Odessa Oblast

Odessa Oblast Одеська область Odes’ka oblast’
—  Oblast  —
Flag Coat of arms
Nickname(s): Одещина (Odeshchyna)
Location of Odessa Oblast (red) within Ukraine (blue)
Country	Ukraine
Admin. center	Odessa
Government
– Governor	Eduard Matviychuk[1] (Party of Regions[1])
– Oblast council	120 seats
– Chairperson	Mykola Leonidovych Skoryk (Party of Regions)
Area
– Total	33,310 km2 (12,861.1 sq mi)
Area rank	Ranked 1st
Population (2008)
– Total	2,687,543
– Rank	Ranked 6
– Density	80.7/km2 (209/sq mi)
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
– Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)
Postal code	65000-68999
Area code	+380-48
ISO 3166 code	UA-51
Raions	26
Cities of oblast subordinance	7
Cities (total)	19
Towns	33
Villages	1138
FIPS 10-4	UP17
Website	www.odessa.gov.ua

Odesa Oblast, also written as Odessa Oblast (Ukrainian: Одеська область, translit. Odes’ka oblast’; also referred to as Odeshchyna—Ukrainian: Одещина), (Greek: Οδησσός) is the southernmost and largest oblast (province) of south-western Ukraine. The administrative center of the oblast is the city of Odessa.

History

The evidence of the earliest inhabitants in this area comes from the settlements and burial grounds of the Neolithic Gumelniţa, Cucuteni-Trypillian and Usatovo cultures, as well as tumuli and hoards of the Bronze Age Proto-Indo-Europeans. In the 1st millennium B.C. the Milesian Greeks built colonies along the North Black Sea Coast, including the towns of Olbia, Tyras, Niconium, Panticapaeum, and Chersonesus. The Greeks left behind painted vessels, ceramics, sculptures, inscriptions, arts and crafts that indicate the prosperity of their ancient civilisation.

The culture of Scythian tribes inhabiting the Black Sea littoral steppes is represented by finds from settlements and burial grounds. There are weapon items, bronze cauldrons, other utensils, adornments. By the beginning of the 1st millennium A.D. the Sarmatians displaced the Scythians. In the 3rd–4th centuries A.D. the tribal alliance, represented by the items of Chernyakhov culture, was created. Since the middle of the first millennium the formation of Slavic people began. In the 9th century they were united into a state with Kiev as a centre. The Khazars, Polovtsy, Pechenegs were the Slavs' neighbours during the different times. The period of the 9th–14th centuries is reflected by the materials from the settlements and cities of Kievan Rus', Belgorod, Caffa-Theodosia, Berezan Island.

Formerly ruled by the Ottoman Empire, the territory of the Odessa oblast passed into Russian and Soviet hands in various stages between the eighteenth century and 20th century. The Russian Empire's expansion along the Black Sea coast led to the creation of the territory of Novorossiya, which was colonised by a variety of peoples, of whom the Russians were dominant. The Odessa oblast corresponds to the most westerly portion of "New Russia".

The oblast was created on 27 February 1932 as part of the Ukrainian SSR. It was expanded further in 1954 by absorbing Izmail Oblast (formerly known as Budjak region of Bessarabia).

Geography

The oblast occupies an area of around 33,300 square kilometres (12,900 sq mi). It is characterised by largely flat steppes divided by the estuary of the Dniester river. Its Black Sea coast comprises numerous sandy beaches, estuaries and lagoons. The region's soils are renowned for their fertility, and intensive agriculture is the mainstay of the local economy. The southwest possesses many orchards and vineyards, while arable crops are grown throughout the region.

Points of interest

• Odessa Opera
• Akkerman fortress
• Potemkin Stairs

Economy

Rapeseed Field in Odessa Oblast.

Significant branches of the oblast's economy are:

• oil refining & chemicals processing
• transportation (important sea and river ports, oil pipelines and railway);
• viticulture and other forms of agriculture, notably the growing of wheat, maize, barley, sunflowers and sugar beets.

The region's industrial capability is principally concentrated in and around Odessa.

Demographics

The oblast's population (as of 2004) is 2.4 million people, nearly 40% of whom live in the city of Odessa.

Significant Romanian (6.2%) and Bulgarian (6.1%) minorities reside in the province.^[2] There is a small Greek community in the city of Odessa.

Bulgarians and Moldovans / Romanians represent 21% and 13% respectively, of the population in the region of Budjak, within Odessa oblast.

