Among descriptive statistical sources from the history of Ukraine, descriptions of the Kharkov governorship of the late 18th century occupy an important place. In fact, they were the first to attempt to characterize one of the important regions of Ukrainian lands, known as Sloboda Ukraine. These sources, unique in content, contain information about the administrative and political structure, the quantitative composition and socio-ethnic structure of the population, its occupations, life and culture. Currently, this territory is part of the Kharkov and Sumy regions of Ukraine and partially the Voronezh, Belgorod and Kursk regions of Russia. Considering that Sloboda Ukraine began to be actively populated since the liberation war of the Ukrainian people of 1648-1654. against the Polish-gentry rule for the creation of their own state, descriptions of the Kharkov governorship allow us to reproduce the process of settlement and economic development of the region at the end of the 70s - mid-90s of the 18th century. Today, three descriptions of the Kharkov governorship are known: 1. Topographical description of the Kharkov governorship in 1785.2. Topographical description of the Kharkov governorship in 1787.3. Topographical description of the Kharkov governorship with a historical preface. The last two descriptions were published at different times. Regarding the first document, it is in the second half of the 19th century. was considered lost. The publication of all three descriptions and other documents closely related to them in one book will allow us to establish not only their origin and summarize the results of a long discussion on this issue, but also to show their relationship and the reliability of the information they contain. Kharkov governorship, as a separate administrative-territorial unit, actually existed from 1780 until the end in 1796. 2 According to the decree of December 12, 1796, not only was its previous name returned - the Sloboda-Ukrainian province, but also the territory that it occupied before the creation of the vicegerency. The emergence of the vicegerency is associated with the introduction the implementation of the “Institutions for the management of the provinces of the All-Russian Empire” (in 1775). The liquidation of the remnants of the previous autonomous administration on the territory of the empire in general and in Ukraine in particular aroused significant interest not only among members of the government of Catherine II, but also the empress herself in the state of the newly created governorships and provinces. Therefore, in November 1777, after reading short descriptions of the Voronezh and Moscow provinces, the Senate invited all governors and governors to draw up descriptions of the territories entrusted to them.