List of governorates of the Russian Empire

List of governorates of the Russian Empire (pre-1918 spelling: губернiя, Post-1918 spelling: губерния) established between the administrative reform of 1708 and the establishment of the Kholm Governorate

Kholm Governorate

Kholm Governorate or Chełm Governorate was an administrative unit of the Russian Empire. Its capital was in Chełm ....

in 1912. Some of these governorates persisted into the Soviet era (renamed from governorate to oblast during the 1920s), while others were further subdivided as part of the "unbundling" (разукрупнение) of the 1930s.

English name	Russian name	Russian transliterated	Established (Julian Cal.)	Disestablished (Julian Cal)	Changed to
Augustów Governorate Augustów Governorate Augustów Governorate was an administrative unit of the Congress Poland.It was created in 1837 from the Augustów Voivodship, and had the same borders and capital as the voivodship...	Августовская г.	Avgustovskaya g.	1837	1866
Archangelgorod Governorate Archangelgorod Governorate Archangelgorod Governorate , or the Government of Archangelgorod, was an administrative division of the Russian Empire, which existed from 1708 until 1780. Its seat was in Archangel...	Архангелогородская г.	Arkhangelogorodskaya g.	1708-12-29	1780-01-25	Vologda Viceroyalty Vologda Viceroyalty Vologda Viceroyalty was an administrative division of the Russian Empire, which existed in 1780–1796.The viceroyalty was established by a decree of Catherine II on , 1780...
Arkhangelsk Governorate Arkhangelsk Governorate Archangelsk Governorate was an administrative division of the Russian Empire, which existed from 1796 until 1929. Its seat was in Arkhangelsk...	Архангельская г.	Arkhangelskaya g.	1784	1929	Arkhangelsk Oblast Arkhangelsk Oblast Arkhangelsk Oblast is a federal subject of Russia . It includes the Arctic archipelagos of Franz Josef Land and Novaya Zemlya, as well as the Solovetsky Islands in the White Sea....
Astrakhan Governorate	Астраханская г.	Astrakhanskaya g.	1717	1929
Azov Governorate (I)	Азовская г.	Azovskaya g.	1708	1725
Azov Governorate (II)	Азовская г.	Azovskaya g.	1775	1783
Baku Governorate Baku Governorate Baku Governorate was one of the guberniyas of the Russian Empire, with its centre in Baku. Area : 34,4000 sq. verstas, population : 789,659. The only foreign border of the governorate was Persia, in the south...	Бакинская г.	Bakinskaya g.	1897	1917
Bessarabia Governorate Bessarabia Governorate Bessarabia was an oblast and later a guberniya in the Russian Empire. It was the eastern part of the Principality of Moldavia annexed by Russia by the Treaty of Bucharest following the Russo-Turkish War, 1806-1812...	Бессарабская г.	Bessarabskaya guberniya	1812	1871
Black Sea Governorate Black Sea Governorate The Black Sea Governorate , also known as Chernomore or the Black Sea Government, was an administrative division of the Russian Empire in the Caucasus.It was established in 1896 on the territory of Black Sea Okrug of Kuban Oblast...	Черномо́рская г.	Chernomorskaya g.	1896	1920
Chernigov Governorate Chernigov Governorate The Chernigov Governorate , also known as the Government of Chernigov, was a guberniya in the historical Left-bank Ukraine region of the Russian Empire, which was officially created in 1802 from the disbanded Malorossiya Governorate with an administrative centre of Chernigov...	Черниговская г.	Chernigovskaya g.	1802	1925
Courland Governorate Courland Governorate Courland Governorate, also known as the Province of Courland, Governorate of Kurland , and Government of Courland , was one of the Baltic governorates of the Russian Empire, that is now part of the Republic of Latvia....	Курля́ндская г.	Kurlyandskaya g.	1795	1915
Derbent Governorate	Дербентская г.	Derbentskaya g.	1846	1860	ca. Dagestan Oblast
Elisabethpol Governorate Elisabethpol Governorate Elisabethpol Governorate or Elizavetpol Governorate was one of the guberniyas of the Russian Empire, with its centre in Elisabethpol . Its area was 44,136 sq. kilometres, and it had 878,415 inhabitants by 1897....	Елизаветпольская г.	Yelizavetpol'skaya g.	1868	1917
Erivan Governorate Erivan Governorate Erivan Governorate was one of the guberniyas of the Russian Empire, with its centre in Erivan . Its area was 27,830 sq. kilometres. It roughly corresponded to what is now most of central Armenia, the Iğdır Province of Turkey, and Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan exclave...	Эриванская г.	Erivanskaya g.	1850	1917
