General designation for any autonomous place within the sphere of a larger adminisrative entity. Specifically, the term is given to certain divisions within a nation that have a degree of independence, administer their own affairs, or are otherwise self-governing to some degree. In this context, the precise definition of "autonomous area" varies from nation to nation, and is assigned to the area by the nation rather than being assigned by an outside body. Examples of autonomous areas in this sense are in Russia.
