Complex territorial cohesion
Introduction
The terms administrative demarcation, political division, administrative subdivision, territorial subdivision, substate entity, subnational entity and other similar terms are applied generically to designate political entities that function as demarcations") or divisions of the territory of each State, carried out on a formal basis for its territorial organization, and the institutions that administer them. They are created and operate at different levels, from the highest or regional to the lowest or local, passing through intermediate levels (provincial, regional, etc.). The divisions of a political-administrative nature may or may not coincide with those carried out for other purposes (military, ecclesiastical "Church (organization)"), judicial) or with those carried out in geographical studies (geocoras).
The European Union considers three levels of administrative demarcations, lower than the Member State and higher than the municipality, called NUTS (Nomenclature of Territorial Statistical Units). There are also the concepts of Euroregion (cross-border between Member States) or outermost region (those geographically distant from the European continent, but belonging to a Member State).
The degree of self-government of each of these entities depends on the centralist or decentralized conception of the State. Dependent territories (for example, the colonies of a colonial Empire), which are not part of the core of a nation-state, have a different consideration.
The generic term used to identify the state or national entity to which such demarcations belong can be very diverse. To its condition as a geographical entity ("country") or political entity ("State" or "nation", concepts-terms of very complex identification or differentiation), its form of State is added in terms of the relationship or articulation established between territory, population and power (unitary State, complex State, "composite State"), regional State, State of autonomies, integral State, federation, confederation, union, empire, commonwealth and many others).
The creation of administrative divisions is a complex process influenced by political, geographic, social, economic and historical factors. Each criterion serves to address the practical needs of governance, while considering the needs and identities of diverse populations within a given territory. Balancing these various principles is essential to ensure that administrative divisions are effective, equitable and sustainable.