Regional & Local Government

*Information presented in this section refers only to the territory controlled by the internationally recognised Government of the Republic of Cyprus.

For administrative purposes Cyprus is divided into six districts, one of which (Kyrenia) is located in the Turkish occupied zone. In the government-controlled zone, there are 24 municipal councils and 355 community councils. Both council types are single-tier local authorities. Municipal councils govern urban areas while community councils operate as rural authorities. As of local elections in December 2011, a second tier of local government will be created in the form of district councils. These will be responsible for planning and development at the regional level.