View source for Oblast

{{Short description|First-level administrative division in several countries}}
An '''oblast''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|ɒ|b|l|ɑː|s|t|audio=LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-oblast.wav}}){{efn|[[Plural]]: ''oblasts'' or ''oblasti''<ref name="oed-oblast">{{Citation |title=Oxford English Dictionary |date=July 2023 |url=https://doi.org/10.1093/OED/6423855087 |access-date=2023-12-01 |chapter=oblast, n. |doi=10.1093/OED/6423855087|url-access=subscription }}</ref> ({{langx|ru|области}}; {{langx|uk|області}}).}}{{efn|{{langx|ru|область}} {{IPA|ru|ˈobləsʲtʲ||ru-область.ogg}}; {{langx|uk|область}} {{IPA|uk|ˈɔblɐsʲtʲ||uk-область.ogg}}; {{langx|be|вобласць|vobłaść}} {{IPA|be|ˈvɔblasʲt͡sʲ|}}; {{langx|pl|obwód}} {{IPA|pl|ˈɔbvut||pl-obwód.ogg}}; {{langx|sr|област|oblast}} {{IPA|sr|ôblaːst|}}; {{langx|bg|област|oblast}} {{IPA|bg|ˈɔbɫɐst|}}; {{langx|mk|област|oblast}} {{IPA|mk|ˈɔbɫast|}}; {{langx|kk|облыс|oblys}} {{IPA|kk|ˈwobləs|}}; {{langx|ky|облус|oblus}} {{IPA|ky|ˈoblus|}}; [[Bashkir language|Bashkir]] and {{langx|tt|өлкә|ölkä}} {{IPA|tt|øʎˈcɛ||generic=yes}}; {{langx|os|облæст|oblæst}} {{IPA|os|ˈobɫɐstʰ|}}; [[Tajik language|Tajik]] and {{langx|uz|вилоят|viloyat}} {{IPA|uz|wilɒˈjæt|}}.}} is a type of [[administrative division]] in [[Bulgaria]] and several [[post-Soviet states]], including [[Belarus]], [[Russia]] and [[Ukraine]]. Historically, it was used in the [[Russian Empire]] and the [[Soviet Union]]. The term ''oblast'' is often translated into English as 'region' or 'province'.<ref name="collins">{{Citation | title=Oblast definition and meaning | website=Collins English Dictionary | url=https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/oblast | access-date=25 December 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Citation | year=2017 | website=World Atlas | title=What Is An Oblast? | url=https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-is-an-oblast.html | access-date=25 December 2022}}</ref> In some countries, oblasts are also known by [[cognate]]s of the Russian term.

==Etymology==
The term ''oblast'' is [[Loanword|borrowed]] from Russian область ({{IPA|ru|ˈobləsʲtʲ|pron}}), where it is inherited from Old Russian, in turn borrowed from [[Church Slavonic]] область ''oblastĭ'' 'power, empire', formed from the prefix {{Lang|cu|oб-}} (cognate with [[Classical Latin]] ''ob'' 'towards, against' and [[Ancient Greek]] ἐπί/ἔπι ''epi'' 'in power, in charge') and the stem {{Lang|cu|власть}} ''vlastǐ'' 'power, rule'.<ref name="oed-oblast" /> In Old Russian, it was used alongside {{Lang|orv|оболость}} ''obolostǐ''—the equivalent of {{Lang|orv|об-}} 'against' and {{Lang|orv|волость}} 'territory, state, power' (cognate with English 'wield'; see ''[[volost]]'').<ref name="oed-oblast" /><ref>{{cite dictionary|title=область|date=2006 |dictionary=Этимологический онлайн-словарь русского|url=https://lexicography.online/etymology/vasmer/о/область|edition=4th|first=Макса|last= Фасмера|lang=ru|access-date=May 1, 2023}}</ref><ref name="collins"/>

==History==
===Russian Empire===
{{Main|Oblasts of the Russian Empire}}

In the [[Russian Empire]] oblasts were considered to be [[administrative units]] and were included as parts of [[Governorates General]] or [[krai]]s. The majority of then-existing oblasts were on the periphery of the country (e.g. [[Kars Oblast]] or [[Transcaspian Region|Transcaspian Oblast]]) or covered the areas where [[Cossacks]] lived.

