Federation


 * For the body politic and corporate originally known as "federation", see fœderation.

A federation (from Latin: fœdus, gen.: fœderis, "covenant"), also known as a compound state, is a form of Federal body politic and corporate —and a political entity in its own right— characterized by a partial union of self-governing States or regions in which each of them comprise separate and independent political communities for local purposes, and all of them one general (Federal) community for general (Federal) purposes. In a federation, not only does the existence of the Federal head depend on the continued existence of the member States, but also the self-governing status and independence of the member States, as well as the division of power between them and the Federal head, are typically constitutionally entrenched and may not be altered by a unilateral decision of either party, the States or the Federal political body.