Little Russia Governorate (1796–1802)

The Little Russia Governorate (Russian: Малороссiйская Губернiя) or Malorossiya Governorate was an administrative-territorial unit (guberniya) of the Russian Empire that encompassed most of the modern North Eastern Ukraine (one of the historical definitions of Little Russia hence the name), and the adjacent regions in Russia.

Little Russia Governorate Малороссiйская губернія
Governorate of Russian Empire
1796–1802
Flag
Capital	Chernigov (Chernihiv)
History
History
• Established	12 December 1796
• Disestablished	27 February 1802
Preceded by Succeeded by Kiev Viceroyalty Novgorod Seversky Viceroyalty Chernigov Viceroyalty Chernigov Governorate Poltava Governorate
Today part of	Ukraine

The Governorate was formed in 1796 under the administrative reforms of Paul I which abolished the Namestnichestvo (viceroyalty) system, which in turn replaced the regimental administration of the Ukrainian Hetmanate in 1781. This placed the Kiev Viceroyalty (excluding the city of Kyiv itself), Novgorod-Seversky Viceroyalty and Chernigov Viceroyalty under the new unit. The administrative centre was the city of Chernigov (modern Chernihiv).

However, the extensive area which the new unit covered was too great for effective administration, and in February 1802 the Governorate was split into Chernigov Governorate and Poltava Governorate.