===Soviet Union<!--Linked from 'Subdivisions of the Soviet Union'-->===
{{Main|Oblasts of the Soviet Union}}

In the [[Soviet Union]], oblasts were one of the types of administrative divisions of the [[republics of the Soviet Union|union republics]]. As any administrative units of this level, oblasts were composed of districts (''[[raion]]s'') and cities/towns directly under oblasts' jurisdiction. Some oblasts also included [[autonomous administrative division|autonomous entities]] called [[autonomous okrug]]s.  Because of the Soviet Union electrification program under the [[GOELRO plan]], [[Ivan Alexandrov]], as director of the Regionalisation Committee of [[Gosplan]], divided the Soviet Union into thirteen European and eight Asiatic oblasts, using rational economic planning rather than "the vestiges of lost sovereign rights".<ref>''Ekonomicheskoe raionirovanie Rossii'', Gosplan, Moscow 1921</ref>

The names of oblasts did not usually correspond to the names of the respective historical regions, as they were created as purely administrative units.  With a few exceptions, Soviet oblasts were named after their administrative centers.

===Yugoslavia===
{{Main|Subdivisions of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia}}

In 1922, the [[Kingdom of Yugoslavia|Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes]] was divided into [[subdivisions of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia|33 administrative divisions]] [[Subdivisions of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia#Oblasts (1922–1929)|also called oblasts]]. In 1929, oblasts were replaced with [[Subdivisions of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia#Banates (banovinas; 1929–1941)|larger administrative units known as banovinas]].

During the [[Yugoslav Wars]], several [[Serb Autonomous Regions|Serb Autonomous Oblasts]] were formed in [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]] and [[Croatia]]. These oblasts were later merged into the [[Republic of Serbian Krajina]] and the [[Republika Srpska]].

Word "oblast" is also prominent and widely used in Serbian language. It does not have only territorial meaning. It is also regularly used to denote parts of science, literature, or production, and so on (for example "''oblast'' nauke" means "field of science"). So, it means something like "part of whole".

==Modern oblasts==
===Bulgaria===
{{Main|Provinces of Bulgaria}}

Since 1999, Bulgaria has been divided into 28 oblasts, usually translated as "provinces". Before, the country was divided into just nine units, also called oblasts.<!-- ,,,or should the plural be oblasti? -->

