A direct-controlled municipality is the highest level classification for cities used by unitary state, with status equal to that of the provinces in the respective countries. A direct-controlled municipality is similar to, but not the same as, a Federal district, a common designation in various countries for a municipality that is not part of any state, and which usually hosts some governmental functions. Usually direct-controlled municipality are under central governments control with limited power.
Each country has adopted this system with some different variations. Geographically and culturally, many of the municipalities are enclaves in the middle of provinces. Some occur in strategic positions in between provinces.
| Country | Municipalities | Main article |
|---|---|---|
| Belarus | Minsk | |
| Cambodia | Phnom Penh | |
| China, People's Republic of | Beijing, Chongqing, Shanghai, Tianjin | Direct-controlled municipalities of the People's Republic of China |
| Kazakhstan | Almaty, Astana | |
| North Korea | Pyongyang, Nampho, Rason | Special cities of Korea#North Korea |
| South Korea | Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Incheon, Gwangju, Daejeon, Ulsan, Sejong | Special cities of Korea#South Korea |
| Kyrgyzstan | Bishkek, Osh | |
| Laos | Vientiane | |
| Moldova | Chişinău, Bălţi, Bender | |
| Mongolia | Ulan Bator (Ulaanbaatar) | |
| Taiwan | Kaohsiung, New Taipei, Taichung, Tainan, Taipei | Special municipality (Taiwan) |
| Turkmenistan | Ashgabat | |
| Ukraine | Kiev, Sevastopol | |
| Uzbekistan | Tashkent | |
| Vietnam | Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, Da Nang, Can Tho | Centrally governed city of Vietnam |