Zaporizhzhia Oblast

Oblast (region) of Ukraine

This article is about the Ukrainian oblast. For the disputed Russian entity, see Russian occupation of Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

Oblast in Ukraine

Zaporizhzhia Oblast

Запорізька область

Oblast[a]

Zaporizka oblast[1]

Flag

Coat of arms

Nickname:

Запоріжжя (Zaporizhzhia)

Coordinates: 47°50′N 35°10′E﻿ / ﻿47.833°N 35.167°E﻿ / 47.833; 35.167
Country| Ukraine
Established| 10 January 1939
Administrative centre| Zaporizhzhia
Government

• Governor| Ivan Fedorov[2][b]
• Oblast council| 84 seats
• Chairperson| Olena Zhuk [uk][3]
Area

• Total

| 27,183 km2 (10,495 sq mi)
• Rank| Ranked 9th
Population

(2022)[4]

• Total

|  1,638,462
• Rank| Ranked 9th
• Density| 60.2/km2 (156/sq mi)
GDP

[5]

• Total| ₴ 229 billion
(€5.9 billion)
• Per capita| ₴ 138,521
(€3,600)
Time zone| UTC+02:00 (EET)
• Summer (DST)| UTC+03:00 (EEST)
Postal code|

69-72

Area code| +380-61
ISO 3166 code| UA-23
Raions| 5
Cities (total)| 14
• Regional cities| 5
Urban-type settlements| 23
Villages| 920
HDI (2022)| 0.741[6]
high
FIPS 10-4| UP26
NUTS statistical regions of Ukraine| UA32
Website| Zoda.gov.ua

Zaporizhzhia Oblast (Ukrainian: Запорізька область, romanized: Zaporizka oblast), commonly referred to as Zaporizhzhia (Запоріжжя), is an oblast (region) in south-east Ukraine. Its administrative centre is the city of Zaporizhzhia. The oblast covers an area of 27,183 square kilometres (10,495 sq mi), and has a population of 1,638,462 (2022 estimate).[4] The oblast is an important part of Ukraine's industry and agriculture.

Most of the oblast's area, including all of the coast, has been under Russian military occupation since the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, although the capital and the majority of the population have remained under Ukrainian administration. In September 2022, Russia declared it had annexed the Zaporizhzhia oblast based on the results of a disputed referendum. The referendum and subsequent annexation are not internationally recognized.

To the south, Zaporizhzhia Oblast covers roughly 150 kilometres (93 mi) of coastline of the Sea of Azov, as part of a coastal region known as Pryazovia.

## Geography

[edit]

The area of the oblast is 27,183 km2; its population (estimated as of 1 January 2013) was 1,785,243.

Zaporizhzhia Oblast is located within the regions of Zaporizhzhia (northern part) and Pryazovia (southern part).

### Cities

[edit]

Its largest cities by population are:

1. Zaporizhzhia
2. Melitopol – under Russian occupation
3. Berdiansk – under Russian occupation
4. Enerhodar (location of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant) – under Russian occupation
5. Tokmak – under Russian occupation
6. Polohy – under Russian occupation
7. Dniprorudne – under Russian occupation
8. Vilniansk
9. Orikhiv
10. Huliaipole
11. Vasylivka – under Russian occupation

### Relief

[edit]

Zaporizhzhia Oblast is characterized by a flat landscape. Soils are mostly chernozem. Knowledge of the relief of the Zaporizhzhia Oblast today is especially important because of the problem of land reclamation and its more intensive use.

The territory of Zaporizhzhia Oblast as a whole has a flat topography, but there are markedly elevated and depressed areas, which differ in shape, origin, and age.

The highest central-eastern part of the oblast is the Azov Upland. It extends to the east and to the territory of Donetsk Oblast, where it meets the Donetsk ridge. In the south, between the Azov Upland and the Sea of Azov, is the western part of the Azov coastal plain, which flows into the Black Sea west of the Molochna River. The northeastern end of the coastal plain merges with the Zaporizhzhia inner plain, which borders the southeastern outskirts of the Dnieper Upland. Thus, the territory of Zaporizhzhia Oblast consists of two distinct geomorphological parts: the outskirts of the Azov and Dnipro uplands, which structurally correspond to the southeastern part of the Ukrainian crystalline massif and the outskirts of the coastal Pryazov and Black Sea plains, which are located within the Black Sea basin.

