Okrug: Difference between revisions

An '''okrug'''{{efn|{{lang-bg|окръг|okrag}}, {{IPA-bg|ˈɔkrɐk|pron}}; {{lang-mk|округ|okrug}}; {{lang-ru|о́кругокруг|ókrugokrug}}; {{lang-sr|округ|okrug}}, {{IPA-sr|ôkruːɡ|pron}}; {{lang-uk|о́кругокруг|о́kruhоkruh}}; {{lang-be|акруга|akruha}}; {{lang-pl|[[okręg]]}}; {{lang-ab|оқрҿс}}; {{lang-mhr|йырвел}}, {{small|[[Romanization|romanized]]:}} {{transl|mhr|jyrvel}}}} is a type of [[administrative division]] in some [[SlavsSlavic languages|Slavic]]-speaking states. The word "''okrug"'' is a [[loanword]] in English,<ref>[[Oxford English Dictionary]] on CD-ROM, Second Edition. Entry on ''okrug''. Oxford University Press, 2002</ref> but it is nevertheless oftenalternatively translated as "[[area]]", "[[district]]", or "[[region]]".

Etymologically, "''okrug"'' literally means "'[[Circuit (administrative division)|circuit]]', derived from Proto-Slavic {{Lang|sla-x-proto|*okrǫgъ}}, in turn from {{Lang|sla-x-proto|*ob-}} "around" + {{Lang|sla-x-proto|*krǫgъ}} "circle". In meaning, the word is similar to the [[German language|German]] term ''[[Bezirk]]'' or ''[[Districts of Germany|Kreis]]'' ("'[[district]]"') and the French word ''[[arrondissement]]''; all of which refer to something "encircled" or "surrounded".

In [[Bulgaria]], {{Transliteration|bg|okrag}}''okragss'' are the abolished primary unit of the administrative division and implied "districts" or "counties". They existed in the postwar Bulgaria between 1946 and 1987 and corresponded approximately to today's [[oblast]]s.

As historical administrative subdivisions of [[Poland]], {{Lang|pl|okręgi}} existed in the later part of the [[Congress Poland]] period, from 1842, when the name was applied to the former [[powiat|''powiats'']]s (the name ''{{Lang|pl|powiat''}} being transferred to the former ''[[obwód|obwody]]'').<ref>[[:pl:Podział administracyjny Królestwa Polskiego 1837-1914|Administrative division of the Congress Poland]] {{in lang|pl}}</ref> See: [[subdivisions of Congress Poland]].

{{Lang|pl|Okręgi}} were also created temporarily from 1945 to 1946, in the areas annexed to Poland from Germany as a result of the Soviet military advance. An {{Lang|pl|okręg}} was then subdivided into {{Lang|pl|obwody}}. These {{Lang|pl|okręgi}} were later replaced by [[voivodeships of Poland|voivodeship]]s, and the {{Lang|pl|obwody}} by powiats{{Lang|pl|powiat}}s.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://baza.archiwa.gov.pl/sezam/iza.php?nrarchiwum=65&nrzespolu=357&cdnumeru=0&mode=showzesp&search1=get&offset=100 |title=Article in Polish re 1945-46 |access-date=2013-09-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071023080501/http://baza.archiwa.gov.pl/sezam/iza.php?nrarchiwum=65&nrzespolu=357&cdnumeru=0&mode=showzesp&search1=get&offset=100 |archive-date=2007-10-23 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Inherited from the Imperial Russia, in the 1920s, ''okrugs'' were administrative divisions of several other primary divisions such as [[oblast]]s, [[krai]]s, and others. For sometimesome time in the 1920s they also served as the primary unit upon the abolishment of [[governorate (Russia)|guberniyas]] and were divided into [[raion]]s. On July 30, 1930, most of the ''okrugs'' were abolished. The remaining ''okrugs'' were phased awayout in the [[Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic|Russian SFSR]] during 1930–1946, although they were retained in [[Zakarpattia Oblast]] of the [[Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic|Ukrainian SSR]] in a status equivalent to that of a raion.

''National ''okrugs'' were first created in the [[Mountain Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic|Mountain ASSR]] of the Russian SFSR in 1921 as units of the Soviet autonomy and additional national ''okrugs'' were created in the Russian SFSR for the peoples of the north and Caucasus region. In 1977, all national ''okrugs'' were renamed ''autonomous ''okrugs''.

In the present-day [[Russia|Russian Federation]], the term "''okrug"'' is either translated as "''district"'' or rendered directly as "''okrug"'', and is used to describe the following types of divisions:

*[[Federal districts of Russia|Federal Districts]] (''{{Transliteration|ru|federalny okrug''}}), such as the [[Siberian Federal District]]

*[[Autonomous okrugs of Russia|Autonomous okrugs]] (''{{Transliteration|ru|avtonomny okrug''}}), such as [[Chukotka Autonomous Okrug]]

After the series of mergers in 2005–2008, several autonomous ''okrugs'' of Russia lost their federal subject status and are now considered to be administrative territories within the federal subjects they had been merged into:

"''Okrug"'' is also used to describe the administrative divisions of the two "[[federal cities of Russia|federal cities]]" in Russia:

*the [[administrative divisions of Moscow|administrative ''okrugs'']] of [[Moscow]] are an upper-level administrative division

*the [[administrative divisions of Saint Petersburg|municipal ''okrugs'']] of [[Saint Petersburg|St.  Petersburg]] areis a lower-level administrative division

In the federal city of [[Sevastopol]], municipal ''okrugs'' are a type of a municipal formation.

In [[Tver Oblast]], the term "''okrug"'' also denotes a type of an [[city of federal subject significance|administrative division]] which is equal in status to that of the districts.

Furthermore, the designation "''okrug"'' denotes several ''[[selsoviet]]''-level administrative divisions:

*[[Selsoviet#Selsoviets in Russia|rural okrugs]] (''{{Transliteration|ru|selsky okrug''}}), such as the [[administrative divisions of Belgorod Oblast|rural okrugs of Belgorod Oblast]]

*[[Selsoviet#Selsoviets in Russia|rural territorial okrugs]] (''{{Transliteration|ru|selsky territorialny okrug''}}), such as the [[administrative divisions of Murmansk Oblast|rural territorial okrugs of Murmansk Oblast]]

*[[Selsoviet#Selsoviets in Russia|stanitsa okrugs]] (''{{Transliteration|ru|stanichny okrug''}}), such as the [[administrative divisions of Krasnodar Krai|stanitsa okrugs of Krasnodar Krai]]

In some cities, the term "''okrug"'' is used to refer to the administrative divisions of those cities. "Administrative ''okrugs"'' are such divisions in the cities of [[Murmansk]], [[Omsk]], and [[Tyumen]]; "city ''okrugs"'' are used in [[Krasnodar]]; "municipal ''okrugs"'' are the divisions of [[Nazran]]; "''okrugs"'' exist in [[Belgorod]], [[Kaluga]], [[Kursk]], and [[Novorossiysk]]; and "territorial ''okrugs"'' are the divisions of [[Arkhangelsk]] and [[Lipetsk]].

The term "''okrug"'' is also used to describe a type of a [[Political divisions of Russia#Municipal divisions|municipal formation]], the "municipal urban ''okrug"''—a municipal urban settlement not incorporated into a municipal district.<ref name="Mun">{{cite Russian law

The [[Serbia|Republic of Serbia]] is divided into twenty-nine ''okrugs'' as well as the [[Belgrade|City of Belgrade]]. The term ''okrug'' in Serbia is often translated as either "''district"'' or "''county"''.

[[Category:AdministrativePolitical divisions of Russia]]