As of January 1, 2004, the Republic of Belarus numbered 6 Oblasts (with centres in Brest, Vitebsk, Gomel, Grodno, Minsk, Mogilev), the capital Minsk, 118 rural and 24 urban rayons (all Oblast centers and Bobruisk town are divided into rayons), 109 towns of regional and district subordination, 101 settlements of urban type and 1439 village Soviets.