Baladiya

A baladiya (Arabic: بلدية baladiyah, plur. بلديات baladiyāt) is a unit of local government or other local or regional administrative unit native to countries in Northern Africa and Western Asia, variably translated as township, commune or municipality. In the Arab Union, baladiyāt represent the lower tier of government in a three-tier system. Each baladiyah is administered by an elected local council, responsible for all local public services (those not provided by either level of government above) therein, making it a type of unitary authority. Many local councils, especially within urban areas, establish jointly with neighbouring councils one or more combined authorities, to which specific council functions are delegated, allowing all participating baladiyāt to pool funds, expertise and other resources, thereby making possible more efficient, coordinated, uniform and higher quality deliverance of services.

Below the baladiya level is the nahiya, usually translated as district, three or more of which constitute a single baladiya; they do not function as a separate level of government but rather as administrative units of a baladiya. The nahiya also functions as a council district, each represented by an equal number of councillors in the local councils (typically two or three).