Lithuania's 10 counties (apskritys) serve as the first-level administrative divisions of the country, positioned above the second-level municipalities. Established in their current form in 1994, counties function primarily as units for regional planning, statistical data collection, and coordination between the national government and local municipalities. Each county is overseen by a governor appointed by the central government, who monitors the implementation of national policies and ensures compliance with laws at the regional level. Counties do not possess their own elected representative bodies or significant autonomous powers, distinguishing them from municipalities which handle most direct public services such as education, healthcare, and local infrastructure. The county system provides an intermediate administrative framework for organizing regional development programs and facilitating communication between Lithuania's central administration and its 60 municipalities.