The Southern Federal District is one of the nine federal districts of Russia. Its territory lies mostly on the Pontic-Caspian steppe. The Southern Federal District was originally called the North Caucasian Federal District when it was founded in May 2000, but got renamed soon after for political reasons. On January 19, 2010, the Southern Federal District was split in two, with its former southern territories forming a new North Caucasian Federal District.