Standard enthalpies of formation at 298.15 K, Delta fH degrees 298.15, for RCoO3-delta (R = La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Y) perovskite-type rare-earth cobaltites were obtained from the combined results of drop and reduction calorimetry. The relationship between the oxygen nonstoichiometry, delta, and thermodynamics of RCoO3-delta was discussed. The fact that RCoO3-delta with smaller ionic radius of R3+ tend to be less stable, having more positive enthalpy of formation from binary oxides (CoO and R2O3), Delta f,oxH degrees 298.15, was confirmed for all the studied RCoO3-delta. Drop calorimetry results were also used in discussing, comparing and assessing the literature heat capacity, Cp(T), data for RCoO3-delta (R /= Y). For YCoO3-delta, both Delta fH degrees 298.15 and Cp(T) were obtained for the first time solely from the drop calorimetric results; Delta fH degrees 298.15 values determined by two different methods perfectly agree with each other. The reference data and Cp(T) of RCoO3-delta were used to calculate Delta fH degrees 298.15 from the published EMF measurement results so as to compare the available Delta f,oxH degrees 298.15(RCoO3-delta) values. An unusual dependence of Delta fH degrees 298.15(LaCoO3-delta) on its heat treatment history was identified and supported by the additional isoperibolic solution calorimetry measurements.