Administrative_division_of_Congress_Poland

Subdivisions of Congress Poland

Subdivisions of Congress Poland

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Congress Poland was subdivided several times from its creation in 1815 until its dissolution in 1918. Congress Poland ("Russian Poland") was divided into departments, a relic from the times of the French-dominated Duchy of Warsaw. In 1816 the administrative divisions were changed to forms that were more traditionally Polish: voivodeships, obwóds and powiats. Following the November Uprising, the subdivisions were again changed in 1837 to bring the subdivisions closer to the structure of the Russian Empire when guberniyas (governorates) were introduced. In this way, Congress Poland was gradually transformed into the "Vistulan Country". Over the next several decades, various smaller reforms were carried out, either changing the smaller administrative units or merging/splitting various guberniyas.

Administrative division of Congress Poland in 1830. This map represents the period 1816-1837 and is mostly valid for the period of up to 1844.
Administrative division of Congress Poland, 1907. This map represents the period 1893-1912, and is mostly valid for the most part for 1867-1914.
Historical map showing the administrative division of Congress Poland, 1831.
Historical map showing the Western governorates of the Russian Empire, 1902 (including those of Congress Poland).

Subdivisions in modern Lithuania

Congress Poland in 1914

Today, almost all of the subdivisions of Congress Poland may be found, in similar territorial areas, in modern Poland. A few, roughly in the northern panhandle of Congress Poland, are to be found in modern Lithuania. They are:

Changes in subdivisions by period

From 1816 to 1837

On January 16, 1816, the areas of administrative jurisdiction were reformed from the departments of the Duchy of Warsaw into the more traditionally Polish voivodeships, obwóds and powiats. Eight voivodeships were created:

From 1837 to 1842

On 7 March 1837 the voivodeships were reorganised as eight guberniyas (governorates):

From 1842 to 1844

In 1842 the Polish powiats were renamed to okręgs and the Polish obwóds were renamed powiats.

From 1844 to 1867

In 1844 several governorates were merged with others, and some others renamed. Five governorates remained:

More information Governorate, Name in Russian ...

From 1867 to 1893

The 1867 reform, initiated after the failure of the January Uprising, was designed to tie Congress Poland (now de facto the Vistulan Country) more tightly to the administration structure of the Russian Empire. It divided larger governorates into smaller ones. A new lower level entity, gmina, was introduced. This time ten governorates were formed:

More information Governorate, Name in Russian ...

From 1893 to 1912

A minor reform of 1893 transferred some territory from the Plotsk and Lomzha Governorates to the Warsaw Governorate.

More information Governorate, Name in Russian ...

From 1912 to 1919

The 1912 reform created a new governorate – Kholm Governorate – from parts of the Sedlets and Lublin Governorates. However this was split off from the Vistulan Country and made part of the Southwestern Krai of the Russian Empire.
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