Administrative divisions of Ukraine (1918–25)
Governorates of Ukraine | |
---|---|
Governorates and counties in 1921. | |
Category | Subdivision of a unitary state |
Location |
Ukrainian People's Republic Ukrainian SSR |
Created | 1918-1925 |
Number | 12 (7 initially) (as of 1925) |
Subdivisions | povits (counties) |
Administrative divisions of Ukraine in 1918–1925 was inherited from the Russian Empire and was based on the system of gubernias (provinces) divided into povits (counties) and volosts. New administrative reform was adopted by the Central Council of Ukraine on March 4, 1918 which saw restructuring the subdivision of Ukraine based on a new system of lands and abolishing system of gubernias and povits. Implementation of the new system was never fully realized and after the Skoropadsky's coup-d'etat on April 29, 1918 was abandoned.
The system of gubernias was finally abolished in 1925 and was replaced with sub-districts (pidraions).
Regions
Ukraine was divided into nine gubernias, two okruhas and three cities with special status.
Gubernias
- Chernihiv Governorate
- Katerynoslav Governorate
- Kiev Governorate
- Kharkiv Governorate
- Kherson Governorate
- Podolia Governorate
- Poltava Governorate
- Volhynia Governorate
In November 1918 was reestablished Kholm Governorate (Ukraine) (part of Volhynia Governorate before), creation of which however was never fully realized. In 1919 it was fully occupied by the Polish Army and in 1920 transferred to the Second Polish Republic after the Warsaw Treaty. In January 1919 the West Ukrainian People's Republic joined the Ukrainian People's Republic with the Unification Act as the Western Oblast of the Ukrainian People's Republic, while de facto being almost completely occupied by Poland.
Also Chernihiv Governorate also included Homiel county that was ceded from the Mogilev Governorate. Some part of Kursk Governorate were also ceded to Chernihiv Governorate, while others - to Kharkiv Governorate. Kharkiv Governorate also received some counties of Voronezh Governorate.
With reestablishment of the Soviet regime some transformations took place. There were created following gubernias:
- Kremenchuk Governorate
- Donetsk Governorate
- Odessa Governorate
- Zaporizhia Governorate
Volhynia Governorate was lost after the Peace of Riga. From parts of the Odessa Governorate was created the Moldavian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic.
Okruhas
Taurida Okruha was created after the liberation of Ukraine from the Soviet occupation in 1918 when the Crimean peninsula was administered by the Crimean Regional Government, while continental part of the Taurida Governorate became the Tuarida Okruha.
Polissya Okruha was created in August 1918 from the southern counties of the Minsk Governorate.
Both okruhas were liquidated with the new invasion of the Soviet forces in 1920.
More systematic division of okruhas was created in the Soviet Ukraine in 1923 when okruhas were at first a subdivision of gubernias and after the liquidation of gubernias in 1925, okruhas became the prime subdivision of the republic.
Cities
- Kiev
- Odesa
- Mykolaiv
External links
- Huban, R. History of establishment of the modern administrative division system of Ukraine. "Justian". Jurist Magazine, 2009
- Administrative division of the Ukrainian lands. Institute of History of Ukraine. National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.
- Mykhailo Hrushevsky - creator of the system of democratic elections in Ukraine. Central Election Commission of Ukraine.
- Administrative-territorial reform in the Ukrainian SSR. Ukrainian Soviet Encyclopedia.