Estonia Governorate	Эстляндская г.	Estlyandskaya g.	1796	1917
Grodno Governorate Grodno Governorate The Grodno Governorate, was a governorate of the Russian Empire.-Overview:Grodno: a western province or government of Europe lying between 52 and 54 N lat 23 and E long and bounded N by Vilna E by Minsk S Volhynia and W by the former kingdom of Poland The country was a wide plain in parts very...	Гродненская г.	Grodnenskaya g.	1795	1917
Irkutsk Governorate	Иркутская г.	Irkutskaya g.	1764	1926
Kalisz Governorate Kalisz Governorate Kalisz Governorate was an administrative unit of the Kingdom of Poland.-History:It was created in 1837 from the Kalisz Voivodeship, and had the same borders and centre as the voivodeship....	Калишская г.	Kalishskaya g.	1837	1844
Kaluga Governorate	Калужская г.	Kaluzhskaya g.	1796	1929
Kazan Governorate Kazan Governorate The Kazan Governorate or Government of Kazan was a governorate of Imperial Russia from 1708–1920, with the city of Kazan as its capital.-History:...	Каза́нская г.	Kazanskaya g.	1708-12-29	1920
Kharkov Governorate Kharkov Governorate Kharkiv Governorate or Kharkov Governorate was a governorate of the Russian Empire originally founded in 1780. It was renamed to Sloboda Ukraine Governorate in 1797 and back to Kharkiv Governorate in 1835....	Ха́рьковская г.	Khar'kovskaya g.	1780	1919
Kherson Governorate Kherson Governorate The Kherson Governorate or Government of Kherson was a guberniya, or administrative territorial unit, in the Southern Ukrainian region, between the Dnieper and Dniester Rivers, of the Russian Empire. It was one of three governorates created in 1802 when the Novorossiya guberniya was abolished...	Херсонская г.	Khersonskaya g.	1802	1920
Kholm Governorate Kholm Governorate Kholm Governorate or Chełm Governorate was an administrative unit of the Russian Empire. Its capital was in Chełm ....	Холмская г.	Kholmskaya g.	1912	1917
Kielce Governorate Kielce Governorate Kielce Governorate was an administrative unit of the Congress Poland.-History:It was created in 1841 from the Kraków Governorate, both with capital in Kielce...	Келецкая г.	Keletskaya g.	1841	1844
Kiev Governorate Kiev Governorate Kiev Governorate , or Government of Kiev, was an administrative division of the Russian Empire.The governorate was established in 1708 along with seven other governorates and was transformed into a viceroyalty in 1781...	Киевская г.	Kievskaya g.	1708-12-29	1917
Kostroma Governorate	Костромская г.	Kostromskaya g.	1796	1929
Kovno Governorate Kovno Governorate The Kovno Governorate or Government of Kovno was a governorate of the Russian Empire. Its capital was Kovno . It was formed on 18 December 1842 by tsar Nicholas I from the western part of the Vilna Governorate, and the order was carried out on 1 July 1843. It used to be a part of Northwestern Krai...	Ковенская г.	Kovenskaya g.	1843	1915
Kraków Governorate Kraków Governorate Kraków Governorate was an administrative unit of the Congress Poland.It was created in 1837 from the Kraków Voivodeship; in 1844 it was merged into a larger Radom Governorate.-References:*Geographical Dictionary of the Kingdom of Poland...	Краковская г.	Krakovskaya g.	1837	1847
Kursk Governorate	Курская г.	Kurskaya g.	1796	1929
Kutaisi Governorate	Кутаи́сская г.	Kutaisskaya g.	1846	1918
Lithuania Governorate Lithuania Governorate The Lithuania Governorate was a short-lived governorate of the Russian Empire. After the third partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1795, the former territories of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania were divided between the Vilna Governorate and the Slonim Governorate by Catherine II of...	Литовская г.	Litovskaya g.	1795	1801
Livonia Governorate	Лифляндская г.	Liflyandskaya g.	1796	1918
Łomża Governorate Łomża Governorate Łomża Governorate was an administrative unit of Congress Poland with seat in Łomża.-History:In 1867 territories of the Augustów Governorate and the Płock Governorate were divided into a smaller Płock Governorate, Suwałki Governorate and a recreated Łomża Governorate.In 1893, a small amount of...	Ломжская г.	Lomzhskaya g.	1867	1914
