[2] Oblasts, another type of federal subject, are legally identical to krais and the difference between a political entity with the name "krai" or "oblast" is purely traditional; both are constituent entities equivalent in legal status in Russia with representation in the Federation Council.

Outside of political terminology, both words have a very similar general meaning ("region" or "area" in English) and can often be used interchangeably.

The Governor is the highest executive position of the state government in a Krai, and is elected by people.

[4][1] Historically, krais were massive first-level administrative divisions in the Russian Empire, divided into large guberniyas (governorates).

The krais were unique to the Russian SFSR, and held very little autonomy or power, but when the Soviet Union dissolved into sovereign states along the lines of the SSRs, they became first-level administrative divisions of the Russian Federation and received much greater devolved power.