| This article is part of a series on |
| Subdivisions of Indonesia |
|---|
| Level 1 |
|
| Level 2 |
|
| Level 3 |
| (kecamatan,distrik,kapanewon, orkemantren) |
| Level 4 |
| (desa orkelurahan) |
| Others |
| This article is part of a series on the |
| Politics of Indonesia |
|---|
 |
Indonesia is divided intoprovinces (provinsi). Provinces are made up ofregencies (kabupaten) andcities (kota). Regencies and cities then divided intodistricts (kecamatan), which made up ofvillages (desa) and urban villages (kelurahan). Provinces, regencies, and cities have their ownlocal governments andparliamentary bodies (DPRD).
Since the enactment of Law Number 22 of 1999 on Local Government[1] (the law was revised by Law Number 32 of 2004, Law Number 23 of 2014, and the2023 Omnibus Law on Job Creation),[2] local governments now play a greater role in administering their areas.Foreign policy,defence (includingarmed forces andnational police),system of law, andmonetary policy, however, remain the domain of thenational government. Since 2005 as the enactment of Law Number 32 of 2004, heads of local government (governors,regents and mayors) have been directly elected bypopular election for a five-year term and can be re-elected for one more term.[3]
First level subdivisions of Indonesia are calledProvince. A province is headed by a governor (Gubernur). Each province has its own regional assembly, calledDewan Perwakilan Rakyat Daerah (DPRD,lit. 'Regional People's Representative Council'). Governors and representative members are elected by popular vote for five-year terms and can be re-elected for one additional consecutive or separated term. Provinces were formerly also known asDaerah Tingkat I (Level I Regions).
Indonesia is divided into 38 provinces.[4] Nine provinces have special status:
Second level subdivisions of Indonesia isregency (kabupaten) andcity (kota). This subdivisions is a local level of government beneath the provincial level. However, they enjoy greater decentralisation of affairs than the provincial body, such as provision of public schools and public health facilities. They were formerly known collectively asDaerah Tingkat II (Level II Region).[14]
Both regency and city are at the same level, having their own local government and legislative body. The difference between a regency and a city lies in differing demographics, size and economics.
Generally the regency has a larger area than the city, and the city has non-agricultural economic activities. A regency is headed by a regent (bupati), and a city is headed by a mayor (wali kota). The regent or mayor and the representative council members are elected by popular vote for a five-year term for a maximum of two terms.
Regencies and cities are divided intodistricts, which have several variations of terms:
Districts are divided intodesa (village) orkelurahan (urban village). Bothdesa andkelurahan are of a similar division level, but adesa enjoys more power in local matters than akelurahan. An exception isAceh, where districts are divided intomukim before being subdivided further intogampong.
In Indonesian, as in English, a village (desa) has rural connotations. In the context of administrative divisions, adesa can be defined as a body which has authority over the local people in accordance with acknowledged local traditions of the area. Adesa is headed by a "head of village" (Indonesian:kepala desa), who is elected by popular vote.
Most Indonesian villages use the term "desa", but other terms are used in some regions:
Althoughdesa andkelurahan are part of a district, akelurahan has less autonomy than adesa. Akelurahan is headed by alurah. Lurahs are civil servants, directly responsible to their camats.
The following table lists the number of administrative subdivisions in Indonesia as of February 2025.
| Level | Type (Indonesian) | Type (English) | Head of government (Indonesian) | Head of government (English) | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | Provinsi | Province | Gubernur | Governor | 38[4] |
| II | Kabupaten | Regency | Bupati | Regent | 416[18] |
| Kota | City | Wali Kota | Mayor | 98[18] | |
| III | Kecamatan,distrik,kapanewon, orkemantren | District | Camat,kepala distrik,panewu ormantri pamong praja | Head of district | 7,288[19] |
| IV | Desa orkelurahan | Village/subdistrict | Kepala desa orlurah | Head of village/subdistrict | 84,048[20] |
