Autonomous Community (Spain)

The autonomous community ( Spanish: comunidad autónoma ) is the main administrative-territorial unit of the Spanish state . This principle of territorial entities was laid down and enshrined in the Spanish Constitution of 1978 ^[1] .

The Kingdom of Spain, whose territory is considered the 51st in the world and amounts to 504,782 km², is divided into 17 autonomous communities (autonomies). Autonomous communities, which are often called autonomous regions, in turn, are divided into 50 provinces and 2 autonomous cities ( Spanish ciudades autónomas ) in the northwestern part of the African continent - Melilla and Ceuta .