autonomous oblast

noun1

1. •
   (historical) In the former Soviet Union, a lower-status autonomous unit below an autonomous republic, typically established for a smaller titular nationality and nested inside a union republic, or in the RSFSR, inside a krai.

   • In addition, there were six state archives of autonomous oblasti, nine state archives for national okrugi, and sixteen archives and four branches for the sixteen autonomous republics under the RSFSR. — 1972