Districts serve as the second and final level of administrative subdivision in Madagascar, with 114 such units dividing the country below the regional level. These territorial divisions function as the primary operational tier for delivering government services and implementing national policies at the local level. District administrations oversee essential public functions including civil registration, basic healthcare coordination, primary education oversight, agricultural extension services, and local infrastructure maintenance. Each district is headed by a chief appointed by the central government, who coordinates with both regional authorities above and commune officials below. The district structure enables the Malagasy government to manage taxation, maintain law and order, collect statistics, and ensure that central directives reach local populations across the island's diverse geographic and demographic landscape.