1. Government-owned or government-controlled enterprises or organizations that operate with some degree of autonomy from direct state control.
Usage: Plural form; commonly used in discussions of public administration and economics, especially in Commonwealth countries and developing nations.; Often refers to utilities, transport companies, or other service providers.

Examples

• Many African countries rely on parastatals to provide essential services like electricity and water.
• The government decided to privatize several parastatals to improve efficiency.
• Parastatals in the transportation sector often struggle with financial sustainability.
• The country's largest parastatals employ thousands of workers.
• Reform of parastatals has become a key policy priority for the new administration.
• Some parastatals operate at a loss and require government subsidies.