Little Russia Governorate (1796–1802)
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 abolished the Namestnichestvo system, which in turn replaced the regimental administration of the Ukrainian Hetmanate in 1781. This placed the Kiev Viceroyalty, Novgorod-Seversky Viceroyalty and Chernigov Viceroyalty under the new unit. The administrative centre was the city of Chernigov.
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.
