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{{short description|Government of a country subdivision in a federal form of government}}
{{globalize|date=August 2017}}
A '''state government''' is the [[government]] that controls a [[country subdivision|subdivision]] of a [[country]] in a [[federation|federal]] [[form of government]], which shares [[political power]] with the [[federal government|federal]] or [[central government|national government]]. A state government may have some level of political [[Autonomous entity|autonomy]], or be subject to the direct control of the federal government. This relationship may be defined by a [[constitution]].

The reference to "state" denotes country subdivisions that are officially or widely known as "[[Federated state|states]]", and should not be confused with a "[[sovereign state]]". Most federations designate their federal units "state" or the equivalent term in the local language; however, in some federations, other designations are used such as [[Oblast]] or [[Autonomous republic|Republic]]. Some federations are [[Asymmetric federalism|asymmetric]], designating greater powers to some federal units than others.

[[Provinces]] are usually divisions of unitary states but occasionally the designation is also given to the federal units such as the [[Provinces of Argentina]] or [[Provinces and territories of Canada|Canada]]. Their governments, which are also ''provincial governments'', are not the subject of this article. Many people confuse the state with city governments, and while a small ticket or small crime will be overlooked by the federal government and handled by the state or city government, that are not the same.

==Australia==
{{main|States and territories of Australia}}
The [[Commonwealth of Australia]] is a [[Federation|federal]] nation with six states (and two mainland territories). [[Section 51 of the Australian Constitution]] sets out the division of [[legislature|legislative]] power between the states and the Commonwealth (federal) government. The Commonwealth government is given a variety of legislative powers, including control of [[foreign policy]], [[taxation]] (although this cannot discriminate between states or parts of states), and regulation of interstate [[commerce]] and [[corporations]].<ref>[http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/general/constitution/par5cha1.htm Section 51 of the Australian Constitution] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111014193759/http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/general/constitution/par5cha1.htm |date=2011-10-14 }} at the American parliament website</ref> Since the original ratification of the constitution, the [[High Court of Australia]] has settled a number of disputes concerning the extent of the Commonwealth's legislative powers, some of which have been controversial and extensively criticised; these included a dispute in 1982 over whether the Commonwealth was entitled to designate land for national heritage purposes under [[United Nations]] agreements,<ref>Barwick, Sir Garfield, [http://www.samuelgriffith.org.au/papers/html/volume6/v6chap1.htm A View of the External Affairs Power] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130424172042/http://www.samuelgriffith.org.au/papers/html/volume6/v6chap1.htm |date=2013-04-24 }}, Samuel Griffith Society</ref> as well as numerous disputes over the extent of the Commonwealth's power over [[trade union]] and [[industrial relations]] legislation.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Creighton, Breen |url=http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/MULR/2000/33.html |title=One Hundred Years of the Conciliation and Arbitration Power: A Province Lost?|journal=Melbourne University Law Review |year=2000 }} (2000) 24(3) Melbourne University Law Review 839.</ref>

One difference between the Australian and [[United States]] models of federalism is that, in Australia, the Commonwealth Parliament has explicit constitutional power over [[marriage]] legislation; this has been a focal point for recent controversies over [[same-sex marriage]].<ref>[http://www.aph.gov.au/library/pubs/rn/2001-02/02rn17.pdf The High Court and the Meaning of 'Marriage' in Section 51(xxi) of the Constitution], Australian Parliamentary Library</ref>

===Government structure===
{{See also|Parliaments of the Australian states and territories|Premiers of the Australian states}}

Each state of Australia has a [[Governors of the Australian states|governor]], who represents the [[King of Australia]] (currently {{Current Australian monarch |Charles III}}) and performs the ceremonial duties of a [[head of state]]. Unlike the Canadian lieutenant-governors, a state governor is appointed by the Monarch on the advice of the state government, not the federal government. Every state also has a [[Parliaments of the Australian states and territories|parliament]]; most states have a [[bicameral]] parliament, except for [[Queensland]], where the upper chamber (the [[Legislative Council]]) was abolished in 1922.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200807011912/https://sscinfo.in/ssc-stenographer-answer-key/], Queensland Parliament website</ref> Like their [[India]]n counterparts, Australian states have a [[Westminster system]] of parliamentary government; the head of government, known in each state as a [[Premiers of the Australian states|Premier]], is drawn from the  state parliament.

==Austria==
{{Main|States of Austria}}
In Austria, a ''Landtag'' (state parliament) elects a ''Landeshauptmann'', who is not only the chairman of a state government but also the representative of the federal government and responsible for the enforcement of federal legislation.

==Germany==
[[Federal Republic of Germany|Germany]] has sixteen federal [[States of Germany|states]] (''Bundesländer'') with their own governments (''Landesregierung'').

== India ==
{{See also|State governments of India|Union List|State List}}
In [[India]], state governments are the [[Government|governments]] ruling over the country's [[States and union territories of India|28 states]] and two of its [[Union territory|eight union territories]] ([[Delhi]] and [[Puducherry (union territory)|Puducherry]]). Under the [[Constitution of India]], the executive power of a state is vested in its [[Governor (India)|Governor]];<ref>{{cite constitution |article=153 |polity=India |date=1950}}</ref> however, the real executive power rests with a [[Council of Ministers]], headed by a [[Chief Minister (India)|Chief Minister]].<ref>{{cite constitution |article=163 |polity=India |date=1950}}</ref> The legislative structure consists of a directly-elected [[State legislative assemblies of India|legislative assembly]] and, in the case of 6 states, an indirectly-elected [[State Legislative Council (India)|legislative council]].<ref>{{cite constitution |article=168 |polity=India |date=1950}}</ref> The judicial setup consists of the state's [[High courts of India|high court]] and the district courts subordinate to it.<ref>{{cite constitution |article=214 |polity=India |date=1950}}</ref><ref>{{cite act |date=25 January 1974 |legislature=Parliament of India |title=The Code of Criminal Procedure |page=25 |url=https://www.indiacode.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/15272/1/the_code_of_criminal_procedure%2C_1973.pdf |language=en}}</ref>

==Mexico==
{{Main|States of mexico}}
[[Mexico]] also has states.

