It is true that a Shiite self-governing region could become a theocratic state or fall into an Iranian embrace.

The first step would be to make the north and south into self-governing regions, with boundaries drawn as closely as possible along ethnic lines.

And if the three self-governing regions were to be given statehood, it should be done only with the consent of their neighbors.

Allowing all three communities within that false state to emerge at least as self-governing regions would be both difficult and dangerous.

Elections were held in Slovakia's eight self-governing regions on 14 November 2009.

This island is a self-governing region.

However, unitary states often also include one or more self-governing regions.

An empire often includes self-governing regions, but these will possess autonomy only at the sufferance of the central government.

The islands are, in fact, a self-governing region of Denmark, a country with which the Faroese have a slightly uneasy relationship.

The tax shortfalls of self-governing regions exceed 20% of the budget, compared to the period before the crisis, which is unsustainable.