Regencies (kabupaten) constitute the second and final level of administrative division in Indonesia, with 514 such units existing across the archipelago. These local government entities serve as the primary administrative tier for rural and suburban areas, handling essential public services including education, healthcare, infrastructure development, local planning, and civil registration. Each regency is governed by an elected regent (bupati) and a local parliament, operating with significant autonomy under Indonesia's decentralization framework established in 2001. Regencies function alongside cities (kota) at the same administrative level, though cities typically govern more urbanized areas. They play a crucial role in implementing national policies at the local level while addressing region-specific needs and managing local budgets derived from both central government transfers and locally generated revenues.