GOLD Report I - UCLG

61The average population size of local governmentsin the region is shown in Table4. The relevance of this ratio dependsvery much on whether the lower tier is devisedas a rather large jurisdiction adequateto perform a number of functions, or whetherit is closer to settlements and has tomaintain a link with the people. Both mayexist in the same countries; then, the significanceof the ratio depends on the distributionof functions. We have indeed to take into account that some countries have a twotier local level (most Indian states, Pakistan,Philippines, Korea, Vietnam), whereasothers have only a single tier local level(Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia),and exceptionally three tiers in some Indianstates and in China. To make a comparison,we have to take in to account the functionsof these levels. Indeed, major local governmentfunctions are usually exercised at theupper local level in countries with a two tierlocal level. Therefore, the upper level has tobe taken for the comparison with countrieshaving a single tier local level. Conventionally,we call it a district whatever its namein the respective countries.This table is probably misleading in somerespects. It overlooks the role of the provincialstate administration, with its localbranches in Thailand, which allows a higherdegree of fragmentation. It underestimatesthe role for the people of lower levelmunicipal administrations, and its value interms of local democracy (for example inIndia or the Philippines). However, the highranking of the ratio suggests decentralizationat the meso level rather than at thelocal level (for example in Indonesia,Pakistan and Korea), and a low profile atthe municipal level.Table 4Average population size of local governmentsin the Asia-Pacific RegionCountry Population (m) Number of local Average size ofgovernmentslocal governmentAustralia 20.1 703 28,592China 1,296.5 2,860 453,147India 1,079.7 9,624 112,115Indonesia 217.6 450 483,556Japan 127.8 1,820 70,220Malaysia 25.2 144 175,000New Zealand 4.1 73 54,931Pakistan 152.1 396 384,091Philippines 83.0 1,621 51,300Korea, Rep. of 48.1 230 209,010Thailand 62.4 7,874 7,924Vietnam 82.2 662 124,169Source: Table 1 and Table 3.