## History

[edit]

In antiquity, an area which roughly corresponds to the modern Zaporizhzhia Oblast was called the land of Gerrhos, according to Herodotus. This area was the burial place of the kings of the "Royal Scythians".

Historically, at various times, the territory was ruled either entirely or partly by Scythia, Old Great Bulgaria, Khazars, the Mongol Empire, Lithuania, the Crimean Khanate, Poland, and Russia. Khortytsia, a former fortress of the Zaporozhian Cossacks, is located in the oblast. In 1917–1920 the territory passed subsequently between the Bolsheviks, Ukrainians, White Russians, Makhnovists, the Bolsheviks once again, White Russians once again, and eventually fell to the Bolsheviks in late 1920.[7]

The modern Zaporizhzhia Oblast was created as part of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic on 10 January 1939 out of the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.

Zaporizhzhia, Soviet Ukraine, 1990

During the 1991 Ukrainian independence referendum, 90.66% of votes in the oblast were in favor of the Declaration of Independence of Ukraine.[8]

### Russian invasion

[edit]

Further information: Southern front of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Russian occupation of Zaporizhzhia Oblast

Damage to a residential building in Ukrainian-controlled Zaporizhzhia following the airstrike of 9 October 2022

During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Russian armed forces occupied the southern part of the oblast, defeating the Ukrainian armed forces at Melitopol and at Enerhodar. The northern parts of the oblast, including its capital city, Zaporizhzhia, remained under Ukrainian control.

On 23–27 September 2022, the Russian Federation held a referendum in the occupied territories of Zaporizhzhia oblast for "independence and subsequent entry into the Russian Federation". These referendums are recognized by most states to be staged and against international law. On 29 September 2022, the Russian Federation recognized Zaporizhzhia Oblast as an independent state.[9] On 30 September, Russian president Vladimir Putin announced the annexation of the Zaporizhzhia Oblast and signed an "accession decree" which is widely considered to be illegal.[10][11] At that time, Russia was only in control of about 70% of the province as a whole.[12] The United Nations General Assembly subsequently passed a resolution calling on countries not to recognise what it described as an "attempted illegal annexation" and demanded that Russia "immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw".[13]

## Points of interest

[edit]

The following sites were nominated for the Seven Wonders of Ukraine.

* Kamyana Mohyla, prehistoric "Stone Tomb" site (museum-preserve)
* Khortytsia, island in the River Dnieper
* Dnieper Hydroelectric Station

## Subdivisions

[edit]

Main article: Administrative divisions of Zaporizhzhia Oblast

Map of raions of Zaporizhzhia Oblast

Following the reforms of 2020, the oblast is divided into five new raions, which is reduced from 25. The system of municipalities (cities of regional significance) that were directly subordinate to the oblast government was discontinued. All populated places were subordinated to raion (district) government.

Name | Ukrainian name | Area
(km2) | Population
census 2001 | Population
estimate 2021[14] | Admin. center

|
|
|
|
|

Berdiansk Raion | Бердянський район | 4,456 | 214,062 | 179,118 | Berdiansk
Melitopol Raion | Мелітопольський район | 6,962 | 318,353 | 280,816 | Melitopol
Polohy Raion | Пологівський район | 6,767 | 216,933 | 167,060 | Polohy
Vasylivka Raion | Василівський район | 4,295 | 217,018 | 184,224 | Vasylivka
Zaporizhzhia Raion | Запорізький район | 4,693 | 962,805 | 855,297 | Zaporizhzhia

### Russian occupation

[edit]

Since February–March 2022, the armed forces of the Russian Federation have controlled the majority of the Zaporizhia Oblast. The city of Melitopol serves as a temporary administration center for the occupied territories. The front lines of the war pass through Vasylivka and Polohy raions, just north of both cities of Vasylivka and Polohy.

