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 1911 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, which 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 article: 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 article: 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

Further information: Regions of 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

•  • [ e] Types of country subdivision

Administrative division   Political division   Census division   Electoral division Contemporary Amt Arrondissement Bailiwick Bakhsh Baladiyah Banner Autonomous banner Barangay Bairro Barrio Bezirk / Regierungsbezirk Block Borough County borough Metropolitan borough Capital Federal capital Canton Census division Census geographic unit Census metropolitan area Census subdivision Circle Circuit City Autonomous city Independent city Co-Principality Colony Comarca Commonwealth Commune Comune Community Autonomous community Residential community Condominium Constituency County Administrative county Autonomous county Metropolitan county Council Croft Department Dependent territory Federal dependency District Autonomous district Capital district City district Federal district Metropolitan district Municipal district Division Dara Duchy Eldership Frazione Freguesia Governorate Hamlet Insular area Judeţ Local administrative unit Local government area Liwa Localit Municipality District municipality Regional municipality Regional county municipality Rural municipality Neighbourhood Oblast Okrug Ostān Parish Civil parish Periphery Prefecture Autonomous prefecture Principality Protectorate Province Autonomous province Quarter Regency Region Autonomous region Capital region Special administrative region Republic Autonomous republic Ranchera Reservation Indian reserve Shabiyah Shahr Shahrestān Shire State Subdistrict Subprefecture Suzerainty Taluka Tehsil Territory Autonomous territorial unit Capital territory Union territory National territory Town Townland Township Civil township Urban (urbanized) area Village Vingtaine Voivodeship Wilayah Ward Historical Agency Barony Burgh Cantref City-State Commote Free Imperial City Hundred Imperial Circle Imperial province March Pargana Presidency Residency Riding Rural district Sanitary district (rural urban) Urban district Viscounty Viscountcy Boldface indicates a type used by ten or more countries; loanwords in italics.