Oblasts of Russia
The term oblast can be translated into English as "province" or "region". There are currently 46 oblasts (48 if counting Kherson and Zaporozhye oblasts, which are internationally recognised as a part of Ukraine). It is the most common type of the 85 federal subjects of Russia. Most oblasts are named after their administrative center. It is the official term for a capital city in an oblast, which is usually the largest city. Exceptions to this include Leningrad Oblast and Moscow Oblast, which have no official capital. Sakhalin Oblast is named after an island. Leningrad Oblast and Sverdlovsk Oblast keep the old names of Saint Petersburg and Yekaterinburg.