Local self-government may be exercised at the level of such administrative-territorial units as a municipal district and an urban district. What are they?
What is a municipal area?
In the Russian system of local self-government a municipal district is the territory on which the following types of settlements are located:
- urban settlements;
- rural settlements;
- inter-settlement territories.
The function of the administrative center in the districts is performed by one of the settlements located on its territory. It houses the representative body of local government formed in the municipal area.
The main issues that are resolved at the level of the corresponding administrative-territorial unit:
- provision of the population with medical and educational services;
- providing citizens with the necessary communications:
- construction of transport infrastructure;
- preservation of ecology;
- ensuring public order.
Most of the municipal districts of the Russian Federation have their own budget, which is subsequently distributed among the settlements that are part of the corresponding administrative-territorial unit.
Now in Russia there are about 1800 municipal districts.
What is a city district?
In the system of local self-government of the Russian Federation , an urban district is a separate settlement ("classic" city), in some cases - also adjacent settlements. It is independent from other municipalities and has its own budget.
In Russian urban districts, approximately the same issues of local self-government are solved as in municipal areas. These administrative-territorial units also have their own representative authorities.
About 500 urban districts are now established in Russia.
Comparison
The main difference between a municipal district and an urban district is that the first type of municipality includes, as a rule, several small settlements, more or less the same in size - urban and rural settlements, inter-settlements territories. In turn, an urban district is a municipality corresponding to a large settlement ("classic" city), in some cases also including small suburban settlements.
The municipal district and the city district are independent from each other, have equal powers and equal political status, being territories within the system of local self-government. Each of the respective administrative units has its own budget and authorities.
It can be noted that in the course of the administrative reform in the Russian Federation, some municipal districts were annexed to urban districts or were transformed into them.
Having determined what is the difference between the municipal area and the urban district, we will fix the main conclusions in the table.
Table
| Municipal District | City District |
| What do they have in common? | |
| Are the same in terms of the level of authority and legal status of administrative-territorial units within the system of local self-government in the Russian Federation | |
| What is the difference between them? | |
| It unites small settlements - urban and rural settlements, inter-settlement territories | Represented, as a rule, by a large settlement - a city, sometimes - also adjoining small settlements |
