Indonesian territory is divided into 38 provinces. Each province, administratively and bureaucratically, is divided into several administrative regions, which are referred to as Kabupaten, and Kotamadya (Kota).

Kabupaten, District, is the division of administrative territory in the Republic of Indonesia after the province, which is headed by a regent. Apart from regencies, the administrative area after the province is divided into cities. In general, both districts and cities have the same authority. The district is not subordinate to the province, therefore the regent or mayor is not responsible to the governor. Regencies and cities are autonomous regions that are given the authority to regulate and manage their own government affairs.

Kotamadya, municipality, is a medium-sized city (madya in Javanese). This term is used to distinguish between a big city which in English is “city” and a small/medium city which in English is called “town”. There are several Regencies and Municipalities (Cities) which are only administrative in nature. Administrative regencies and administrative cities are not autonomous regions, but are regencies/cities without DPRD and are only found in the Province of the Special Capital Region of Jakarta.