A direct-controlled municipality is the highest level classification for cities used by unitary states, 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 government control with limited power. In some cases, a similar term in federal states is the federal city.

Many countries have 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	Kep, Pailin, Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville
China (PRC)	Beijing, Chongqing, Shanghai, Tianjin	Direct-administered municipalities of China
Kazakhstan	Almaty, Nur-Sultan, Baikonur, Shymkent
North Korea	Pyongyang, Nampho, Rason, Kaesong	Special cities of North Korea
South Korea	Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Incheon, Gwangju, Daejeon, Ulsan, Sejong	Special cities of South Korea
Kyrgyzstan	Bishkek, Osh
Laos	Vientiane
Moldova	Chişinău, Bălți, Bender
Mongolia	Ulaanbaatar
Philippines	Highly urbanized cities: Manila, Angeles City, Bacolod, Baguio, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Caloocan, Cebu City, Davao City, General Santos, Iligan, Iloilo City, Lapu-Lapu, Las Piñas, Lucena, Makati, Malabon, Mandaluyong, Mandaue, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Navotas, Olongapo, Parañaque, Pasay, Pasig, Puerto Princesa, Quezon City, San Juan, Tacloban, Taguig, Valenzuela, Zamboanga City; Independent component cities: Cotabato City, Dagupan, Naga, Ormoc, Santiago Independent municipality: Pateros	Cities of the Philippines § Independent cities
Taiwan (ROC)	Taipei,[1] Kaohsiung, New Taipei, Taichung, Tainan, Taoyuan	Special municipality (Taiwan)
Turkmenistan	Ashgabat
Ukraine	Kyiv, Sevastopol (disputed)
Uzbekistan	Tashkent
Vietnam	Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Haiphong, Da Nang, Cần Thơ	Municipalities of Vietnam