‖ oblast
(ˈoblast)
[Russ.]
A second-order administrative subdivision in Imperial Russia and the U.S.S.R.; a Russian province or region. Also attrib. Cf. kray.
| 1886 Encycl. Brit. XXI. 69/2 Oblasts, or provinces. 1911 Ibid. XXIII. 875/2 For purposes of provincial administration Russia is divided into 78 governments (guberniya), 18 provinces (oblast) and 1 district (okrug). 1934 Webster s.v. Soviet, They [sc. the soviets]..send deputies to the higher soviet congresses: volosts (rural district),..oblasts (regional), and the congresses of the constituent republics. 1936 Nature 23 May 843/1 They [sc. the soviets] in their turn send delegates to the rayons, above which are the oblasts. 1938, etc. [see kray]. 1951 Ann. Reg. 1950 202 The unsatisfactory condition of agriculture in the oblast was attributed to organizational deficiencies... N. S. Patolichev..had spent the previous two years in the comparatively obscure post of oblast party Secretary. 1955 Times 23 Aug. 6/3 Every credit is given to those oblast and individual state and collective farms which fulfil..the plan. 1964 New Statesman 6 Mar. 353/1 Interference at the district level by agricultural departments of the town or village council has been superseded by ‘guidance’ at the oblast (regional) level. 1964 Economist 13 June 1264/2 The first oil was struck in the Tyumen oblast only in 1960. 1976 Survey Spring 57 He embarked on a successful career in party administration, attaining the rank of oblast First Secretary. |