Romania is divided into 42 counties (județe), which constitute the first level of administrative organization in the country's two-tier system. Counties serve as the primary units of local government, responsible for coordinating public services, managing regional infrastructure, and implementing national policies at the local level. Each county is governed by a county council and a council president, elected through local elections. Counties handle matters such as county roads, public transportation networks, social services, healthcare facilities, education coordination, and regional development projects. They act as an intermediary administrative layer between the national government and the municipalities, towns, and communes that form the second level of Romania's administrative structure.