Local government in the Russian Empire

Governorate Губе́рния
Location	Russian Empire
Number	163
Populations	41,546 (Naryan-Mar Governorate) – 10,382,754 (Moscow)
Areas	864 sqkm (Sevastopol) – 3,103,200 sqkm (Yakutsk Governoate)
Subdivisions	Rayons

The local government in the Russian Empire is a centralized system of territorial administrative governance, structured on the Governorates (Russian: Губе́рния, Guberniya), in addition to the Governorates-General, which haveprimarily intermediate coordination functions.

Below the Governorate there are further subdisions established at need (i.e. Rayons and Municipalities).

Currently, there are 163 Governorates. Governorates are administered by Governors appointed by the Tsar and drawn from the civil service; Governors are assited by an elected Legislative Council.

General overview

The Governorates of the Russian Empire are the first-level political subdivisions of the State. Since 18 March 2014, the Russian Empire constitutionally has consisted of 163 Governorates.

According to the Russian Constitution, the Russian Empire consists of three classes of Governorates, all of which are subjects of the Russian Empire.

Twelve Governorates (Akmolinsk, Ashgabat, Kerch, Kiev, Moscow, Nikolayev, Odessa, Petrograd, Pishpek, Rostov, Sevastopol, Tashkent) are Special Cities (Russian: Особые города). Such Governorates have a status of both city and separate subject which comprises other cities and towns.

Every Governorate has its own head, a legislative council, and a local court system. Each Governorate has its own statute and regulation. The subjects have equal representation - four delegates each - in the Imperial Council, the upper house of the Imperial Assembly. They do, however, differ in the degree of autonomy they enjoy.

1st Class-Governorates

1st Class-Governorates differ from other subjects in that they have the right to petition to be granted their own co-official language, have their own reinforced statute, and have an anthem. 1st Class-Governorates have some autonomous rights over natural resources and internal budgets. The Tsar, trough an his own decree, may grant 1st Class-Governorates additional powers. The amount of autonomy given differs by Governorate according the precise need.

The constitution of the Russian Empire is the ultimate authority over the 1st Class-Governorates.

Governorates of 1st Class are administered by a Governor ranking State Councillor, 2nd class.

2nd Class-Governorates

Each 2nd Class-Governorates features a state government holding authority over a defined geographic territory, with a Council that is democratically elected. The Governor is the highest executive position of the Government, and is appointed by the Tsar. 2nd Class-Governorates may be divided into Rayons and Rayon-level cities.

Governorates of 2nd Class are administered by Governors ranking State Councillor, 3rd class.

Governor

The Governor (Russian: Губернатор, Gubernator) is the head and the chief executive of each of the subjects of Russia, directly subordinate to the Imperial authorities and part of the State civil service of Russia. The Governor is the political and ceremonial head of the subject.

Regional governments in Russia are relatively autonomous; each subject has its own administrative regulation codes, as well as manages its internal government.

The Governor heads the whole administration of the relevant subject and has considerable control over government budgeting, the power of appointment of many officials, and a considerable role in regulation. The Governor may also have additional roles. All Governors serve five-year terms for no more than two terms in a row.

In all subjects, the Governor is appointed by the Tsar on proposal of the Minister of Internal Affairs.

Governors may also perform ceremonial roles, such as greeting dignitaries, conferring state decorations, issuing symbolic proclamations. The governor also has an official residence.

Rayon

A Rayon (Russian: Район) is a type of administrative unit. Rayons are subordinate to Governorates and may be cities on their own (i.e. directly subordinated to the Governorate administration) or may be further subdivided into towns or being organized as Volosts. Rayons are administered by civilian officials appointed by the relevant Governor, with the exception of the Volost.

Urban District

The Urban District (Russian: Городской Район) is a Rayon which is organized around a large city; occasionally with surrounding rural territories.

Volost

Volost (Russian: Bо́лость) is a Rayon-level rural district. Volosts are the unit of peasant's local self-rule. A number of Mirs are grouped into a volost, which has an assembly consisting of elected delegates from the mirs. These elect an Elder (Волостной Старшина, Volostnoy Starshina) and, hitherto, a court of justice (Волостной Cуд, Volostnoy Sud) which could handle smaller civil and criminal cases. It could sentence people to fine or short-term incarceration.
The self-government of the mirs and volosts is, however, tempered by the authority of the Governor throught the Commission for the Affairs of the Peasants.

See also

• Caucasus Viceroyalty