Smolensk Governorate
The province of Smolensk (Russian Смоленская губерния / Smolenskaja Gubernija ) was an administrative unit of the Russian Empire.
It was in the western part of present-day Russia, near the border with Belarus, and was limited by the following provinces (from north clockwise): Tver, Moscow, Kaluga, Orel, Chernigov, Mogilev, Vitebsk and Pskov.
Capital was Smolensk. The government included 56042.6 km ².
It was founded in 1708 for the first time in 1726 and again in 1796 it received its later form. 1929 was dissolved and went on in the Western Oblast of the RSFSR.
In 1900, the government (circles) was divided into the following Ujesdy:
- Bely
- Dorogobusch
- Duchowschtschina
- Gzhatsk (now Gagarin )
- Juchnow
- Elnya
- Krasny
- Porechye (now Demidov )
- Roslawl
- Smolensk
- Sytschowka
- Wjasma
Statistics
In 1897, the province had 1,525,279 inhabitants. Most of them were Russians, there was next to it but still 100 757 Belarusians, 10,903 Jews, as well as smaller groups of Latvians, Ukrainians and Germans.
The harvest yielded 1903 336.944 tons of rye, 214 299 tonnes of oats, 41 246 tonnes of barley, peas 6117 tons, 10,660 tons and 457 576 tons of buckwheat potatoes. Very important was the cultivation of flax: Smolensk delivered by all the Russian provinces the highest yield (1903: 29 749 tonnes) of flax fiber. Also the fruit and vegetable (cabbage and cucumber ) was significant. The livestock census showed 1903 430.000 horses, 570,000 cattle, 740,000 sheep and 250,000 pigs. The industry was insignificant; there were 1900 1821 establishments with 12,589 workers and a production value of 8.7 million rubles. The main industries were: weaving, oil brawl Sägemüllerei, brewery and distillery, glass and tile manufacturing.