A nāḥiyah (Arabic: {{big|نَاحِيَة pronounced as /ar/, plural nawāḥī Arabic: {{big|نَوَاحِي pronounced as /ar/), also nahiya or nahia, is a regional or local type of administrative division that usually consists of a number of villages or sometimes smaller towns. In Tajikistan, it is a second-level division while in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan, Xinjiang, and the former Ottoman Empire, where it was also called a bucak, it is a third-level or lower division. It can constitute a division of a qadaa, mintaqah or other such district-type division and is sometimes translated as "subdistrict".
The nahiye (Turkish, Ottoman (1500-1928);: ناحیه) was an administrative territorial entity of the Ottoman Empire, smaller than a Turkish, Ottoman (1500-1928);: [[kaza]]. The head was a Turkish, Ottoman (1500-1928);: [[mütesellim]] (governor) who was appointed by the Pasha.
The Turkish, Ottoman (1500-1928);: kaza was a subdivision of a Turkish, Ottoman (1500-1928);: [[sanjak]][1] and corresponded roughly to a city with its surrounding villages. Turkish, Ottoman (1500-1928);: Kazas, in turn, were divided into Turkish, Ottoman (1500-1928);: nahiyes (each governed by a Turkish, Ottoman (1500-1928);: müdür) and villages (Turkish, Ottoman (1500-1928);: karye, each governed by a Turkish, Ottoman (1500-1928);: muhtar).[2] Revisions of 1871 to the administrative law established the Turkish, Ottoman (1500-1928);: nahiye (still governed by a Turkish, Ottoman (1500-1928);: müdür) as an intermediate level between the kaza and the village.[2]
The term was adopted by the Principality of Serbia (1817–1833) and Principality of Montenegro (1852–1910), as Serbian: nahija (Serbian: нахија).
| Country | Level above (Arabic) | Level above (English) | Main article | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| mintaqah (formerly qadaa) | district | |||
| Palestine | Liwa' | governorates | Districts of Palestine | |
| Iraq | Qadaa | district | Subdistricts of Iraq | |
| Lebanon | ||||
| Jordan | Liwa' | governorate | Nahias of Jordan |