Raion

A raion (or rayon) is a type of administrative unit of several post-Soviet countries (such as part of an oblast). The term, which is from French "rayon" (meaning "honeycomb, department"), describes both a type of a subnational entity and a division of a city, and is commonly translated in English as "district". The term "raion" also can be used simply as a second degree of administrative division without anything to do with ethnicity or nationality. A raion is usually an administrative entity as subdivided two steps below the national level. However, in smaller countries, it could be the primary level of administrative division.