Berlin is divided into boroughs or districts (Bezirke) for administration. The boroughs are further divided into neighborhoods (Ortsteile) which are officially recognised but have no administrative bodies of their own. Neighborhoods typically have strong identities that sometimes pre-date their inclusion into the modern boundaries of Berlin. These function differently to other subdivisions in Germany because of the dual status of Berlin as both a city and a federated state of Germany in its own right.

Since 2001, Berlin has been made up of twelve districts, each with its own administrative body. However because Berlin is a single municipality (Einheitsgemeinde), its districts have limited power, acting only as agencies of Berlin's state and city governments as laid out in the Greater Berlin Act of 1920. The districts are financially dependent on state donations, as they neither possess any taxation power nor own any property. This is contrast to municipalities and counties in other German states, which are territorial corporations (Gebietskörperschaften) with autonomous functions and property.

Each district is administered by a representatives' assembly (Bezirksverordnetenversammlung), directly elected by proportional representation, and a district board (Bezirksamt) led by a district mayor (Bezirksbürgermeister), elected by the assembly representatives. The district board is in charge of most administrative matters affecting its residents, but its decisions can be revoked by the Berlin Senate. The district mayors form a council of mayors (Rat der Bürgermeister) led by the city's governing mayor, which advises the Berlin Senate.

Each borough is made up of several officially recognized subdistricts or neighborhoods (Ortsteile in German, sometimes called quarters in English). The number of neighborhoods that form a borough varies considerably, ranging from two (Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg) to fifteen (Treptow-Köpenick). These neighborhoods typically have a historical identity as former independent cities, villages, or rural municipalities that were united in 1920 as part of the Greater Berlin Act, forming the basis for the present-day city and state. The neighborhoods do not have their own governmental bodies but are recognized by the city and the boroughs for planning and statistical purposes. Berliners often identify more with the neighborhood where they live than with the borough that governs them. The neighborhoods are further subdivided into statistical tracts, which are mainly used for planning and statistical purposes. The statistical tracts correspond roughly but not exactly with neighborhoods recognized by residents.

When Greater Berlin was established in 1920, the city was organized into twenty boroughs, most of which were named after their largest component neighborhood, often a former city or municipality; others, such as Kreuzberg and Prenzlauer Berg, were named for geographic features. Minor changes to borough boundaries were made in 1938. After World War II, Berlin was divided into four sectors, with the Western sectors controlled by the United States, Britain, and France, and the Eastern sector controlled by the Soviet Union.

In 1961, the SED built the Berlin Wall to divide the city, effectively separating West Berlin from East Berlin and the rest of East Germany. Three new boroughs were created in East Berlin: Marzahn was split off from Lichtenberg in 1979, Hohenschönhausen from Weissensee in 1985, and Hellersdorf from Marzahn in 1986. In 1989, the Berlin Wall fell, and the city was reunified. This marked the end of the Cold War and the beginning of a new era in Berlin's history.

After reunification, Berlin underwent a process of rapid transformation, as the city worked to rebuild and modernize its infrastructure and economy. Many new businesses and cultural institutions were established, and the city became a center of creativity and innovation.

By 2000, Berlin comprised twenty-three boroughs, as three new boroughs had been created in East Berlin. Today Berlin is divided into twelve boroughs (Bezirke), reduced from twenty-three boroughs before Berlin's 2001 administrative reform.

An administrative reform in 2001 merged all but three of the existing boroughs into the current 12 boroughs, as listed below.^[1] The three boroughs that were not affected were Spandau, Reinickendorf and Neukölln, as the population of each was already exceeding 200,000.

Borough	Bundestag constituency	Population 31 December 2023	Area in km2	Density per km2	Map
Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf	Berlin-Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf (excluding Charlottenburg-Nord and the neighbourhood of Kalowswerder)	343,081	64.72	5,301
Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg	Berlin-Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg – Prenzlauer Berg East	293,454	20.16	14,556
Lichtenberg	Berlin-Lichtenberg	311,881	52.29	5,964
Marzahn-Hellersdorf	Berlin-Marzahn-Hellersdorf	291,948	61.74	4,728
Mitte	Berlin-Mitte	397,134	39.47	10,062
Neukölln	Berlin-Neukölln	330,017	44.93	7,345
Pankow	Berlin-Pankow (excluding Prenzlauer Berg east of Prenzlauer Allee)	424,307	103.01	4,119
Reinickendorf	Berlin-Reinickendorf	268,792	89.46	3,005
Spandau	Berlin-Spandau – Charlottenburg North	257,091	91.91	2,797
Steglitz-Zehlendorf	Berlin-Steglitz-Zehlendorf	310,446	102.50	3,029
Tempelhof-Schöneberg	Berlin-Tempelhof-Schöneberg	355,868	53.09	6,703
Treptow-Köpenick	Berlin-Treptow-Köpenick	294,081	168.42	1,746

All the coats of arms of Berliner boroughs (the current as of the ones in the period 1990 to 2001) have some common points: The shield has a Spanish form and the coronet is represented by a mural crown: 3 towers in red bricks with the coat of arms of Berlin in the middle.

