There are 19 populated places in Odesa Oblast , Ukraine, that have been officially granted city status (Ukrainian : місто , romanized : misto ) by the Verkhovna Rada , the country's parliament.[ 2] Settlements with more than 10,000 people are eligible for city status, although the status is typically also granted to settlements of historical or regional importance.[ 3] [ 4] [ 5] As of 5 December 2001, the date of the first and only official census in the country since independence,[ a] the most populous city in the oblast was the regional capital, Odesa , with a population of 1,029,049 people, while the least populous city was Teplodar , with 8,830 people.[ 6] [ 7] After the enactment of decommunization laws , two cities within the oblast were renamed in 2016 for their former names' connection to people, places, events, and organizations associated with the Soviet Union .[ 8] [ 9] The renamed cities Chornomorsk and Podilsk were previously named Illichivsk and Kotovsk, respectively.[ 10] In 2024, following the passage of derussification laws , the city Yuzhne was renamed Pivdenne .[ 11]
From independence in 1991 to 2020, nine cities in the oblast were designated as cities of regional significance (municipalities ), which had self-government under city councils , while the oblast's remaining ten cities were located amongst twenty-six raions (districts ) as cities of district significance , which are subordinated to the governments of the raions.[ 12] [ 13] [ 7] On 18 July 2020, an administrative reform abolished and merged the oblast's raions and cities of regional significance into seven new, expanded raions .[ 3] [ 14] The seven raions that make up the oblast are Berezivka , Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi , Bolhrad , Izmail , Odesa , Podilsk , and Rozdilna .[ 15]
One city in the oblast, the regional capital Odesa, was awarded by Soviet officials with the honorary title Hero City of Ukraine in 1965 for its resistance to the Axis invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II ; the title was renewed in 2022 by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy .[ 16] [ 17] The city has also been recognized by UNESCO as one of Ukraine's eight World Heritage Sites since 25 January 2023.[ 18] [ 19] [ 20] Due to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine , since 24 February 2022, the oblast's Black Sea ports of Chornomorsk , Odesa , and Pivdennyi Port (located close to Pivdenne ),[ 21] [ 22] [ 23] together with its Danube river ports of Izmail , Reni , and Ust-Danube (located in Vylkove and Kiliia ),[ 24] [ b] have served as the primary route for Ukraine's international shipping .[ 25] [ 26] [ 27] Frequent Russian airstrikes have inflicted significant damage to cities in the oblast,[ 28] particularly Odesa ,[ 29] [ 30] the historic center of which was added on UNESCO's List of World Heritage in Danger immediately following its recognition.[ 20] [ 31]
Odesa , capital and most populous city in Odesa Oblast [ 2] [ 32]
Izmail , the oblast's second most populous city and a major Ukrainian city on the Danube [ 2] [ 33]
Chornomorsk , a key Black Sea port city and third most populous city in the oblast[ 2] [ 34]
Cities in Odesa Oblast
Name
Name (in Ukrainian )[ 2] [ c]
Raion (district)
Population (2022 estimates)[ 2]
Population (2001 census )[ 7]
Population change
Ananiv
Ананьїв
Podilsk
7,626
9,476
−19.52%
Artsyz
Арциз
Bolhrad
14,355
16,370
−12.31%
Balta
Балта
Podilsk
17,854
19,962
−10.56%
Berezivka
Березівка
Berezivka
9,428
9,481
−0.56%
Biliaivka
Біляївка
Odesa
12,355
14,294
−13.57%
Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi
Білгород-Дністровський
Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi
47,727
51,890
−8.02%
Bolhrad
Болград
Bolhrad
14,818
17,353
−14.61%
Chornomorsk
Чорноморськ
Odesa
57,983
54,151
+7.08%
Izmail
Ізмаїл
Izmail
69,932
84,815
−17.55%
Kiliia
Кілія
Izmail
18,745
22,594
−17.04%
Kodyma
Кодима
Podilsk
8,404
9,634
−12.77%
Odesa
Одеса
Odesa
1,010,537
1,029,049
−1.80%
Pivdenne
Південне
Odesa
32,677
23,977
+36.28%
Podilsk
Подільськ
Podilsk
39,220
40,718
−3.68%
Reni
Рені
Izmail
17,736
20,481
−13.40%
Rozdilna
Роздільна
Rozdilna
17,441
17,754
−1.76%
Tatarbunary
Татарбунари
Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi
10,836
10,797
+0.36%
Teplodar
Теплодар
Odesa
9,958
8,830
+12.77%
Vylkove
Вилкове
Izmail
7,712
9,260
−16.72%
^ As of 11 July 2023[ 6]
^ The Port of Kiliia has been owned and operated by the Ust-Danube Port Authority since 1998. Vylkove's port serves as the administrative headquarters for Ust-Danube.[ 24]
^ Links to the Ukrainian Wikipedia articles for each city
^ Barros, George; Stepanenko, Kateryna; Bergeron, Thomas; Mikkelsen, Noel; Mealie, Daniel; Belcher, Mitchell; Thacker, Tom. "Interactive Map: Russia's Invasion of Ukraine" . storymaps.arcgis . Institute for the Study of War & American Enterprise Institute 's Critical Threats Project. Retrieved 4 August 2024 .
