Okrug

Okrug is a term used in several Slavic languages to denote an administrative division roughly equivalent to a district or jurisdiction. Etymologically, it derives from a root meaning circle or surrounding area, and in many countries it has acquired specialized administrative meanings.

In Russia, okrug has several distinct senses. An autonomous okrug (avtonomnyy okrug) is a federal subject of Russia with a degree of self-governance within a larger region, and there are four such subjects: Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, and Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. Administrative okrug (administrativnyy okrug) is a subdivision used for state administration within a federal subject or a large city; in Moscow, for example, the city is divided into administrative okrugs that group several districts. A municipal okrug is a type of municipal formation, often translated as urban okrug, corresponding to a city or town under a single local government; it exists alongside other municipal structures such as municipal districts (raions).

In Serbia, okrug (district) is a level of administration between municipalities (opštine) and the higher regional or republic level. There are 29 districts, with the City of Belgrade having a separate status in the system. District authorities coordinate regional services, development, and governance within their territory.

The term is also used in other Slavic languages with similar meanings, sometimes describing historical or contemporary districts. Across languages, okrug generally signifies a defined geographic area with some form of administrative responsibility.