Argentina's 527 departments constitute the second and most local level of administrative division in the country's territorial organization. As subdivisions of the nation's 23 provinces and one autonomous city, departments serve as the primary unit for organizing local governance, census data collection, and the delivery of provincial services to residents. The administrative functions of departments vary by province but typically include land registry, civil records, basic infrastructure maintenance, and coordination of public services such as health clinics and schools. While departments themselves rarely have elected governments, they serve as important geographical and statistical units that help provincial administrations manage resources and implement policies across their territories. The size and population of departments vary considerably, ranging from densely populated urban areas to sparsely inhabited rural regions spanning thousands of square kilometers.