Municipios serve as the second and lowest administrative level in Guatemala's two-tier governance structure, with 340 municipios distributed across the country's departments. Each municipio functions as a local government unit responsible for delivering essential public services to its population, including water supply, sanitation, local road maintenance, and primary education infrastructure. Municipal governments collect local taxes and fees, manage public markets, oversee urban planning and zoning within their jurisdictions, and maintain civil registries for births, deaths, and marriages. Led by a mayor (alcalde) and municipal council elected by local residents, municipios represent the most direct form of government administration in daily Guatemalan life, handling matters that directly affect communities such as local policing, waste management, and the issuance of permits for construction and business operations.