governorate of Egypt

Egypt is administratively organized under a dual system that may consist of either two or three tiers, with further subdivisions occasionally resulting in an additional layer. It follows a centralized system of local government, officially termed local administration, as it functions as a part of the executive branch of the government.

Overall, Egypt is divided into twenty-seven governorates. Each governorate has a capital city, which is further divided into districts, sub-districts, or both. Administrative districts exist in governorates with rural areas. Each district is divided into local units. The capital of the district is its largest town, which is a city. The capital of each local unit is a main village or a city (if the district includes more than one city), followed by a number of smaller villages, which may include hamlets or small settlements. If the district capital is a large city, it is either a sub-district or divided into several sub-districts, each with its own head called the head of the district. If it is a single sub-district, its head is the mayor, and it is divided into several smaller districts or sheikhdoms. The mayor appoints the heads of these smaller districts or sheikhdoms.