State (non-sovereign)

Most countries with a federal constitution are made up of a number of entities called states. Sometimes the term federal states is used to avoid any potential ambiguity with sovereign states.

As well as the usage of the term in English-speaking countries, a similar term that can be directly translated into English as state is found in countries using other languages.

Countries made up of states

Countries using the English term state

• The United States is made up of 50 states (as well as the District of Columbia); see U.S. state.
• India is made up of 28 states (and 7 territories); see States and territories of India.
• Australia is made up of 6 states (and 2 territories); see Australian States and Territories.
• Malaysia is made up of 13 states (and 3 federal territories); see States of Malaysia.
• Nigeria is made up of 36 states (and 1 territory); see States of Nigeria.
• Palau is made up of 16 states; see States of Palau.

The Federated States of Micronesia, a federal republic in free association with the United States, is made up of 4 states.

Countries using the Portuguese term estado

• Brazil is made up of 26 states (as well as the Federal District); see States of Brazil.

Countries using the Spanish term estado

• Mexico is made up of 31 states (as well as the Federal District); see States of Mexico.
• Venezuela is made up of 23 states (as well as the Capital District and the Federal Dependencies); see Subdivisions of Venezuela.

Countries using the German term Bundesland

• Austria is made up of 9 Bundesländer ("Federal States"); see States of Austria.
• Germany is made up of 16 Länder, commonly referred to as Bundesländer; see States of Germany.

Other equivalent terms used in various countries

• Both Canada and South Africa use the term province for the equivalent of a state in other countries; see Provinces and territories of Canada and Provinces of South Africa respectively.
• Similarly, Argentina uses the Spanish term provincia (literally, "province"); see Provinces of Argentina.
• Switzerland uses the term canton; see Cantons of Switzerland.
• Russia is made up of a complex range of different types of federal subject; see Federal subjects of Russia.
• Belgium is made up of two formally separate layers of federal entity (regions and communities); see Communities, regions and provinces of Belgium.
• Ethiopia is made up of a number of entities conventionally translated into English as regions; see Subdivisions of Ethiopia.
• The comunidades autónomas (literally, "autonomous communities") of Spain are also arguably equivalent to states in other countries; see Autonomous communities of Spain.