The administrative-territorial structure of the

Tuva Republic Tuva (; ) or Tyva (; ), officially the Republic of Tyva,; , is a republic of Russia. Tuva lies at the geographical center of Asia, in southern Siberia. The republic borders the federal subjects of the Altai Republic, Buryatia, Irkutsk ...

in 2008–2011 was regulated by the Law #627 VKh-2, adopted on March 19, 2008. According to the law, the units of the administrative division mirror the municipal divisions of the republic and include the municipal districts, urban okrugs, urban settlements, and rural settlements. The law also allows the use of alternative terminology to refer to the units of the administrative divisions. The term "municipal district" is used on par with the ethnic term "''kozhuun''", while the term "rural settlement" is used on par with the ethnic term "'' sumon''". "''Kozhuun''" ( Russian and ) is the Tuvan term of a historical feudal

administrative division Administrative divisions (also administrative units, administrative regions, subnational entities, or constituent states, as well as many similar generic terms) are geographical areas into which a particular independent sovereign state is divi ...

known as a ''

banner A banner can be a flag or another piece of cloth bearing a symbol, logo, slogan or another message. A flag whose design is the same as the shield in a coat of arms (but usually in a square or rectangular shape) is called a banner of arms. Also, ...

''. Tuva historically had nine ''kozhuuns'' named Tozhu, Salchak, Oyunnar, Khemchik, Khaasuut, Shalyk, Nibazy, Daa-van and Choodu, and Beezi. Each ''kozhuun'' was divided into ''sumu'' which was then subdivided into ''arban''. In modern Tuva, the term "''arban''" is still used to refer to a type of rural locality, which has a population of fewer than 500 inhabitants and no independent budget.

Administrative and municipal divisions

References

Notes

{{Use mdy dates, date=August 2013 Tuva Geography of Tuva