Most of the coats of arms of current boroughs^[2] have changed some elements in their field: Some of them have created a "fusion" of themes of the merged Bezirke (Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, Lichtenberg, Steglitz-Zehlendorf, Tempelhof-Schöneberg); others have modified their themes taken from one of the two (or more) former merged boroughs (Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, Marzahn-Hellersdorf, Mitte and Treptow-Köpenick). Only the unchanged boroughs of Neukölln, Reinickendorf and Spandau have not changed their field. The coat of arms of Pankow was created with a new design in 2008, having been the only district without an emblem for 7 years.

Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf

Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg

Lichtenberg

Marzahn-Hellersdorf

Mitte

Neukölln

Pankow

Reinickendorf

Spandau

Steglitz-Zehlendorf

Tempelhof-Schöneberg

Treptow-Köpenick

The borough government is part of the two-tier administration of the Berlin city-state, whereby the Senate and its affiliated agencies, institutions, and municipal enterprises form the first tier of the so-called Hauptverwaltung (central administration). In the second tier, the boroughs enjoy a certain grade of autonomy—though in no way comparable to the German Landkreise districts or independent cities, nor even to the local government of a common municipality as a legal entity, as according to the Berlin Constitution the legal status of the city as a German state itself is that of a unified municipality (Einheitsgemeinde). The power of the borough governments is limited and their performance of assigned tasks is subject to regulatory supervision by the Senate.

Nevertheless, the twelve self-governing boroughs have constitutional status and are themselves subdivided into two administrative bodies: each is governed by the borough assembly (Bezirksverordnetenversammlung, BVV) and a full-time borough council (Bezirksamt), consisting of five councilors (Bezirksstadträte) and headed by a borough mayor (Bezirksbürgermeister). The BVV assembly is directly elected by the borough's population and therefore acts as a borough parliament, though it is officially part of the executive. It elects the members of the borough council, checks its daily administration, and is able to make applications and recommendations. The twelve borough mayors regularly meet in the Council of Mayors (Rat der Bürgermeister), led by the city's Governing Mayor; the council answers to and advises the Senate.

The localities have no local government bodies, and the administrative duties of the former locality representative, the Ortsvorsteher, were taken over by the borough mayors.

People who live in the former West Berlin tend to vote for the CDU and the SPD, While voters in the former East Berlin tend to vote for Linke and the AfD.

As of 2012, the twelve boroughs are made up of a total of 97 officially recognized neighborhoods or localities (Ortsteile). Almost all of these are further subdivided into several other zones (defined in German as Ortslagen, Teile, Stadtviertel, Orte etc.). The largest Ortsteil is Köpenick (34.9 km² or 13.5 sq mi), the smallest one is Hansaviertel (53 ha or 130 acres). The most populated is Neukölln (154,127 inhabitants in 2009), the least populated is Malchow (450 inhabitants in 2008).^[3]

Note that the coats of arms shown for localities in the tables below are historical and no longer in official use, having lost their validity upon incorporation into Greater Berlin or new districts.

(01) Mitte

Locality	Area in km2	Population as of 2008	Density inhabitants per km2	Map
(0101) Mitte	10.70	79,582	7,445
(0102) Moabit	7.72	69,425	8,993
(0103) Hansaviertel	0.53	5,889	11,111
(0104) Tiergarten	5.17	12,486	2,415
(0105) Wedding	9.23	76,363	8,273
(0106) Gesundbrunnen	6.13	82,729	13,496

(02) Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg

Locality	Area in km2	Population as of 2008	Density inhabitants per km2	Map
(0201) Friedrichshain	9.78	114,050	11,662
(0202) Kreuzberg	10.40	147,227	14,184

(03) Pankow

Locality	Area in km2	Population as of 2008	Density inhabitants per km2	Map
(0301) Prenzlauer Berg	11.00	142,319	12,991
(0302) Weißensee	7.93	45,485	5,736
(0303) Blankenburg	6.03	6,550	1,086
(0304) Heinersdorf	3.95	6,580	1,666
(0305) Karow	6.65	18,258	2,746
(0306) Stadtrandsiedlung Malchow	5.68	1,166	205
(0307) Pankow	5.66	55,854	9,868
(0308) Blankenfelde	13.40	1,917	144
(0309) Buch	18.20	13,188	727
(0310) Französisch Buchholz	12.00	18,766	1,560
(0311) Niederschönhausen	6.49	26,903	4,145
(0312) Rosenthal	4.90	8,933	1,823
(0313) Wilhelmsruh	1.37	7,216	5,267

(04) Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf

Locality	Area in km2	Population as of 2008	Density inhabitants per km2	Map
(0401) Charlottenburg	10.60	118,704	11,198
(0402) Wilmersdorf	7.16	92,815	12,963
(0403) Schmargendorf	3.59	19,750	5,501
(0404) Grunewald	22.30	10,014	448
(0405) Westend	13.50	37,883	2,800
(0406) Charlottenburg-Nord	6.20	17,327	2,795
(0407) Halensee	1.27	13,966	10,997

