Governorates serve as Bahrain's primary administrative divisions, with the country organized into four such units since a 2014 restructuring that split the original five governorates. As the first level in Bahrain's two-tier administrative system, governorates function as the principal mechanism for delivering government services and implementing national policies at the regional level. Each governorate is headed by a governor appointed by royal decree, who oversees local administration, coordinates with municipal councils, and manages public services including infrastructure maintenance, local planning, and community programs. The governorates handle matters such as issuing business licenses, overseeing public health initiatives, managing civil defense operations, and facilitating citizen services through dedicated service centers. This administrative structure allows the central government to decentralize certain functions while maintaining unified oversight across the small island nation.