Regierungsbezirk

A Regierungsbezirk (German pronunciation:, pl.Regierungsbezirke, German pronunciation:, lit.'governmental district') is a type of administrative division in Germany. Currently, four of the sixteen Länder (states of Germany) are split into Regierungsbezirke, each in turn split into rural or urban districts.

Regierungsbezirke serve as regional mid-level local government units in four of Germany's sixteen states: Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Hesse and North Rhine-Westphalia, where they act as decentralised organs of the respective state government. Each of the nineteen Regierungsbezirke features a non-legislativegoverning body called a Regierungspräsidium (governing presidium) or Bezirksregierung (district government) headed by a Regierungspräsident (governing president), concerned mostly with administrative decisions on a local level for districts within its jurisdiction. Saxony has Direktionsbezirke (directorate districts) with more responsibilities shifted from the state parliament.