The district was formed on 11 November 1940, with its center in the village of Taraclia, in the Moldavian SSR.

In 1999, as part of the ongoing administrative reform, the region became part of the Kagul uyezd, but on 22 October 1999,[2] at the request of the majority of ethnic Bulgarians in the region, a separate Taraclia uyezd was created.

[4] Semi-independent of Moldova's central government, the rayon regional administration maintains separate relations with Russia.

[6] Due to dissatisfaction with the Chișinău government, separatist tendencies have intensified in the region in recent years.

Traditionally in Taraclia district, political and electoral support for the PCRM is higher than the rest of the southern part of Moldova.