The
provinces of
Algeria are divided into 547
districts (''daïras'' / " دائرة "). The capital of a district is called a ''district seat'' (''
chef-lieu de daïra''). Each District is further divided into one or more
municipalities (''
baladiyahs'').
Algiers, the national capital, is the only city in the country which is divided into districts (and municipalities), and the only one which is a province itself. This means that its neighborhoods and suburbs have the same status as those of smaller cities or villages elsewhere in the country.
The administration of a district is assigned to a district chief (''chef de daïra'') who is chosen by the
Algerian president. The district chief, like the wilaya chief, is an unelected political position.
Algeria's districts were created as ''
arrondissements'' when
Algeria was a colony of
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
and they had a status equal to those of
mainland France. They were, like France's arrondissements, part of ''
départements'', which are further part of a ''
région'' (which was called a territory, ''territoire'', in French Algeria). They were maintained 6 years after the country's independence (until 1968) when they were renamed "daïras" and had their functions slightly changed.
See also
*
Provinces of Algeria
Algeria, as of 2024, is divided into 58 wilaya, wilayas (province, provinces). Prior to December 18, 2019, there were 48 provinces. The 58 provinces are divided into 1,541 baladiyahs (Municipalities of Algeria, municipalities). The name of a pro ...
*
Municipalities of Algeria
References
{{Africa administrative divisions second level
Subdivisions of Algeria
Algeria 2