<Tr> <Td> <Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> <P> A central government is the government of a nation - state and is a characteristic of a unitary state . This is the same thing as a federal government which may have distinct powers at various levels authorized or delegated to it by its member states, though the adjective' central' is sometimes used to describe it . The structure of central governments varies . Many countries have created autonomous regions by delegating powers from the central government to governments at a subnational level, such as a regional, state or local level . Based on a broad definition of a basic political system, there are two or more levels of government that exist within an established territory and govern through common institutions with overlapping or shared powers as prescribed by a constitution or other law . </P> <P> Usual responsibilities of this level of government which are not granted to lower levels are maintaining national security and exercising international diplomacy, including the right to sign binding treaties . Basically, the central government has the power to make laws for the whole country, in contrast with local governments . For definition of levels of government see also general government (in economics). </P>

What term refers to a type of government which has a central government sharing