Île de France has no distinct quality from other regions of
France). Some federal countries (like
Belgium), give their national capitals the status as full, equal federal units.
Some federal countries have made no distinction administratively for the territory around the capital. A few federal countries have their national capitals located in the capital city of a federal state:
Sarajevo, the capital of
Bosnia and Herzegovina, is also the capital of the
Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, one of two federal units; and
Berne, the capital of
Switzerland, is the capital of the
Canton of Berne. Two national capitals are neither federal units, special capital districts, nor capitals of federal units:
Ottawa, the capital of
Canada, and
Palikir, the capital of the
Federated States of Micronesia.
The following have a special administrative district or territory for their national
capital cities:
Argentina
The ''Ciudad autónoma de
Buenos Aires'' is coterminous with the Argentine Federal District. In
1996, under the
1994 reform of the Argentine Constitution, the city gained autonomous status, and held its first mayoral elections. Buenos Aires is represented in the
Argentine Senate by three senators and in the
Argentine Chamber of Deputies by 25 national deputies.
Australia
The Australian federation contains two self-governing territories, the
Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and the
Northern Territory. The ACT was created as the Federal Capital Territory in
1910 specifically to house the federal capital,
Canberra. The goal was to avoid situating the new nation's capital in either New South Wales or Victoria, the two most populous states at the time of federation.
Although the ACT has
its own Chief Minister and
its own legislature, the
Federal Parliament retains the right to over-rule ACT legislation. The ACT Parliament acts as a municipal government for the city of Canberra. The
Governor-General of Australia exercises certain rights that in the states would be exercised by a state Governor, such as the power to issue writs for elections.
At a federal level, the ACT elects two members of the
House of Representatives and two
Senators. Both Senators are elected at every election for the Senate, unlike the States, who elect half of their senators at every normal Senate election.
Brazil
Brasília, the capital of
Brazil, is set within the
Brazilian Federal District or ''Distrito Federal''. The state includes several other cities. Brasília is a
planned city, with no pre-existing status prior to its establishment.
The Federal District is an anomalous unit of the federation, as it is not organized the same manner as a municipality, does not possess the same autonomy as a state (but is ranked among them) and is closely related to the central power.
The District Governor is elected directly for a 4-year term. Local laws are issued by a legislative assembly also elected by the local population. Judiciary affairs are carried out by the Union, instead of being appointed by the governor as in the other
states of Brazil. The district has the status of a federal state in many aspects. It has representatives both in the Lower House of Congress (
Câmara dos Deputados) and in the national
Senate.
The Brazilian federal government was transferred to the Distrito Federal in
April 21 1960, which was then split off from the state of
Goiás. Before the transfer, the Brazilian capital was the municipality of
Rio de Janeiro. After the transfer, the municipality of Rio de Janeiro became the
Estado da Guanabara (State of Guanabara), which existed from
1960 until
1975 when the State of Guanabara was merged into the State of
Rio de Janeiro.
Colombia
Main articles: Bogotá, Capital District
In Colombia the
Capital District of Bogotá, containing the city of
Bogotá was created as a Special District in
1955 by
Gustavo Rojas Pinilla. It was renamed "Capital District" in the
Colombian Constitution of 1991. The district is subdivided into 20 localities.
Dominican Republic
Main articles: Distrito Nacional
In Dominican Republic the
Nacional District of Santo Domingo, containing the city of
Santo Domingo de Guzman was created as a Special District in
1922. In 1844 it was the
Santo Domingo Province and then the constitution of the
Dominican Republic decided that the country needed the capital to be in a special district.
India
The
National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT) is a special
Union Territory of
India. The territory encompasses three statutory towns:
New Delhi (the capital of India),
Delhi and
Delhi Cantonment, along with 59 census towns and 165 villages.
The NCT was set up as a federally administered Union Territory on
November 11,
1956. In December
1991, the NCT was given a
legislative assembly headed by a
Chief Minister, a privilege that it shares only with one other union territory. The territory is not classified as a ''true'' Union territory, though the
Central government does have limited control over the functioning of the territory much like other Union territories. Delhi is to eventually become a full fledged state.
The NCT is unique in India in that the municipal control is handled by a locally elected government, while major areas like police, and administration are handled by the
central government.