Lublin Governorate Lublin Governorate Lublin Governorate ) was an administrative unit of the Congress Poland.-History:It was created in 1837 from the Lublin Voivodeship, and had the same borders and capital as the voivodeship....	Люблинская г.	Lublinskaya g.	1837	1915
Malorossiya Governorate Malorossiya Governorate The Little Russia Governorate or Government of Malorossiya was an administrative-territorial unit of the Russian Empire that encompassed most of the modern North Eastern Ukraine , and the adjacent regions in Russia.The Governorate was formed in 1796 under the administrative reforms of Paul I which...	Малороссiйская г.	Malorossiyskaya g.	1796	1802	split into Chernigov, Poltova
Masovia Governorate Masovia Governorate Masovia Governorate was an administrative unit of the Congress Poland.It was created in 1837 from the Masovia Voivodeship; in 1844 it was merged into a larger Warsaw Governorate....	Мазовская г.	Mazovskaya g.	1837	1844	merged into Warsaw
Minsk Governorate Minsk Governorate The Minsk Governorate or Government of Minsk was a governorate of the Russian Empire. The seat was in Minsk. It was created in 1793 from the land acquired in the partitions of Poland, and lasted until 1921.- Administrative structure :...	Минская г.	Minskaya g.	1793	1917
Mogilev Governorate Mogilev Governorate The Mogilev Governorate or Government of Mogilev was a governorate of the Russian Empire in the territory of the present day Belarus. Its capital was in Mogilev....	Могилёвская г.	Mogilyovskaya g.	1772	1918
Moscow Governorate Moscow Governorate Moscow Governorate , or Government of Moscow, was an administrative division of the Russian Empire, which existed in 1708–1929....	Московская г.	Moskovskaya g.	1708-12-29	1929	Moscow Oblast Moscow Oblast Moscow Oblast , or Podmoskovye , is a federal subject of Russia . Its area, at , is relatively small compared to other federal subjects, but it is one of the most densely populated regions in the country and, with the 2010 population of 7,092,941, is the second most populous federal subject...
Nizhny Novgorod Governorate	Нижегородская г.	Nizhegorodskaya g.	1714	1929
Novgorod Governorate Novgorod Governorate Novgorod Governorate , or Government of Novgorod, was a governorate of the Russian Empire.The governorate was established in 1727 from Belozersk, Novgorod, Pskov, Tver, and Velikiye Luki Provinces of the St. Petersburg Governorate and existed until 1927, when its territory was included into...	Новгоро́дская г.	Novgorodskaya g.	1727	1918
Novorossiysk Governorate Novorossiysk Governorate The Novorossiysk Governorate was a governorate in the Russian Empire. Its capital at first was the city of Kremenchug and then Novorossiysk when it was reestablished in 1796.-Governors:* 1789 - 1794 Vasiliy Kakhovsky...	Новоросси́йская г.	Novorossiyskaya g.	1764	1802
Olonets Governorate Olonets Governorate The Olonets Governorate or Government of Olonets was a guberniya of north-western Imperial Russia, extending from Lake Ladoga almost to the White Sea, bounded W. by Finland, N. and E. by Arkhangelsk and Vologda, and S. by Novgorod and St. Petersburg...	Олонецкая г.	Olonetskaya g.	1801	1922
Orenburg Governorate Orenburg Governorate Orenburg Governorate was an administrative division of the Russian Empire with the center in the city of Orenburg.The governorate was created in 1744 from the lands annexed from Siberian and Astrakhan Governorates...	Оренбургская г.	Orenburgskaya g.	1744	1928
Oryol Governorate	Орловская г.	Orlovskaya g.	1796	1928
Penza Governorate	Пензенская г.	Penzenskaya g.	1780	1928
Perm Governorate Perm Governorate Perm Governorate - an administrative unit of the Russian Empire and the USSR in 1781-1923 years. Located on both slopes of the Ural Mountains...	Пермская г.	Permskaya g.	1781	1923
Piotrków Governorate Piotrków Governorate Piotrków Governorate was an administrative unit of the Congress Poland. Its capital was in Petrokov.-History:It was created in 1867, split off from parts of Radom and Warsaw Governorates.-Language:*By the Imperial census of 1897...	Петроковская г.	Petrokovskaya g.	1867	1917
Płock Governorate Płock Governorate Płock Governorate was an administrative unit of the Congress Poland.It was created in 1837 from the Płock Voivodship, and had the same borders and capital as the voivodship...	Плоцкая губерния	Plotskaya guberniya	1867	1917
