Hidden village (Earth-2213)

Hidden villages are major settlements created by shinobi to serve as their headquarters on a nation. Hidden villages are distinguished from other settlements, outside of capital cities, for their defense force, military capacity, and strategic location in a nation.

Overview
Hidden villages are always constructed by shinobi in strategic significant locations within a nation. For example, Konohagakure is situated within a dense forest in the middle of the Land of Fire, while Sunagakure is located inside a mountainous formation in the Si Wong Desert, in the Land of Wind.

The military force of hidden villages consist the armed forces of the nation they are hidden in. Both Konoha in the Land of Fire and Iwagakure in the Land of Earth compose the biggest military forces in the world, these being the Military of the Land of Fire and the Military of the Land of Earth. While villages have their own domestic special forces in the form of the Anbu, shinobi will sometimes lease their own jonin to serve under military or mercenary capacities for other settlements in their nation, such as capitals. Iwagakure shinobi have their own special force based on the Land of Earth's capital of Ba Sing Se, known as the Dai Ling.

Hidden villages are led by village heads, the strongest shinobi or kunoichi in the village and masters of bending. The hidden villages that belong to the five great nations are not led by village heads, instead being commanded by a Kage, who runs every corner of the village's organization, from military, to social, and economical matters. The Kages are the Hokage in the Land of Fire, the Tsuchikage in the Land of Earth, the Kazekage in the Land of Wind, the Raikage in the Land of Lightning, and the Mizukage in the Land of Water.

Not all nations have hidden villages, however. The Land of Sea and the Land of Waves, two minor nations, do not have their own hidden villages, and thus they rely on the help of shinobi from other countries to help them in military matters. The Land of Iron is the only nation in the Shinobi World that does not rely on shinobi, instead being led by samurai.

Hidden villages

 * Amegakure - Land of Storms
 * Kirigakure - Land of Water
 * Konohagakure - Land of Fire