Taurida Oblast


Taurida Oblast was an oblast of the Russian Empire. It roughly corresponded to most of the Crimean peninsula and parts of the Southern Ukraine regions. It was created in 1783 out territories of the Crimean Khanate. In 1796 it was merged into the Novorossiya Governorate.
Officially the oblast was created under the Imperial ukase of 13 February 1784 signed by Catherine the Great. The administrative seat of the region was declared the city of Simferopol. Before 1784 Qarasuvbazar served as a temporary administrative center.

Administrative structure

The oblast was divided into seven counties.
In 1787 Levkopol and Levkopol county were renamed into Feodosiya and Feodosiya county respectfully. In 1791 an administrative seat of Melitopol county was moved to Great Tokmak.
On 12 December 1796 the oblast was liquidated, its territory was redivided into two counties and passed to the Novorossiysk Governorate. The city of Simferopol was changed to Aqmescit.