| Southern Administrative Okrug | |
| Native Name: | Южный административный округ |
| Native Name Lang: | ru |
| Type: | Administrative okrug of Moscow |
| Image Alt: | Prefecture building of Southern Administrative Okrug |
| Coordinates: | 55.6333°N 77°W |
| Flag Link: | Flag of Southern Administrative Okrug |
| Shield Link: | Coat of arms of Southern Administrative Okrug |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Russia |
| Subdivision Type1: | Federal city |
| Subdivision Name1: | Moscow |
| Parts Type: | Districts |
| Parts: | 16 |
| Area Total Km2: | 132 |
| Population Total: | 1716808 |
| Population As Of: | 2010 Census |
| Established Date: | 1991 |
| Leader Title: | Prefect |
| Leader Name: | Alexey Chelyshev |
| Website: | http://uao.mos.ru |
Southern Administrative Okrug, or Yuzhny Administrative Okrug (Russian: link=no|Южный административный округ|Yuzhny administrativny okrug), is one of the twelve high-level territorial divisions (administrative okrugs) of the federal city of Moscow, Russia.[1] As of the 2010 Census, its population was 1,716,808, up from 1,593,065 recorded during the 2002 Census.
The territory that comprises the modern Southern Administrative Okrug attracted settlers from time immemorial, even in spite of the fact that it had historically been an unsafe area. In order to protect the borders, powerful monasteries were built. The first one was the Danilov Monastery, founded in 1271 by Prince Daniel of Moscow.
In 1593, the Donskoy Monastery was established to commemorate the victory over Khan Kazi-Girey. Villages appeared and grew near the monastery. Kolomna was one of the first villages to appear in the area. Urban development of the area began in the 16th–17th centuries, at which time the Kolomenskoye architectural ensemble was also built. The Ascension Church in particular is listed by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.[2]
The administrative okrug comprises the following sixteen districts: