Administrative divisions of Novgorod Oblast

Administratively, Novgorod Oblast is divided into three cities and towns of oblast significance and twenty-one districts.

In terms of the population, the biggest administrative district is Novgorodsky District (57,685 in 2010), the smallest ones are Poddorsky District (4,645) and Maryovsky District (4,673).

In terms of the area, the biggest administrative districts are Novgorodsky District (4,600 square kilometres (1,800 sq mi)) and Lyubytinsky District (4,500 square kilometres (1,700 sq mi)), the smallest one is Volotovsky District (995 square kilometres (384 sq mi)).

All of the administrative districts of Novgorod Oblast are municipally incorporated as municipal districts, and the Novgorod city of oblast significance is municipally incorporated as an urban okrug. There are, however, two exceptions,

December 29 [O.S. December 18], 1708 Tsar Peter the Great issued an edict which established seven governorates. The description of the borders of the governorates was not given; instead, their area was defined as a set of towns and the lands adjacent to those towns. The present area of Novgorod oblast was a part of Ingermanland Governorate, which was renamed Saint Petersburg Governorate in 1710. The governorates were subdivided into uyezds, and uyezds into volosts. In 1727, a separate Novgorod Governorate was established. It was subdivided into five provinces, and the current area of Novgorod Oblast was split between two of them - Novgorod and Velikiye Luki Provinces. In 1772, Velikiye Luki Province was transferred to newly established Pskov Governorate. In 1775, Novgorod Governorate was transformed to Novgorod Viceroyalty, and in 1777, Pskov Governorate was transformed to Pskov Viceroyalty. In 1796, both governorates were re-established. By the 1920s, most of the area of current Novgorod Oblast belonged to Novgorod Governorate. Kholmsky and Soletsky Districts belonged to Pskov Governorate, and a part of Batetsky District belonged to Petrograd Governorate.

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