It roughly corresponded to most of present-day northeastern Kazakhstan.

It was created out of the territories of the former Kazakh Khanate.

The first Russian settlement in the area dates from 1718, when Russia built a fort beside the river Irtysh, near the ruins of an ancient Buddhist monastery, where seven buildings could be seen.

Kazakhs constituted the majority of the population.

Significant minorities consisted of Russians and Tatars.