Federalism

6. The boundaries of constituent 
units
In defining the territorial boundaries of constituent units, it is necessary to 
balance diverse and often contradictory needs, as shown in Table 6.1. Trying to 
achieve this balance in a way that is broadly agreeable to all major political actors 
can be one of the most difficult aspects of the constitution-building process.
How much discretion do constitution-builders have?
In some cases (particularly in ‘coming together’ federations where pre-existing 
states wish to retain their existing boundaries or where territorial boundaries are 
constrained by peace agreements after a conflict), constitution-makers will have 
little discretion over the determination of boundaries; in such cases, constitution-
makers might have to accept boundaries that are not necessarily rational from an 
economic or administrative point of view, and will have to accommodate these 
realities in the design of the constitution. Such accommodation may include, for 
example, a provision for fiscal transfers that support the economies of poorer 
subnational units or a provision for the asymmetrical distribution of powers in 
recognition of very different capacities and levels of development.
In other cases (such as when federalism arises in a relatively homogeneous 
country as a response to the perceived over-centralization of power), there might 
be an opportunity to redraw boundaries along lines that are more practical from 
an economic or administrative point of view, e.g. to ensure broad equality of 
wealth and population size among constituent units.

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International IDEA 25
6. The boundaries of constituent units
Table 6.1. Factors to be considered in drawing the boundaries of constituent 
units
Area 
Factors 
Economic 
affairs 
Efficiency, effectiveness, viability (an argument for avoiding many small or economically poor 
units) and grouping economic regions
Socio-cultural 
affairs 
Nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, tribe and clan
Geographic 
features 
Natural boundaries including rivers and mountains
Political 
balance 
May mean breaking up one or more dominant regions, or a region that may have separatist 
tendencies, or avoiding a structure with just two or three units (that are often characterized 
by divisive politics)
Public opinion 
May be assessed through elections, referendums or public consultations
Historic 
boundaries 
Which people often identify with, and which can serve as a useful reference point and obviate 
the need for detailed consideration of other factors in drawing boundaries 
Source: Anderson, G. and Choudhry, S., ‘Constitutional Transitions and Territorial Cleavages’, 
International IDEA Working Paper, June 2015, constitutional-transitions-and-territorial-cleavages>, accessed 28 July 2017