New Zealand's 17 regions constitute the country's primary tier of local government administration. Regional councils exercise jurisdiction over environmental management, including resource management, biosecurity, hazard mitigation, and regional land transport planning. They oversee matters such as air and water quality, pest control, civil defence emergency management, and public transport coordination. These regions operate under the Local Government Act 2002 and Resource Management Act 1991, serving as the main administrative divisions responsible for large-scale planning and environmental regulation that extends beyond individual territorial authorities. Eleven of these regions are governed by directly elected regional councils, while the remaining six are unitary authorities that combine both regional and territorial local government functions within a single administrative body.