Administrative and territorial division

In 1772 as a result of the first partition of the Rzeczpospolita eastern Latvia - Latgalia became part of the Russian Empire.

In 1795 the Duchy of Courland became a part of Russia.

Administrative and territorial division in Russia did not take account of the ethnic composition of the population. The Latvian lands were, therefore, divided into three provinces (Guberniyas): the Livonia (Latvian Vidzeme and the southern part of Estonia) and Courland provinces, while Latgalia became part of the Vitebsk province