Don Host Oblast

Don Host Oblast^[a] was a province (oblast) of the Russian Empire which consisted of the territory of the Don Cossacks, coinciding approximately with present-day Rostov Oblast in Russia. Its administrative center was Cherkassk, and later Novocherkassk.^[2]

Don Host Oblast Область Войска Донского
Oblast of the Russian Empire
1786-1920
Coat of arms
Capital	Novocherkassk
Area
•	162,888.57 km2 (62,891.63 sq mi)
Population
•	1,712,898
History
• Established	1786
• Disestablished	1920
Preceded by Succeeded by Yekaterinoslav Viceroyalty Don Soviet Republic Don Republic
Today part of	Russia

It comprised the areas where the Don Cossack Host settled in the Russian Empire. From 1786, the territory was officially named Don Host Land (Russian: Земля Войска Донского, romanized: Zemlya Voyska Donskogo), renamed Don Host Oblast in 1870.^[3]

During 1914, the oblast, with an area of 164,000 km², had about 3.9 million inhabitants.^[1] Of these, 55% (2.1 million) were Cossacks in possession of all the land; the remaining 45% of the population being townsfolk and agricultural guest labourers from other parts of Russia.^{[citation needed]}

It was abolished in 1920; from the major part of it the Don Oblast of the RSFSR was created, which was incorporated into the North Caucasus Krai in 1924.^[3]