Singapore's 55 planning areas form the second administrative level in the country's three-tier geographic hierarchy. Established by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), these planning areas serve primarily as frameworks for urban and land use planning rather than units of local governance. Unlike administrative divisions in many other countries, Singapore's planning areas do not have their own elected councils or governments, as Singapore operates as a unitary city-state with centralized administration. Instead, they function as spatial boundaries for development control, master planning, and the organization of statistical data by government agencies. The planning areas help coordinate housing development, infrastructure projects, and the allocation of community facilities such as schools and healthcare centers within defined geographic zones.