View source for Muhafazah

{{Short description|Arab-language territorial entity term}}

A '''{{Transliteration|ar|muḥāfaẓah}}'''{{efn|{{Langx|ar|مُحَافَظَة}} {{IPA|ar|muˈħaːfaðˤa|}}; {{abbr|pl.|plural}} {{lang|ar|مُحَافَظَات}} {{Transliteration|ar|muḥāfaẓāt}} {{IPA|ar|muħafaˈðˤaːt|}}}} is a first-level [[administrative division]] of many [[Arab countries]], and a second-level administrative division in [[Saudi Arabia]]. The term is usually translated as "[[governorate]]", and occasionally as "[[province]]".

It comes from the Arabic [[triconsonantal root|root]] {{lang|ar|ح-ا-ف-ظ}}, {{Transliteration|ar|ḥ-ā-f-ẓ}}, (verb: {{lang|ar|حافظ}}, {{lang|ar-Latn|ḥāfaẓa}}), which means to "keep" and "guard".

The head of a {{Transliteration|ar|muḥāfaẓah}} is a governor (Arabic: {{lang|ar|مُحَافِظ}}, {{Transliteration|ar|muḥāfiẓ}}) .

The [[governorates of Tunisia]] are ''[[wilayah|wilāyah]]'' in Arabic.

==Muhafazat in Arab countries==
{{wiktionary}}
*[[Governorates of Bahrain]]
*[[Governorates of Egypt]]
*[[Governorates of Iraq]]
*[[Governorates of Jordan]]
*[[Governorates of Kuwait]]
*[[Governorates of Libya]] (historic)
*[[Governorates of Lebanon]]
*[[Governorates of Oman]]
*[[Governorates of Palestine]]
*[[Governorates of Saudi Arabia]] (2nd level)
*[[Governorates of Syria]]
*[[Governorates of Yemen]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

{{Arabic terms for country subdivisions}}

[[Category:Types of administrative division]]
[[Category:Governorates|*]]


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