Markaz is an Arabic term meaning "center." In the Middle East, the word (or a Persian and Turkish derivative) is sometimes used for second-level country subdivisions. Among these are:

• Markazes of Egypt
• Markaz in Saudi Arabia, below Governorates of Saudi Arabia
• The capital city of a province of Iran
• In Turkey, a merkez is a district (ilçe) that serves as the capital of a province.