Volost Volost Romsey Mill Category="History of Belarus"Category="Subnational entities"Volost or volost' (Russian: во´лость) was a traditional administrative subdivision in Russia. In earlier East Slavic history, volost was a name for the territory ruled by the Knyaz (prince); either as an absolute ruler or with varying degree of autonomy from the superior knyaz (Grand Prince). Starting from the end of the 14th century, volost was a unit of administrative subdivision of Muscovy and, later, Russia, a part of Uyezd. After the abolition of Russian serfdom in 1861, volost became a unit of Peasant's local self-rule.

Volosts were abolished by the Soviet administrative reform of 1923-1929. Raions may be roughly called a modern equivalent of both volosts and uyezds.

In modern Russia, subdivision into volosts is used by the Republic of Karelia, where volosts have the same status as raions (districts) and national districts, and by Samara, Leningrad, and Tula Oblasts, where volosts are considered subdivisons of raions and have the same status as selsovets in other Russian federal subjects.

See also