An autonomous region refers to an area within a sovereign state that has been granted some degree of self-governance and decision-making power over local affairs while still acknowledging the authority of the central government.
Related terms
Devolution: The transfer of certain powers from a central government to regional or local governments.
Decentralization: The distribution of power away from central authorities towards regional or local governments.
Federation: A political system where power is divided between a central government and several regional entities with varying degrees of autonomy.