[3] According to the 2001 census, the majority of Tatarbunary raion's population spoke Ukrainian (72.4%), with a minority of Bulgarian (10.7%), Romanian (8.49%) and Russian (7.68%) speakers.

Tatarbunary Raion was established in 1940, as one of 13 raions of newly established Akkerman Oblast (later Izmail Oblast) of Ukrainian SSR.

The area was transferred from Kingdom of Romania to the USSR following June 1940 Soviet Ultimatum.

In 1978, the administrative center of the raion, Tatarbunary, was given city status.

At the time of disestablishment, the raion consisted of four hromadas:[7]