Indonesia
In
Indonesia, the national capital Jakarta is within the ''Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta''
Jakarta Special Capital District.
Iraq
Baghdad, the capital of
Iraq, is contained within a
Special Capital District.
Malaysia
In
Malaysia, the ''national capital'' of
Kuala Lumpur lies within the
Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur (since 1974) while The ''Federal Government Administrative Centre'' of
Putrajaya, 40km to the south of KL lies within the Federal Territory of Putrajaya (since 2001). Both federal territories are enclaves within the State of
Selangor.
Mali
Bamako, the capital of
Mali, is contained within the Bamako Capital District.
Mexico
Mexican Federal District or ''Distrito Federal'' since 1824 is coterminous with
Mexico City. The D.F. is a federal district serving as the
capital of
Mexico and which is administered by the Mexican Federal Government. The D.F. encompasses the historical center of Mexico City, but is much larger than the historical municipality of Mexico City abolished in 1928. The urbanized area of Mexico City covers only the north of the D.F., while the south of the D.F. is made up of rural areas and mountains. Although the D.F. is not a municipality, the name "Ciudad de México" is used by Mexican authorities as a
synonym for the Distrito Federal (Federal District). Mexico City as a municipality was abolished in
1928, and the name "Mexico City" can now refer to two things.
According to the
Constitution of Mexico, Mexico City is the
Federal District, ''(
Distrito Federal)''. This is actually a fairly recent reform (dating from 1993) of Article 44 of the Constitution, and it was aimed at ending two centuries of quite sterile discussions (and occasional problems on
jurisdiction) about whether one concept engulfed the other or even if one of the two entities really had any legal existence in lieu of the other. The complete text of the aforementioned reform also states that Mexico City is the seat of the Powers of the Union (Executive, Legislative and Judicial) and capital of the United Mexican States.
Nigeria
Nigeria's capital
Abuja is located in the
Federal Capital Territory. The Territory was established in
1976, and the capital was formally moved from
Lagos (the historic capital) in
1991.
Niger
Niger's capital,
Niamey, comprises a capital district of Niger. It is surrounded by the
department of
Tillabéri.
North Korea
North Korea's capital city,
P'yŏng-yang, while traditionally located within
South P'yŏng-an Province, is currently seen as a "directly governed city" (''Chikalshi'' 직할시). For a time, P'yŏng-yang was considered a "special city" (''T'ŭkpyŏlshi'' 특별시), to make it equivalent to its
South Korean counterpart,
Seoul.
Pakistan
The capital of
Pakistan,
Islamabad, is a
planned city within the
Islamabad Capital Territory, which was created in
1960 out of the
Punjab Province. The Territory elects representatives to both houses of the legislature.
Before Islamabad was made the capital,
Karachi was located in the
Federal Capital Territory, which later reverted to the
Sindh Province.
Papua New Guinea
Port Moresby, the capital of
Papua New Guinea has been contained with in the
National Capital District of Papua New Guinea since the country achieved independence in
1975.
South Korea
South Korea's capital city,
Seoul, while traditionally located within
Kyŏnggi Province, is currently seen as a "special city" (''Teukbyeolsi''/''T'ŭkpyŏlshi'' 특별시). Seoul's current
mayor is seen as the equivalent of any provincial
governor.
United States
The
seat of the
United States federal government in
Washington is a federal district known as the
District of Columbia. When created in
1790, the district included the City of Washington and the towns of
Georgetown and
Alexandria, along with some unincorporated land. The area developed, and in 1878, the
U.S. Congress passed the
Organic Act that made the boundaries of the city of Washington coterminous with those of the District of Columbia.
The District of Columbia and the City of Washington are run by an elected
mayor and
city council. However, the U.S. Congress has the ultimate plenary power over the district. It has the right to review and overrule laws created locally and has often done so.
District residents pay federal
taxes and are represented by a single non-voting member of Congress.
Venezuela
Venezuelan Capital District /
Metropolitan District of Caracas since
2000.
See also
★
Federal territory
★
Federal district
العربية
中国
Français
Deutsch
Ελληνική
हिन्दी
Italiano
日本語
Português
Русский
Español