===Post-Soviet states===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Territorial entity
! Local term
! English term
! Details
! Comment
|-
| [[Armenia]] || ''marz'' || province or region<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gov.am/en/regions/|title=Government - Regions - The Government of Armenia|work=gov.am}}</ref> || see: [[marz (country subdivision)]] || ''Oblast'' in the Russian version of a 1995 law.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.am/legislation.php?sel=show&ID=2243&lang=rus|title=Legislation: National Assembly of RA|work=parliament.am}}</ref>
|-
| [[Belarus]] || ''voblasts'' (''voblasc'') / ''oblast'' || region<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.belarus.by/en/about-belarus/geography|title=Geography, Belarus - Belarus.by|work=belarus.by}}</ref> || see: [[regions of Belarus]] || Belarusian and Russian are both state languages
|-
| [[Kazakhstan]] || ''oblys'' || region || see: [[regions of Kazakhstan]] || Kazakh is the sole official language. Russian is officially used alongside it in state organizations and local self-government bodies according to the [[Constitution of Kazakhstan|Constitution]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.akorda.kz/en/constitution-of-the-republic-of-kazakhstan-50912 |title=Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan
 }}</ref>
|-
| [[Kyrgyzstan]] || ''oblus'' / ''oblast'' || region || see: [[regions of Kyrgyzstan]] || Kyrgyz and Russian are both official languages
|-
| [[Russia]] || ''oblast'' || oblast or region<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.constitution.ru/en/10003000-04.htm|title=Chapter 3. The Federal Structure - The Constitution of the Russian Federation|work=constitution.ru|access-date=2014-10-16|archive-date=2018-12-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225132251/http://www.constitution.ru/en/10003000-04.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> || see: [[oblasts of Russia]] || According to the [[Constitution of Russia]], oblasts are considered to be [[federal subjects of Russia|subjects of the Federation]], which is a higher status than that of administrative units they had within the [[Russian SFSR]] before the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The federal subject status gives the oblasts some degree of autonomy and gives them representation in the [[Federation Council of Russia|Federation Council]]
|-
| [[Tajikistan]] || ''viloyat'' || region || see: [[regions of Tajikistan]] || 
|-
| [[Turkmenistan]] || ''welaýat'' || region<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iso.org/iso/iso_3166-2_newsletter_ii-2_2010-06-30.pdf |title=Microsoft Word - Newsletter II-2 2010-06-30.doc |access-date=2019-03-07}}</ref>|| see: [[regions of Turkmenistan]] || 
|-
| [[Ukraine]] || ''oblast'' || oblast or region<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mfa.gov.ua/en/about-ukraine/info/regions|title=Regions of Ukraine - MFA of Ukraine|work=mfa.gov.ua|access-date=2014-10-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141008215208/http://mfa.gov.ua/en/about-ukraine/info/regions|archive-date=2014-10-08|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://en.ria.ru/infographics/20141028/194720565/Ukraines-Snap-Parliamentary-Elections.html |title=Ukraine's Snap Parliamentary Elections | website = Ria Novosti |access-date=2014-10-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141031080629/http://en.ria.ru/infographics/20141028/194720565/Ukraines-Snap-Parliamentary-Elections.html |archive-date=2014-10-31 |url-status=dead }}</ref> || see: [[oblasts of Ukraine]] || In [[Ukraine]], an oblast ({{langx|uk|область}} {{IPA|uk|ˈɔblɐsʲtʲ||uk-область.ogg}}; in [[English language|English]] called a province or region) refers to one of the country's 24 primary [[Administrative divisions of Ukraine|administrative units]]. Since Ukraine is a [[unitary state]], the provinces (or regions) do not have much legal scope of competence other than that which is established in the [[Constitution of Ukraine|Ukrainian Constitution]] and by law. Articles 140–146 of [[s:Constitution of Ukraine#Chapter IX: Territorial Structure of Ukraine|Chapter XI]] of the constitution deal directly with local authorities and their competency.

Oblasts are further subdivided into [[Raions of Ukraine|raions]] ([[district]]s), ranging in number from 3 to 10 per entity
|-
| [[Uzbekistan]] || ''viloyat'' || region<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.gov.uz/en/regional_authorities/ |title=The Governmental portal of the Republic of Uzbekistan - Local authority |access-date=2014-10-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019225453/http://www.gov.uz/en/regional_authorities/ |archive-date=2014-10-19 |url-status=dead }}</ref> || see: [[regions of Uzbekistan]] || 
|}
''Viloyat'' and ''welaýat'' are derived from the [[Turkish language]] term ''[[vilayet]]'', itself derived from the [[Arabic|Arabic language]] term ''[[wilayah|wilāya]]'' ({{lang|ar|ولاية}}).

==See also==
{{Wiktionary|Oblast}}
* [[Autonomous oblast]]
* [[Governorate (Russia)|Guberniya]], an administrative unit, comparable to an oblast, of the Russian Empire, early Russian SFSR, and the Soviet Union
* [[Raion]], district or sub-division of an oblast
* [[Krai]]
* [[Okrug]]
* [[Political divisions of Russia]]
* [[Landscape park (protected area)]], {{langx|cs|chráněná krajinná oblast}}, {{langx|sk|Chránená krajinná oblasť}}

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{wikt|oblast}}
* {{cci}}

{{Navboxes
|list = 
{{Slavic terms for administrative divisions}}
{{Types of administrative division}}
}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Types of administrative division]]
[[Category:Russian-language designations of territorial entities]]