Raion

A raion is a subregional administrative district used in Ukraine and some neighboring countries. Its powers, boundaries, and place in government vary by country.

Administrative division: A territorial unit created to organize government, administration, or representation. A raion is one level in a country's hierarchy of administrative divisions.
Administrative divisions of Ukraine: The territorial hierarchy through which Ukraine organizes regional and local administration. Ukraine's current system places raions between oblasts and hromadas.
Soviet administrative division: The territorial framework used to organize administration across the Soviet Union. The raion system spread widely through Soviet-era territorial administration.
Ukrainian oblast: A first-level administrative region in Ukraine, above raions and hromadas. An oblast covers a larger area and occupies a higher tier than a raion.
Local government: Public institutions that govern a municipality or other local area. Local-government responsibilities may be divided between raion authorities and communities.
Administrative divisions of Russia: The system of territorial units used to administer the Russian Federation. Russia uses raions in several regional and municipal arrangements.
Soviet Union: A federal socialist state that existed from 1922 to 1991 across Eurasia. Its administrative practices influenced raion systems in successor states.
Ukrainian hromada: A basic Ukrainian local-government unit formed by one or more settlements. A hromada is the main local self-government unit, unlike a raion's coordinating role.
Municipality: A local government area, usually encompassing a town, city, or group of settlements. Municipalities and raions are distinct territorial units that can overlap.
Administrative divisions of Belarus: The system of territorial units used to administer Belarus. Belarus divides much of its territory into raions beneath larger regions.

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