The word federal in a general sense refers to the nature of an agreement between or among two or more states, nations, or other groups to merge into a union in which control of common affairs is held by a central authority created by and with the consent of the members. Each member of a federation or confederation thus formed retains jurisdiction over its own internal affairs. The word federal also characterises the group formed by such an agreement. It may also refer to the form of any government following the principle of federalism. A state is an organized political community occupying a definite territory, having an organized government, and possessing internal and external sovereignty. ... A federation (from the Latin fœdus, covenant) is a state comprised of a number of self-governing regions (often themselves referred to as states) united by a central (federal) government. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Federalism is a system of government in which power is constitutionally divided between a central authority and constituent political units (like states or provinces). ...

The word is used in a peculiar manner by some citizens of the European Union who use the term in their desire to enact certain laws over the national parliaments, (a "federal EU" would have such powers) even though certain other laws (the acquis communautaire) are readily enacted over such parliaments already. The term acquis (or sometimes acquis communautaire), deriving from French, is used in European Union law to refer to the total body of EU law accumulated so far. ...

Federal refers directly to the central government of a specific country formed by such an agreement, as:

• the Federal government of the United States, especially as contrasted with State or local government
• the Union Army during the American Civil War

this is so stuffed up A Federal District is a subdivision of a federal system of government, generally considered a separate entity under the direct control of the federal government. Federal District also refers to a district reserved by a country for the location of its national government, such as the United States' District of Columbia. :This article describes the government of the United States. ... The 21st Michigan Infantry, a company of Shermans veterans. ... The American Civil War was fought in North America from 1861 until 1865 between the United States of America – forces coming mostly from the 23 northern states of the Union – and the newly-formed Confederate States of America, which consisted of 11 southern states that had declared their secession. ... Federal districts are subdivisions of a federal system of government. ... Aerial photo (looking NW) of the Washington Monument and the White House in Washington, DC. Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C.; Washington; the Nations Capital; the District; and, historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the United...

Federal style architecture refers to a U.S. style of Georgian architecture. Federal style architecture occurred in the United States between 1780 and 1830, particularly from 1785 to 1815. ... A Georgian styled house in Salisbury. ...

See also

• Alliance
• Confederacy
• Confederation
• European Union
• Federal District
• Federal government of the United States
• Federalism
• Federation
• List of forms of government
• Washington, DC