dairah

Dairah, also transliterated daira, da’ira, or daïra, is an Arabic term written as دائرة. It traditionally means circle or ring, but in modern administrative and organizational language it designates a division or district within a larger jurisdiction. The word can refer to both geographic boundaries and organizational units, depending on context.

In administrative usage, daira often denotes a district-level subdivision. In Algeria, for example, wilayas (provinces) are subdivided into daïras (districts), which are further divided into communes. This structure is a central feature of the country’s provincial administration, and the term is widely used in official maps, statistics, and governance. The concept and term are also found in other Maghreb states and in various Arabic-speaking countries, where a daira may function as a local district or as a department-like unit within ministries or agencies.

Beyond geography, dairah can refer to departments within an organization or to electoral or regulatory circles in some contexts. The exact meaning—district, department, or circle—depends on the country and the governing system in place. In all uses, the term conveys a sense of an organized, bounded unit that forms part of a larger administrative or institutional framework.

See also: Arabic administrative divisions, daïra (Algeria), district (general)