AP® Comparative Government and Politics review sheet from Aim for Five (aimforfive.com/comp-gov/units/1/1-7)
Unit 1 · Topic 1.7
1.7 Federal and Unitary Systems
In a unitary state, power sits at the center, which may choose to share some. In a federal state, the constitution divides power between national and regional governments. The UK, China and Iran are unitary; Mexico, Nigeria and Russia are federal on paper, though Russia is very centralized in practice.
Key terms
- unitary system
- federal system
- devolution
- subnational government
- federal districts
The two systems
In a unitary system the national government holds sovereignty. Local and regional governments exist, but they get their powers from the center, which can change or remove them. Unitary states can set the same policies across the whole country and often make decisions faster.
In a federal system the constitution itself divides power. Regional governments (states, republics, provinces) have powers the center can't take away by ordinary law. Federal states let regions run services like schools in their own way, while the center keeps national powers like defense. Federalism is common in large or diverse countries because it lets regions handle local matters and gives minorities a level of government they can control.
The six countries
| Country | System | Key details |
|---|---|---|
| UK | Unitary, with devolution | Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own bodies, but Parliament keeps final authority |
| China | Unitary | Provinces plus autonomous regions (like Tibet and Xinjiang) and special administrative regions (Hong Kong, Macau) |
| Iran | Unitary | 31 provinces; governors appointed by the central government; elected local councils since 1999 |
| Mexico | Federal | 31 states plus Mexico City, each with its own elected governor and legislature |
| Nigeria | Federal | 36 states plus the Federal Capital Territory (Abuja); states depend heavily on shared oil revenue |
| Russia | Federal in name, centralized in practice | Many regions of different types; presidential envoys oversee groups of regions called federal districts |
Practice vs. paper
Formal labels don't always match how power works. Russia's constitution sets up a federation, but since 2000 the Kremlin has pulled power back to the center. Groups of regions are watched by presidential envoys in federal districts (there have been eight since 2016, so older sources may give a different number), and from 2004 to 2012 governors were appointed rather than elected.
Nigeria is federal, but states get most of their money from the Federation Account, which shares out oil revenue collected nationally. That dependence gives the center a lot of leverage. Nigeria also has a federal character principle, which requires that federal jobs and appointments reflect the country's diversity.
China is unitary, yet Hong Kong kept its own legal and economic system under “one country, two systems” after 1997. A 2020 national security law, imposed from Beijing, sharply reduced that autonomy.
The UK is unitary, yet devolved bodies have real power. By convention, Parliament doesn't normally legislate on devolved matters without their consent, but courts can't enforce that convention.
The balance can shift either way over time, often in response to ethnic divisions or outside pressure. Nigeria created more states to answer ethnic demands, while Russia pulled power back after regional leaders gained a lot of it in the 1990s.
Common mistakes
- Calling the UK federal because Scotland has its own parliament. Devolved power can be changed by Westminster, so the UK is unitary.
- Assuming federal means decentralized. Russia is federal but highly centralized.
- Listing Iran as federal. Iran is unitary, with provinces run by appointed governors.
On the exam
- A favorite comparison: one unitary and one federal country, and why each fits its society. For example, Nigeria's federalism and state creation respond to ethnic and religious diversity.
- If a question asks about the advantages of federalism, mention managing diversity, testing policies locally and bringing government closer to citizens.
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Check yourself
5 questions on 1.7 Federal and Unitary Systems. Pick an answer to see if you got it, and why.
Which pair of course countries both have federal systems?
China has five autonomous regions, such as Tibet and Xinjiang, yet it is classified as a unitary state because
Russia's federal districts are best described as
In 1997, voters in Scotland and Wales approved referendums on creating their own elected bodies, and the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh assembly (now called the Senedd) first met in 1999. A Northern Ireland Assembly was set up under the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.
These bodies make laws on matters such as health and education in their areas, while Parliament in London keeps control of defense and foreign policy. All three were created by ordinary acts of Parliament, and Parliament remains legally sovereign.
Secondary-style passage written for this practice set
The arrangement described in the passage is best classified as
Which of the following most clearly distinguishes the UK's arrangement from Nigeria's system?
0 of 5 answered