Outer Manchuria

The story

From outer + Manchuria. The 21st century sense referring to territories ceded by China to Russia in the 19th century was created with the creation of a Wikipedia article in May 2004 for Outer Manchuria; it may be an instance of citogenesis. The same article is the source of Inner Manchuria referring to Manchuria (all northeast China).

First known use, by meaning

• from 2004 The part of Russia near northeastern China (including Primorsky Krai and other nearby areas) which was annexed by the Russian Empire in the mid 19th century understood as part of Manchuria; similar or equivalent to Russian Manchuria.
• from 20th c. Any proverbially distant or remote place.
• from 19-20th c. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see outer, Manchuria (a region of northeast China and Manchuria)