Balta was first founded in 1797 out of a combination of three nearby towns; Yuzefhrad (Юзефград, Polish: Józefgród; until 1793 part of Poland), Yelensk (Еленськ), and Balta (Балта; until 1792 part of the Ottoman Empire).
It is located in the historic Podolia region of Ukraine.
According to the Russian census of 1897, with a population of 23,363 it was the fourth largest city of Podolia after Kamianets-Podilskyi, Uman and Vinnytsia.
In 1900, the city's Jewish population numbered 13,235.

Pogroms occurred in Balta in 1882 and 1905.

From 1924–1929, the city was the capital of the Moldavian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic.
With the annexation of Bessarabia in 1940, Balta became a part of the Odessa Oblast of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic.
It was occupied by German and Romanian troops on 5 August 1941 and became part of Transnistria Governorate in Kingdom of Romania until its liberation on 29 March 1944 by Red Army.

 Balta is located near the Dniester River border with Moldova.
Balta was first founded in 1797 out of a combination of three nearby towns; Yuzefhrad (Юзефград, Polish: Józefgród; until 1793 part of Poland), Yelensk (Еленськ), and Balta (Балта; until 1792 part of the Ottoman Empire). It is located in the historic Podolia region of Ukraine. According to the Russian census of 1897, with a population of 23,363 it was the fourth largest city of Podolia after Kamianets-Podilskyi, Uman and Vinnytsia. In 1900, the city's Jewish population numbered 13,235.
Pogroms occurred in Balta in 1882 and 1905.
From 1924–1929, the city was the capital of the Moldavian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. With the annexation of Bessarabia in 1940, Balta became a part of the Odessa Oblast of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. It was occupied by German and Romanian troops on 5 August 1941 and became part of Transnistria Governorate in Kingdom of Romania until its liberation on 29 March 1944 by Red Army.
 Balta is located near the Dniester River border with Moldova.
Balta, Odessa Oblast