What is "mintaqah"

n. (context Arabic term political administration English) A first-level http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/country%20subdivision used in Saudi Arabia and several other Arab countries.

Minţaqah ( ; plural مناطق manāṭiq ) is a term for a first-level administrative division in Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Chad and for a second-level administrative division in several other Arab countries. It is often translated as region or district, but the literal meaning is "region" or "area".