Designation given to certain regions within a nation that have a degree of independence, administer their own affairs, or are otherwise self-governing to some degree. The precise definition of "autonomous region" varies from nation to nation, and is typically assigned to the region by the nation, rather than being assigned by an outside body. Examples of autonomous regions are in China, Finland, Papua New Guinea, India, Iraq, Italy, Mexico, Greece, the Philippines, and several other places.
