The Kovno Governorate (Russian: Ковенская губеpния or Kovenskaja Gubernija; Lithuanian: Kauno gubernija) or Government of Kovno was a governorate (guberniya) of the Russian Empire. Its capital was Kovno (Kaunas). It was formed on 18 December 1842 by tsar Nicholas I from the western part of the Vilna Governorate, and the order was carried out on 1 July 1843. It used to be a part of Northwestern Krai. The governorate included almost entire Lithuanian region of Samogitia and northern Aukštaitija.
The governorate was divided into seven uyezds:
| Uyezd | Area (km²) | Population in 1897 | Population in 1914 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kaunas | 4,029 | 227,500 | 301,800 |
| Vilkmergė | 5,866 | 229,100 | 263,600 |
| Zarasai | 5,437 | 208,500 | 242,300 |
| Panevėžys | 6,215 | 222,900 | 259,700 |
| Raseiniai | 6,485 | 235,400 | 279,200 |
| Telšiai | 5,306 | 183,400 | 216,000 |
| Šiauliai | 6,922 | 238,000 | 294,500 |
| Total | 40,260 | 1,544,600 | 1,857,100 |