The Decentralization, Localization and Multilevel Governance Data Book (2025) brings together available data from a range of data sources to provide insight into the state of decentralization, localization and multilevel governance around the world.
The Americas
Table 1.1 Number and size of subnational governments in the Americas, 2020
Table 2.1 Subnational authority and autonomy in the Americas, 2023
Table 3.1 Elected regional and local governments in the Americas, 2023
Table 3.2 Elected representation at local levels of government in the Americas, latest year
Table 4.1 Functional responsibilities of regional and local governments in the Americas, 2023
Table 4.2 Functional responsibilities (policy scope) of local governments in the Americas, 2020
Table 5.1 Public employment: general government employment and subnational public employment in the Americas, latest year
Table 6.1 Public sector spending by government level in the Americas (in US$ PPP million), latest year
Europe and Central Asia
Table 1.1 Number and size of subnational governments in Europa and Central Asia, 2020
Table 2.1 Subnational authority and autonomy in Europa and Central Asia, 2023
Table 3.1 Elected regional and local governments in Europa and Central Asia, 2023
Table 4.1 Functional responsibilities of regional and local governments in Europa and Central Asia, 2023
Table 4.2 Functional responsibilities (policy scope) of local governments in Europa and Central Asia, 2020
Table 5.1 Public employment: general government employment and subnational public employment in Europa and Central Asia, latest year
Table 6.1 Public sector spending by government level Europa and Central Asia (in US$ PPP million), latest year
MENA Region
Table 1.1 Number and size of subnational governments in the MENA Region, 2020
Table 2.1 Subnational authority and autonomy in the MENA Region, 2023
Table 3.1 Elected regional and local governments in the MENA Region, 2023
Table 3.2 Elected representation at local levels of government in the MENA Region, latest year
Table 4.1 Functional responsibilities of regional and local governments in the MENA Region, 2023
Table 4.2 Functional responsibilities (policy scope) of local governments in the MENA Region, 2020
Table 6.1 Public sector spending by government level in the MENA Region (in US$ PPP million), latest year
Africa (Sub-Saharan)
Table 1.1 Number and size of subnational governments in Sub-Saharan Africa, 2020
Table 2.1 Subnational authority and autonomy in Sub-Saharan Africa, 2023
Table 3.1 Elected regional and local governments in Sub-Saharan Africa, 2023
Table 3.2 Elected representation at local levels of government in Sub-Saharan Africa, latest year
Table 4.1 Functional responsibilities of regional and local governments in Sub-Saharan Africa, 2023
Table 4.2 Functional responsibilities (policy scope) of local governments in Sub-Saharan Africa, 2020
Table 6.1 Public sector spending by government level in Sub-Saharan Africa (in US$ PPP million), latest year
Asia-Pacific Region
Table 1.1 Number and size of subnational governments in the Asia-Pacific Region, 2020
Table 2.1 Subnational authority and autonomy in the Asia-Pacific Region, 2023
Table 3.1 Elected regional and local governments in the Asia-Pacific Region, 2023
Table 4.1 Functional responsibilities of regional and local governments in the Asia-Pacific Region, 2023
Table 4.2 Functional responsibilities (policy scope) of local governments in the Asia-Pacific Region, 2020
Table 6.1 Public sector spending by government level in the Asia-Pacific Region (in US$ PPP million), latest year
Global
Table 1.1 Number and size of subnational governments by global region and subregion, 2020
Table 2.1 Subnational authority and autonomy around the world, 2023
Table 3.1 Elected regional and local governments around the world, 2023
Table 4.1 Functional responsibilities of regional and local governments around the world, 2023
Table 4.2 Functional responsibilities (policy scope) of local governments by global region and selected subregions, 2020
Table 5.1 Public employment: general government employment and subnational public employment, latest year
Table 6.1 Public sector spending by government level (in US$ PPP million), latest year