^ a b c d e f Чисельність наявного населення України на 1 січня 2022 [Number of Present Population of Ukraine, as of 1 January 2022] (PDF) . db.ukrcensus.gov.ua (in Ukrainian and English). State Statistics Service of Ukraine . Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 September 2022. Retrieved 3 February 2024 .
^ a b Povalyaev, Ivan (31 July 2023). Дерадянизація: в Україні скасували смт та міста районного чи обласного значення [De-Sovietization: Ukraine abolishes urban-type settlements and cities of district or regional significance]. Ukraina Moloda (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 20 May 2024. Retrieved 20 May 2024 .
^ Закон України від 28.07.2023 р. № 3285-IX "Про порядок вирішення окремих питань адміністративно-територіального устрою України" [Law of Ukraine of 28.07.2023 № 3285-IX "On the Procedure for Resolving Certain Issues of the Administrative and Territorial Structure of Ukraine"]. All About Accounting (in Ukrainian). 26 October 2023. Archived from the original on 20 May 2024. Retrieved 20 May 2024 .
^ 26 січня набрав чинності Закон "Про порядок вирішення окремих питань адміністративно-територіального устрою України" [On January 26, the Law "On the Procedure for Resolving Certain Issues of the Administrative and Territorial Structure of Ukraine" came into force]. jurliga.ligazakon.net (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 14 March 2024. Retrieved 20 May 2024 .
^ a b Rogoża, Jadwiga (11 July 2023). "Ukraine in the face of a demographic catastrophe" . Centre for Eastern Studies . Archived from the original on 20 June 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2024 .
^ a b c Кількість та територіальне розміщення населення України [The number and territorial distribution of the population of Ukraine] (RAR ) . 2001.ukrcensus.gov.ua (in Ukrainian). State Statistics Service of Ukraine . 5 December 2001. Archived from the original on 17 May 2015. Retrieved 22 June 2024 . To access the statistics, scroll down to the section titled "Кількість та територіальне розміщення населення України" (transl. Number and territorial distribution of the population of Ukraine ). Then, click on the linked text "Публікація у електронному вигляді" (transl. Publication in electronic form ). This will download the statistics as a RAR file from which it can be accessed using RAR file converters such as 7-Zip .
^ Про засудження комуністичного та націонал-соціалістичного (нацистського) тоталітарних режимів в Україні та заборону пропаганди їхньої символіки [On the condemnation of communist and national socialist (Nazi) totalitarian regimes in Ukraine and the prohibition of propaganda of their symbols]. Official Website of the Parliament of Ukraine (in Ukrainian). 27 July 2023. Archived from the original on 26 May 2024. Retrieved 20 May 2024 .
^ Понад 50 тисяч вулиць змінили назви впродовж 2016 року [Over 50 thousand streets changed their names in 2016]. kmu.gov.ua (in Ukrainian). 27 December 2016. Archived from the original on 20 May 2024. Retrieved 20 May 2024 .
^ Перейменування окремих міст та районів, перейменованих відповідно до Закону України «Про засудження комуністичного та націонал-соціалістичного (нацистського) тоталітарних режимів в Україні та заборону пропаганди їхньої символіки» [Renaming of certain cities and districts, renamed in accordance with the Law of Ukraine "On Condemnation of Communist and National Socialist (Nazi) Totalitarian Regimes in Ukraine and Prohibition of Propaganda of Their Symbols"] (PDF) . land.gov.ua . Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 May 2024. Retrieved 20 May 2024 .
^ Про перейменування міста Южне Одеського району Одеської області на місто Південне [On renaming the city of Yuzhne, Odesa Raion, Odesa Oblast to the city of Pivdenne]. Official Website of the Parliament of Ukraine (in Ukrainian). 9 October 2024. Retrieved 18 October 2024 .
^ Кількість адміністративно-територіальних одиниць за регіонами України на 1 січня 2016 року* [Number of administrative-territorial units by regions of Ukraine as of 1 January 2016*]. ukrstat.gov.ua (in Ukrainian). State Statistics Service of Ukraine . Archived from the original on 8 July 2024. Retrieved 21 June 2024 .