Subdivisions

Detailed map of Odessa Oblast.

The Odessa Oblast is administratively subdivided into 26 raions (districts), as well as 7 cities (municipalities) which are directly subordinate to the oblast government: Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, Illichivsk, Izmail, Kotovsk, Teplodar, Yuzhne, and the administrative center of the oblast, Odessa.

Raions of the Odessa Oblast

	In English	In Ukrainian	Administrative Center
	Ananyivskyi Raion	Ананьївський район Anan'yivs'kyi raion	Ananyiv (City)
	Artsyzkyi Raion	Арцизький район Artsyz'kyi raion	Artsyz (City)
	Baltskyi Raion	Балтський район Balts'kyi raion	Balta (City)
	Berezivskyi Raion	Березівський район Berezivs'kyi raion	Berezivka (City)
	Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi Raion	Білгород-Дністровський район Bilhorod-Dnistrovs'kyi raion	Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi (City)
	Biliayivskyi Raion	Біляївський район Biliayivs'kyi raion	Biliayivka (City)
	Bolhradskyi Raion	Болградський район Bolhrads'kyi raion	Bolhrad (City)
	Frunzivskyi Raion	Фрунзівський район Frunzivs'kyi raion	Frunzivka (Urban-type settlement)
	Ivanivskyi Raion	Іванівський район Ivanivs'kyi raion	Ivanivka (Urban-type settlement)
	Izmailsky Raion	Ізмаїльський район Izmails'kyi raion	Izmail (City)
	Kiliyskyi Raion	Кілійський район Kiliys'kyi raion	Kilia (City)
	Kodymskyi Raion	Кодимський район Kodyms'kyi raion	Kodyma (City)
	Kominternivskyi Raion	Комінтернівський район Kominternivs'kyi raion	Kominternivske (Urban-type settlement)
	Kotovskyi Raion	Котовський район Kotovs'kyi raion	Kotovsk (City)
	Krasnooknianskyi Raion	Красноокнянський район Krasno-oknians'kyi raion	Krasni Okny (Urban-type settlement)
	Liubashivskyi Raion	Любашівський район Liubashivs'kyi raion	Liubashivka (Urban-type settlement)
	Mykolaiv Raion	Миколаївський район Mykolayivs'kyi raion	Mykolaivka (Urban-type settlement)
	Ovidiopolskyi Raion	Овідіопольський район Ovidiopols'kyi raion	Ovidiopol (Urban-type settlement)
	Reniyskyi Raion	Ренійський район Reniys'kyi raion	Reni (City)
	Rozdilnianskyi Raion	Роздільнянський район Rozdil'nians'kyi raion	Rozdilna (City)
	Saratskyi Raion	Саратський район Sarats'kyi raion	Sarata (Urban-type settlement)
	Savranskyi Raion	Савранський район Savrans'kyi raion	Savran (Urban-type settlement)
	Shyriayivskyi Raion	Ширяївський район Shyriayivs'kyi raion	Shyriaieve (Urban-type settlement)
	Tarutynskyi Raion	Тарутинський район Tarutyns'kyi raion	Tarutyne (Urban-type settlement)
	Tatarbunarskyi Raion	Татарбунарський район Tatarbunars'kyi raion	Tatarbunary (City)
	Velykomykhailivskyi Raion	Великомихайлівський район Velykomykhailivs'kyi raion	Velyka Mykhailivka (Urban-type settlement)

Nomenclature

Most of Ukraine's oblasts are named after their capital cities, officially referred to as "oblast centers" (Ukrainian: обласний центр, translit. oblasnyi tsentr). The name of each oblast is a relative adjective, formed by adding a feminine suffix to the name of respective center city: Odessa is the center of the Odes’ka oblast’ (Odessa Oblast). Most oblasts are also sometimes referred to in a feminine noun form, following the convention of traditional regional place names, ending with the suffix "-shchyna", as is the case with the Odessa Oblast, Odeshchyna.

See also: Romanization of Ukrainian

See also

• Subdivisions of Ukraine
• Kherson Governorate

References

1. ^ ^{a b} President appoints 14 regional governors, Interfax-Ukraine (March 18, 2010)
2. ^ Results of the 2001 All-Ukrainian population census for the Odessa oblast

External links

• Odessa regional administration homepage
• Maps of Odessa oblast Cities, Towns and Villages

Coordinates: 47°00′N 30°00′E / 47°N 30°E / 47; 30