Ottoman vilayet

The Ottoman vilayet was an administrative region or province within the Ottoman Empire, established in the 19th century as part of a reform effort called the Tanzimat. Each vilayet was governed by a governor (vali) and subdivided into districts, facilitating centralized control over diverse and often vast territories. Vilayets replaced older administrative divisions and aimed to improve governance, law, and modernization. They helped organize the empire's territories in the Balkans, Middle East, and North Africa, serving as the primary units for administrative, fiscal, and military management during the empire's later years.