Podlasie Governorate Podlasie Governorate Podlasie Governorate was an administrative unit of the Kingdom of Poland.It was created in 1837 from the Podlasie Voivodeship; its capital was in Siedlce. In 1844 it was merged into a larger Lublin Governorate; in 1867 it was recreated as the Siedlce Governorate.-References:*Geographical...	Подлясская губерния	Podlyasskaya guberniya	1837	1844	merged into Lublin
Podolia Governorate Podolia Governorate The Podolia Governorate or Government of Podolia, set up after the Second Partition of Poland, comprised a governorate of the Russian Empire from 1793 to 1917, of the Ukrainian People's Republic from 1917 to 1921, and of the Ukrainian SSR from 1921 to 1925.-Location:The Podolian Governorate...	Подольская губерния	Podol'skaya guberniya	1793	1925
Poltava Governorate Poltava Governorate The Poltava Governorate or Government of Poltava was a guberniya in the historical Left-bank Ukraine region of the Russian Empire, which was officially created in 1802 from the disbanded Malorossiya Governorate which was split between the Chernigov Governorate and Poltava Governorate with an...	Полтавская губерния	Poltavskaya guberniya	1802	1925
Pskov Governorate	Псковская губерния	Pskovskaya guberniya	1796	1924
Radom Governorate Radom Governorate Radom Governorate was a governorate of the Congress Poland.-History:It was created in 1844 from the merger of the Sandomierz Governorate with Kielce Governorate...	Радомская губерния	Radomskaya guberniya	1847	1917
Reval Governorate Reval Governorate The Governorate of Estonia or Estland, also known as the Government of Estonia or Province of Estonia, was a governorate of the Russian Empire in what is now northern Estonia.-Historical overview:...	Ревельская губерния	Revel'skaya guberniya	1719	1796
Riga Governorate Riga Governorate The Governorate of Livonia or Livland Governorate, also known as the Government of Livonia or Province of Livonia, was one of the Baltic governorates of the Russian Empire, now divided between the Republic of Latvia and the Republic of Estonia.It was originally called the Riga Governorate after...	Рижская губерния	Rizhskaya guberniya	1712	1796
Ryazan Governorate	Рязанская губерния	Ryazanskaya guberniya	1796	1929
Samara Governorate	Самарская губерния	Samarskaya guberniya	1851	1928
Saint Petersburg Governorate Saint Petersburg Governorate Saint Petersburg Governorate , or Government of Saint Petersburg, was an administrative division of the Russian Empire, which existed in 1708–1927....	Санкт-Петербу́ргская губе́рния	Sankt-Peterburgskaya guberniya	1708-12-29	1927
Sandomierz Governorate Sandomierz Governorate Sandomierz Governorate was an administrative unit of the Congress Poland.-History:It was created in 1837 from the Sandomierz Voivodship, and had the same borders and capital as the voivodship....	Сандомирская губерния	Sandomirskaya guberniya	1837	1844
Saratov Governorate	Саратовская губерния	Saratovskaya guberniya	1780	1928
Siberian Governorate	Сибирская губерния	Sibirskaya guberniya	1708	1728
Siedlce Governorate Siedlce Governorate Siedlce Governorate was an administrative unit of the Congress Poland.-History:It was created in 1867 from the division of the Lublin Governorate. It was in fact a recreation of the older Podlasie Governorate, but now renamed to Siedlce Governorate.-Language:*By the Imperial census of 1897...	Седлецкая губерния	Sedletskaya guberniya
Simbirsk Governorate	Симбирская губерния	Simbirskaya guberniya	1796	1928
Sloboda Ukraine Governorate	Слободско-Украинская губерния	Slobodsko-Ukrainskaya guberniya	1765	1835
Smolensk Governorate Smolensk Governorate Smolensk Governorate , or Government of Smolensk, was an administrative division of the Russian Empire, which existed, with interruptions, between 1708 and 1929....	Смоле́нская губе́рния	Smolenskaya guberniya	1708-12-29
Stavropol Governorate	Ставропольская губерния	Stavropolskaya guberniya	1847	1924
Suwałki Governorate	Сувалкская губерния	Suvalkskaya guberniya
Tambov Governorate Tambov Governorate Tambov Governorate was the administrative unit of the Russian Empire, Russian Republic, and later the Russian SFSR with the center in the city of Tambov. The governorate was located between 51°14' and 55°6' of north latitude and between 38°9' and 43°38' east longitude...	Тамбовская губерния	Tambovskaya guberniya	1796
