Paraguay's 18 departamentos serve as the first-level administrative divisions of the country, forming the primary tier in its two-level territorial organization. These departments function as intermediate governing bodies between the national government and local municipalities, responsible for coordinating regional development, infrastructure projects, and public services within their jurisdictions. Each departamento is headed by a governor and maintains its own administrative structure to manage matters such as secondary roads, regional health facilities, and educational coordination. This system allows for decentralized governance across Paraguay's diverse geographic regions, from the densely populated eastern departments to the sparsely inhabited Chaco region in the west, enabling more localized attention to distinct regional needs and priorities.