Britannica
Sources used in this answer
- federal state: Top Questions
- constitutional law - The distinction between unitary and federal states
- political system - Federal systems
- constitutional law - Unitary states
- federal state
- federation
- constitutional law - Federal and semifederal states
- fiscal federalism
- political system - Regional and state government
Which countries use federalism as their form of government?
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federalism
A Venn diagram showing government powers under U.S. federalism.
Federalism is a form of government where power is divided between a national government and state or provincial governments, with a constitution defining each level's authority. Many countries utilize this system, including large nations like Russia, Canada, the United States, Brazil, Australia, India, and Argentina. Other examples include Austria, Belgium, Ethiopia, Germany, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela. The specific balance of power and structure can vary significantly among these federal states.123