Taurida Governorate Taurida Governorate The Taurida Governorate or Government of Taurida was a historical governorate of the Russian Empire. It included the Crimean peninsula and the mainland between the lower Dnieper River and the coasts of the Black Sea and Sea of Azov It was formed after the defunct Taurida Oblast in was abolished in...	Таврическая губерния	Tavricheskaya guberniya	1783	1921
Tiflis Governorate Tiflis Governorate Tiflis Governorate was one of the guberniyas of the Russian Empire with its centre in Tiflis . In 1897 it constituted 44,607 sq. kilometres in area and had a population of 1,051,032 inhabitants...	Тифлисская губерния	Tiflisskaya guberniya
Tobolsk Governorate	Тобольская губерния	Tobolskaya guberniya	1796	1919
Tomsk Governorate	Томская губерния	Tomskaya guberniya	1804	1925
Tula Governorate	Тульская губерния	Tul'skaya guberniya	1796	1929
Tver Governorate	Тверская губерния	Tverskaya guberniya	1796	1929
Ufa Governorate Ufa Governorate Ufa Governorate was a governorate of Russian Empire with its capital in city Ufa. Was created in 1865 by separation from Orenburg Governorate. March 23, 1919 the governorate was transformed to Bashkir Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic...	Уфимская губерния	Ufimskaya guberniya	1865	1922
Vilna Governorate Vilna Governorate The Vilna Governorate or Government of Vilna was a governorate of the Russian Empire created after the Third Partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1795...	Виленская губерния	Vilenskaya guberniya	1795
Vitebsk Governorate	Витебская губерния	Vitebskaya guberniya	1802	1924
Vladimir Governorate	Владимирская губерния	Vladimirskaya guberniya	1796	1929
Volhynian Governorate Volhynian Governorate Volhynian Governorate was an administrative-territorial unit initially of the Russian Empire, created in 1792 after the Second Partition of Poland from the territory of the Kiev Voivodeship and Wołyń Voivodeship...	Волынская губерния	Volynskaya guberniya	1792
Vologda Governorate Vologda Governorate The Vologda Governorate or Government of Vologda was a guberniya in the historical northern region of the European part of Russian Empire.In its size it was second right after the neighboring Archangelgorod Governorate...	Вологодская губернiя	Vologodskaya guberniya	1796
Voronezh Governorate	Воронежская губерния	Voronezhskaya guberniya	1725	1928
Vyatka Governorate Vyatka Governorate Vyatka Governorate was a governorate of Russian Empire and USSR, with its capital in city Vyatka . Existed since 1796 to 1929...	Вятская губерния	Vyatskaya guberniya	1796	1929
Vyborg Governorate Vyborg Governorate The Vyborg Governorate was established in territories ceded by the Swedish Empire in the Great Northern War. By the Treaty of Nystad in 1721, Sweden formally ceded control of the parts of the Viborg and Nyslott County and the Kexholm County located on the Karelian Isthmus to Russia...	Выборгская губерния	Vyborgskaya guberniya
Warsaw Governorate Warsaw Governorate Warsaw Governorate was an administrative unit of the Congress Poland.It was created in 1844 from the Masovia and Kalisz Governorates, and had the capital in Warsaw...	Варшавская губерния	Varshavskaya guberniya
Yaroslavl Governorate	Ярославская губерниягубернiя	Yaroslavskaya guberniya	1777	1929
Yekaterinoslav Governorate Yekaterinoslav Governorate The Yekaterinoslav Governorate or Government of Yekaterinoslav was a governorate in the Russian Empire. Its capital was the city of Yekaterinoslav .-Administrative divisions:...	Екатеринославская губернiя	Yekaterinoslavskaya guberniya	1802
Yeniseysk Governorate	Енисе́йская губе́рния	Yeniseyskaya guberniya	1822-01-26

Grand Duchy of Finland

Governorates of the Grand Duchy of Finland during 1831-1917:

Åbo och Björneborgs Governorate
Kuopio Governorate
Nikolaistad Governorate
Nikolaistad Governorate
On the death of Tsar Nicholas I in 1855, a small group of citizens in the city of Vaasa tendered a petition to change the name of the city after him. The name of the city came from the Royal House of Vasa and despite that only 15 citizens were backing the proposal the name of the city was changed...
Nyland Governorate
St. Michel Governorate
Tavastehus Governorate
Uleåborg Governorate
Vyborg Governorate
Vyborg Governorate
The Vyborg Governorate was established in territories ceded by the Swedish Empire in the Great Northern War. By the Treaty of Nystad in 1721, Sweden formally ceded control of the parts of the Viborg and Nyslott County and the Kexholm County located on the Karelian Isthmus to Russia...

Grand Duchy of Finland

See also