Minsk Governorate[a] was an administrative-territorial unit (guberniya) of the Russian Empire, with its capital in Minsk. It was created from the land acquired in the partitions of Poland and existed from 1793 until 1921. Its territory covered the majority of modern-day Belarus.

Minsk Governorate
Минская губерния
Governorate of the Russian Empire
1793–1921
Coat of arms of
Coat of arms

Location in the Russian Empire
CapitalMinsk
Area 
• 
91,213 km2 (35,218 sq mi)
Population 
• 
2,539,100
History 
• Established
23 March 1793
• Disestablished
1921
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Minsk Voivodeship
Minsk Okrug
Slutsk Okrug
Bobruysk Okrug
Polissia Okruha
Borisov Okrug
Gomel Governorate
Polesie Voivodeship
Today part ofBelarus

Administrative divisions

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Uyezds of Minsk Governorate in 1913

Vileysky and Disnensky Uyezds passed to the Vilna Governorate in 1843. In 1919, Baranovichsky Uyezd was created from Novogorodoksky Uyezd and Nesvizhsky Uyezd was created from Slutsky Uyezd. In 1920, Novogrudoksky, Pinsky, Baranovichsky, and Nesvizhsky Uyezds were controlled by Poland.

Demographics

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According to the 1897 imperial census, Minsk Governorate had a population of 2,147,621. The ethnic makeup (based on native language) was as follows:[1]

County Belarusians Jews Russians Poles Ukrainians
(total) 76,0 % 16,0 % 3,9 % 3,0 %
Bobruysky Uyezd 67,4 % 19,4 % 10,0 % 2,0 %
Borisovsky Uyezd 80,9 % 11,2 % 3,1 % 4,1 %
Igumensky Uyezd 82,6 % 12,3 % 1,8 % 2,9 %
Minsky Uyezd 59,2 % 23,1 % 9,5 % 7,1 %
Mozyrsky Uyezd 79,5 % 16,3 % 1,5 % 2,1 %
Novogrudsky Uyezd 83,7 % 12,3 % 1,6 % 1,7 %
Pinsky Uyezd 74,3 % 19,5 % 2,6 % 2,6 %
Rechitsky Uyezd 82,5 % 12,8 % 1,4 % 1,1 % 1,7 %
Slutsky Uyezd 78,5 % 15,7 % 1,8 % 2,8 %

Industry

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Minsk province has mostly swampy terrain and clay soil, but the climate is favorable for agriculture.[2] Flax and hemp were planted for home use.

Horticulture is common everywhere, primarily in the form of subsistence farming. In the city of Minsk, horticulture is mainly done by Tatars, in Bobruysk by Old Believers. Horticulture spread everywhere, but it was not lacking in industrial character, it is a special property of every household, starting with a peasant and ending with a rich landowner. One feature of horticulture in the Minsk provinces was that each gardener tried to grow as many different fruit trees as possible. Since horticulture was not of an industrial nature, fruits were imported from Little Russia.

Beekeeping was spread throughout the province, although it was not of an industrial nature. In 1897, there were 11,740 beekeepers.

Forestry, which was exclusively practiced by Jews, played a significant role.

Cattle breeding and sheep breeding was widespread throughout the province.

Factory and similar industry is limited only to the needs of its own province. In 1860, there were 594 factories and plants; in 1879 — 623;[3] in 1895 — 378;[4] in 1912 — 493.

In 1912, there were 61,485 artisans, 20,842 of them in cities.

Governors

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NAME. Title, rank, rank. Time of holding office
1808—21.05.1812
21.05.1812—1815
1818-1831
16.03.1831—26.04.1831
26.04.1831—12.01.1835
12.01.1835—1838
16.12.1838—1841
1841—19.11.1842
19.11.1842—02.05.1844
02.05.1844—26.01.1850
27.01.1850—21.04.1850
21.04.1850—18.10.1857
18.10.1857—03.02.1858
08.02.1858—27.05.1861
14.11.1861—13.06.1862
15.06.1862—03.04.1864
24.05.1864—19.05.1868
19.05.1868—21.08.1869
privy councilor 02.11.1869—24.10.1875
05.12.1875—30.08.1879
30.08.1879—30.01.1886
11.02.1886—20.07.1902
13.08.1902—16.05.1905
16.05.1905—15.07.1906
15.07.1906—26.11.1912
26.11.1912—1915
30.10.1915—15.08.1916
08.1916—1917

References

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  1. ^ "Первая всеобщая перепись населения Российской Империи 1897 г. Распределение населения по родному языку и уездам 50 губерний Европейской России". demoscope.ru. Демоскоп Weekly. Archived from the original on 4 February 2023. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  2. ^ Панченко, Алексей Борисович (2018). "Д.А. КЛЕМЕНЦ И ПРОИЗВОДСТВО ЗНАНИЯ О НАРОДАХ В РОССИЙСКОЙ ИМПЕРИИ, "Этнографическое обозрение"". Этнографическое обозрение (2): 122–136. doi:10.7868/s0869541518020094. ISSN 0869-5415.
  3. ^ Панченко, Алексей Борисович (2018). "Д.А. КЛЕМЕНЦ И ПРОИЗВОДСТВО ЗНАНИЯ О НАРОДАХ В РОССИЙСКОЙ ИМПЕРИИ, "Этнографическое обозрение"". Этнографическое обозрение (2): 122–136. doi:10.7868/s0869541518020094. ISSN 0869-5415.
  4. ^ Панченко, Алексей Борисович (2018). "Д.А. КЛЕМЕНЦ И ПРОИЗВОДСТВО ЗНАНИЯ О НАРОДАХ В РОССИЙСКОЙ ИМПЕРИИ, "Этнографическое обозрение"". Этнографическое обозрение (2): 122–136. doi:10.7868/s0869541518020094. ISSN 0869-5415.
  1. ^

Further reading

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53°54′08″N 27°33′42″E / 53.9022°N 27.5618°E / 53.9022; 27.5618