== Nigeria==
{{See also|States of Nigeria}}
In [[Nigeria]], States are constituent political entities of which there are currently 36. States have an elected [[Governor]] and legislature and broad powers in some areas. Powers not given to the states belong to the [[Federal government of Nigeria|federal government]] under the [[Constitution of Nigeria]].

==Pakistan==
{{See also|Provincial governments of Pakistan}}
In [[Pakistan]], the [[Provinces of Pakistan]] are the federal units. There are currently four.

The Provincial Governments are each headed formally by a [[Provincial Governors of Pakistan|Provincial Governor]] but for practical purposes power is exercised by the [[Chief Minister]], in a [[parliamentary system]] similar to that of the Federal government of Pakistan .

==South Africa==
{{main|Provincial governments of South Africa}}
South Africa is usually considered a [[unitary state]] but its government system possesses a strong similarity to a federal one. The [[Constitution of South Africa]] does not describe the state as federal or unitary.

South Africa is divided into [[Provinces of South Africa|nine provinces]] which have their own elected governments. Chapter Six of the [[Constitution of South Africa]] describes the division of power between the national government and the provincial governments, listing those "functional areas" of government that are exclusively reserved to the provincial governments and those where both levels of government have concurrent powers; the remaining areas not listed are reserved to the national government. In areas where both levels have concurrent powers there is a complex set of rules in the event of a conflict between national and provincial legislation. Generally in such a case the provincial legislation prevails, but national legislation may prescribe standards and frameworks for provinces to follow, and may prevent provinces from adversely affecting national interests or the interests of other provinces. The functional areas in which the provincial governments have powers include agriculture, arts and culture, primary and secondary education, the environment and tourism, health, housing, roads and transport, and social welfare.

The provincial governments are structured according to a [[parliamentary system]] in which the executive is dependent on and accountable to the legislature. The unicameral [[provincial legislature (South Africa)|provincial legislature]] is elected by [[party-list proportional representation]], and the legislature in turn elects one of its members as [[Premier (South Africa)|Premier]] to head the executive. The Premier appoints an [[Executive Council (South Africa)|Executive Council]] (a cabinet), consisting of members of the legislature, to administer the various [[government department|departments]] of the provincial administration.

==United States==
{{See also|State governments of the United States}}
The United States is divided into 50 [[U.S. state|states]], which comprise the [[Federated state|federated polities]]. Unlike many other federal systems, the [[Confederation period|states]] of the U.S. created the federal government. Under the [[Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution|10th Amendment]] to the [[United States Constitution|U.S. Constitution]], all governmental powers not granted to the [[Federal government of the United States]] nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, making the United States a decentralized federation. [[Federal law]] generally takes preference over [[State law (United States)|State law]] when the two conflict, due to a number of constitutional clauses and judicial precedents. 

In most states, [[Governor (United States)|governors]] are the directly elected [[head of state]] and [[commander-in-chief]] of their state's respective military structure. [[State legislature (United States)|State legislatures]] exercise legislative authority. In 49 states out of 50 as well as three of the inhabited [[Territories of the United States]] ([[Puerto Rico]], [[Northern Mariana Islands]], and [[American Samoa]]), the legislature is [[Bicameralism|bicameral]], and the houses are commonly, though not exclusively, styled [[House of Representatives]] and [[Senate]], although the name of the legislative body as a whole varies between the states (the most common are [[North Carolina General Assembly|General Assembly]] (itself sometimes a term for the lower house of a state legislature) such as in [[North Carolina]], or simply [[Texas Legislature|Legislature]] as in [[Texas]]). In [[Nebraska]], [[United States Virgin Islands]] and [[Guam]] (the latter two being federal territories rather than states) the legislature is [[Unicameralism|unicameral]].  
 
The states are sovereign entities in their own right{{dubious|date=December 2024}} and maintain much control over their internal affairs with issues such as [[public transport]] and [[law enforcement]] generally being the domain of state governments (although the Federal government often works with states in these areas). Large portions of the welfare state in the United States are administered by the states as well, which means that levels of social services vary from state to state. This has sometimes been controversial, such as in the case of [[Medicaid expansion]].  
 
There are also several territories, the most notable of which is [[Puerto Rico]]. Puerto Rico is treated in a manner similar to a state in many areas, but in others is quite different. Most notably, it does not have representation in the [[United States Congress]] other than its non-voting [[Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico]]. However, it does enjoy more autonomy in taxation and some other areas than the states, and thus is commonly classified as a sort of [[autonomous region]] for the [[Puerto Rican people]], who are culturally distinct from the Americans on the mainland. There exists a [[Political status of Puerto Rico|debate as to the future status of the territory]], with proposals including [[Statehood movement in Puerto Rico|full statehood]], [[Status quo movement in Puerto Rico|maintenance of the autonomous territory status]], or some form of [[independence]] (either [[Free association movement in Puerto Rico|retaining limited reliance upon the United States]] or [[Independence movement in Puerto Rico|full independence with no special relationship]]).

==See also==
* [[Federated state]]
* [[Confederated state]]
* [[Associated state]]
* [[List of U.S. state legislatures]]

==References==
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[[Category:Federalism]]
[[Category:Government|*]]
[[Category:Governments of country subdivisions| ]]
[[Category:Political terminology]]