^ Про адміністративно-територіальний устрій України (Повторний розгляд з пропозиціями (вето) Президента України) [On the administrative-territorial structure of Ukraine (Reconsideration with proposals (Veto) of the President of Ukraine)]. Official Website of the Parliament of Ukraine (in Ukrainian). 16 October 1997. Archived from the original on 8 July 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2024 .
^ Про утворення та ліквідацію районів [On the formation and liquidation of districts]. Official Website of the Parliament of Ukraine (in Ukrainian). 17 July 2020. Archived from the original on 8 July 2024. Retrieved 21 June 2024 .
^ Прийнято Постанову "Про утворення та ліквідацію районів" [The Resolution "On Formation and Liquidation of Districts" was adopted]. Official Website of the Parliament of Ukraine (in Ukrainian). 17 July 2020. Archived from the original on 5 August 2020. Retrieved 21 June 2024 .
^ Mayorov, Maksym (25 March 2022). Міф "Місто-Герой" [Myth of the "Hero City"]. Istorychna Pravda (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 27 June 2024 .
^ Указ Президента України №171/2023: Питання почесної відзнаки "Місто-герой України" [Decree of the President of Ukraine No. 171/2023: About the award "Hero City of Ukraine"]. Office of the President of Ukraine (in Ukrainian). 21 March 2023. Retrieved 27 June 2024 .
^ "Ukraine" . UNESCO . Archived from the original on 12 May 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2021 .
^ "The Historic Centre of Odesa" . UNESCO . Archived from the original on 25 January 2023. Retrieved 25 January 2023 .
^ a b "Ukraine's Odesa, the 'pearl of the Black Sea', added to Unesco World Heritage list" . The Guardian . 25 January 2023. Retrieved 6 August 2024 .
^ Hrynishyna, Yulia (23 May 2023). Державне підприємство «Морський торговельний порт «Южний» змінило назву [State enterprise "Yuzhnyi Sea Trade Port" has changed its name]. yuzhny.info (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 13 September 2024 .
^ Fornusek, Martin (8 January 2024). "Minister: Nearly 15 million tons of cargo exported via temporary Black Sea corridor" . The Kyiv Independent . Retrieved 13 September 2024 .
^ "One year of the Black Sea Initiative: Key facts and figures" . UN News . 10 July 2023. Retrieved 13 September 2024 .
^ a b Морской Торговый Порт Усть-Дунайск [Sea Trade Port Ust-Danube]. Ust-Danube (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 13 September 2024 .
^ Kakissis, Joanna (30 December 2023). "How Ukrainian commercial ships are evading Russia's blockade" . NPR . Retrieved 13 September 2024 .
^ Orel, Ihor (19 January 2023). Вистрілив під час війни. Вінницька компанія купила за 200 млн грн найменший морський порт України. Які перспективи у цього бізнесу [Shot during the war. A Vinnytsia company bought Ukraine's smallest seaport for UAH 200 million. What the prospects are for this business]. Forbes (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 13 September 2024 .
^ "How much grain is Ukraine exporting and how is it leaving the country?" . BBC News . 2 April 2024. Retrieved 13 September 2024 .
^ Kushnir, Mykhailo (2 June 2024). Жителі Одещини отримали понад 41 млн гривень за пошкоджене майно внаслідок ударів РФ [Residents of Odesa received more than 41 million hryvnias for damaged property as a result of the strikes of the Russian Federation]. Suspilne (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 13 September 2024 .
^ Nazarchuk, Iryna (6 November 2023). "Russian air strikes wound eight in Odesa, damage museum, port, Ukrainian officials say" . Reuters . Retrieved 13 September 2024 .
^ Pruchnicka, Anna (26 September 2023). "Russian air strikes on Ukraine kill four, damage grain and port facilities" . Reuters . Retrieved 13 September 2024 .
^ Noack, Rick (26 January 2023). "UNESCO adds Ukraine's 'pearl of the Black Sea' to World Heritage list" . The Washington Post . Retrieved 13 September 2024 .
^ Vasylina, A.G. (25 July 2023). Одеса [Odesa]. Encyclopedia of Modern Ukraine (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 13 September 2024 .
^ Dolga, L.I.; Repkin, T.S. (2011). Ізмаїл [Izmail]. Encyclopedia of Modern Ukraine (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 14 September 2024 .
^ Khmelnyuk, V.Y.; Shapovalova, G.B. (15 April 2024). Іллічівськ [Illichivsk]. Encyclopedia of Modern Ukraine (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 13 September 2024 .
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