Turkey's 973 districts (ilçe) constitute the second and most local level of administrative division in the country's two-tier system, positioned below the 81 provinces. Each district is governed by a district governor (kaymakam) appointed by the central government and operates as a deconcentrated unit of the Ministry of Interior. Districts serve as the primary interface between citizens and government administration, handling civil registration, identity documentation, property records, and local security matters. They coordinate the delivery of national services at the community level, including education, healthcare, and public works, while also managing local elections and maintaining population registries. Urban districts in major cities function somewhat differently from rural ones, often containing multiple municipalities within their boundaries. The district system ensures standardized governance across Turkey's diverse geography, from densely populated metropolitan areas to remote rural regions.