(05) Spandau

Locality	Area in km2	Population as of 2008	Density inhabitants per km2	Map
(0501) Spandau	8.03	33,433	4,164
(0502) Haselhorst	4.73	13,668	2,891
(0503) Siemensstadt	5.66	11,388	2,012
(0504) Staaken	10.90	41,470	3,810
(0505) Gatow	10.10	3,908	386
(0506) Kladow	14.80	13,628	922
(0507) Hakenfelde	20.40	26,337	1,292
(0508) Falkenhagener Feld	6.88	34,778	5,056
(0509) Wilhelmstadt	10.40	37,080	3,558

(06) Steglitz-Zehlendorf

Locality	Area in km2	Population as of 2008	Density inhabitants per km2	Map
(0601) Steglitz	6.79	70,555	10,391
(0602) Lichterfelde	18.20	78,338	4,300
(0603) Lankwitz	6.99	40,385	5,778
(0604) Zehlendorf	18.80	57,902	3,075
(0605) Dahlem	8.36	14,966	1,784
(0606) Nikolassee	19.61	15,899	811
(0607) Wannsee	23.68	9,044	382
(0608) Schlachtensee	4.05	10,573	2,611

(07) Tempelhof-Schöneberg

Locality	Area in km2	Population as of 2008	Density inhabitants per km2	Map
(0701) Schöneberg	10.60	116,743	11,003
(0702) Friedenau	1.65	26,736	16,204
(0703) Tempelhof	12.20	54,382	4,458
(0704) Mariendorf	9.38	48,882	5,211
(0705) Marienfelde	9.15	30,151	3,295
(0706) Lichtenrade	10.10	49,451	4,896

(08) Neukölln

Locality	Area in km2	Population as of 2008	Density inhabitants per km2	Map
(0801) Neukölln	11.70	154,127	13,173
(0802) Britz	12.40	38,334	3,091
(0803) Buckow	6.35	38,018	5,987
(0804) Rudow	11.80	41,040	3,478
(0805) Gropiusstadt	2.66	35,844	13,475

(09) Treptow-Köpenick

Locality	Area in km2	Population as of 2008	Density inhabitants per km2	Map
(0901) Alt-Treptow	2.31	10,426	4,513
(0902) Plänterwald	3.01	10,618	3,528
(0903) Baumschulenweg	4.82	16,780	3,481
(0904) Johannisthal	6.54	17,650	2,699
(0905) Niederschöneweide	3.49	10,043	2,878
(0906) Altglienicke	7.89	26,101	3,308
(0907) Adlershof	6.11	15,112	2,473
(0908) Bohnsdorf	6.52	10,751	1,649
(0909) Oberschöneweide	6.18	17,094	2,766
(0910) Köpenick	34.90	59,201	1,695
(0911) Friedrichshagen	14.00	17,285	1,233
(0912) Rahnsdorf	21.50	8,891	414
(0913) Grünau	9.13	5,482	600
(0914) Müggelheim	22.20	6,350	286
(0915) Schmöckwitz	17.10	4,117	240

(10) Marzahn-Hellersdorf

Locality	Area in km2	Population as of 2008	Density inhabitants per km2	Map
(1001) Marzahn	19.50	102,398	5,240
(1002) Biesdorf	12.40	24,543	1,973
(1003) Kaulsdorf	8.81	18,732	2,126
(1004) Mahlsdorf	12.90	26,852	2,075
(1005) Hellersdorf	8.10	72,602	8,963

(11) Lichtenberg

Locality	Area in km2	Population as of 2008	Density inhabitants per km2	Map
(1101) Friedrichsfelde	5.55	50,010	9,011
(1102) Karlshorst	6.60	21,329	3,232
(1103) Lichtenberg	7.22	32,295	4,473
(1104) Falkenberg	3.06	1,164	380
(1106) Malchow	1.54	450	292
(1107) Wartenberg	6.92	2,433	352
(1109) Neu-Hohenschönhausen	5.16	53,698	10,407
(1110) Alt-Hohenschönhausen	9.33	41,780	4,478
(1111) Fennpfuhl	2.12	30,932	14,591
(1112) Rummelsburg	4.52	17,567	3,887

• Codes 1105 and 1108 (this one to former Hohenschönhausen locality) are not assigned

(12) Reinickendorf

Locality	Area in km2	Population as of 2008	Density inhabitants per km2	Map
(1201) Reinickendorf	10.50	72,859	6,939
(1202) Tegel	33.70	33,417	992
(1203) Konradshöhe	2.20	5,997	2,726
(1204) Heiligensee	10.70	17,641	1,649
(1205) Frohnau	7.80	17,025	2,183
(1206) Hermsdorf	6.10	16,503	2,705
(1207) Waidmannslust	2.30	10,022	4,357
(1208) Lübars	5.00	4,915	983
(1209) Wittenau	5.87	22,696	3,866
(1210) Märkisches Viertel	3.20	35,206	11,002
(1211) Borsigwalde	2.03	6,432	3,168

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