The oblast is bisected into northern and southern sections by the Desna River, which enters the Dnieper just north of the Kyiv city limits.

Chernihiv Oblast was created as part of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic on 15 October 1932.

The region at various times was ruled by the Kievan Rus', Mongol Empire, Lithuania, Poland and Russia.

Numerous tragic events have taken place in the region, such as the Battle of Kruty and the Koriukivka massacre.

During the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Chernihiv Oblast was one of the first regions where Russian and Ukrainian forces clashed.

The economy of Chernihiv Oblast is centered around petroleum and natural gas extraction, transport, machinery, tobacco and the textile industry.

The cities of Bakhmach and Nizhyn are important railway junctions on the route from Russia and Belarus to Southeast Europe.

There are several outstanding historical Orthodox churches and buildings in Chernihiv, Novhorod-Siverskyi, Liubech, Nizhyn, Kozelets, and Pryluky.

Brightness and realistic depictions of the saints were typical for it, with red and hot yellow paints used.