Haiti's ten départements serve as the country's primary administrative divisions, functioning at the first level of a three-tier territorial structure. These départements operate as the principal units for coordinating national government policies and delivering public services at the regional level. Each département is administered by appointed officials who oversee matters including infrastructure development, public health programs, education coordination, and law enforcement within their jurisdictions. The départements act as intermediaries between the central government in Port-au-Prince and lower administrative levels, facilitating resource allocation and implementing national directives while addressing region-specific needs. This administrative framework, inherited from Haiti's French colonial past, remains fundamental to the country's governance structure.