## Demographics

[edit]

People in Zaporizhzhia in 2015 Zaporizhzhia in 2021

According to the 2001 Ukrainian Census, the population of the oblast was 1,929,171. Some 70.8% considered themselves Ukrainians, while 24.7% were Russians. The remainder were Bulgarians (1.4%), Belarusians (0.7%), and others (1.6%). Almost half the population (48.2%) considered the Russian language to be their native language.[15]

Historical populationYear| Pop.| ±%

|
|

1970| 1,774,749| —
1979| 1,946,352| +9.7%
1989| 2,081,778| +7.0%
2001| 1,929,171| −7.3%
2011| 1,801,315| −6.6%
2022| 1,638,462| −9.0%
Source: [16][17]

### Age structure

[edit]

0–14 years: 13.5%  (male 124,285/female 116,613)
15–64 years: 70.7%  (male 598,849/female 662,838)
65 years and over: 15.8%  (male 91,051/female 190,818) (2013 official)

### Median age

[edit]

total: 41.2 years
male: 37.5 years
female: 44.8 years  (2013 official)

### Fertility

[edit]

Year | Fertility | Births | Year | Fertility | Births | Year | Fertility | Births

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1990 | 1,7 | 25 960 | 2000 | 1,0 | 13 900 | 2010 | 1,3 | 18 018
1991 | 1,7 | 24 739 | 2001 | 1,0 | 14 010 | 2011 | 1,4 | 18 198
1992 | 1,5 | 22 624 | 2002 | 1,1 | 14 865
1993 | 1,4 | 20 881 | 2003 | 1,1 | 15 301
1994 | 1,3 | 19 265 | 2004 | 1,1 | 16 091
1995 | 1,2 | 17 820 | 2005 | 1,2 | 15 862
1996 | 1,2 | 16 764 | 2006 | 1,2 | 17 241
1997 | 1,1 | 16 234 | 2007 | 1,3 | 17 591
1998 | 1,1 | 14 968 | 2008 | 1,4 | 18 901
1999 | 1,0 | 13 880 | 2009 | 1,4 | 18 409

## Education

[edit]

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Zaporizhzhia Polytechnic National University Building of the Zaporizhzhia National University Zaporizhzhia Regional Universal Scientific Library

679 daytime and 11 evening state schools plus 6 daytime schools that are non-budget supported secondary schools involved 271,400 pupils in 2001. 22 classical schools, 8 lyceums, a Sichovy collegium and 54 education-breeding complex bodies aren't out of reach to gifted children. New style 38 complex kindergarten-schools work too.[18]

Over 60,000 children develop their talents through out-of-school institutions. They attend 30 creative centres, 6 science-technical stations and four young naturalists' stations, five tourist clubs, three training flotillas, 11 children's sports clubs and 20 sports schools. The extra-scholastic education system has such a unique body as the Small Academy of Science. Boys and girls work there in six main disciplines: physics-mathematics, chemistry-biology, history-geography, philology, industrial and information technologies. The Small Academy young members maintain close friendly relations with scientists of big institutes and universities. 26 youngsters became winners of the All-Ukrainian Academy contest, so the Zaporizhzhia oblast team gained the 1st place.

325 secondary schools, five classical schools, a collegium, and three comprehensive schools use the Ukrainian language. Nevertheless, the minorities have a free choice—193 schools are Russian, a large Jewish school «Alef» works in Zaporizhzhia and smaller ones exist in other points, a Ukrainian-Bulgarian Lyceum is in Primorsky district. The Greek, Czech, Bulgarian languages are very popular in Yakimivsky, Berdyansky, Priazovsky and Melitopole rural districts. One may learn Hebrew, Yiddish, German, Polish, Tatar and other languages attending option courses anywhere.

Specialists keep on looking for an adaptive school model. 26 institutions develop the humanization process using new teaching technologies. The Khortitsky multi-profile teaching-rehabilitation centre has worked out methods for complete support of sanatorium-boarding-schools' children. Berdiansk is the town where a regional boarding school for orphans works out active socialization programs.

42 institutions provide vocational education. This system distributes well-trained workers to regional industries and businesses. The list of specialties includes over 100 names. Vocational schools give courses for improving qualifications in cooperation with unemployment centres. More than 1,500 jobless persons get new professions every year due to it.

The higher education system is the most flexible and advanced. Today, 25 state-controlled technical colleges have I-II class rank and 8 higher institutions have III-IV class certificates. These are the university and the Zaporizhzhia Politechnic, the Medical University and the Institute of Law with Ministry of Internal Affairs in Zaporizhzhia City, the Pedagogical University, the Agricultural Academy in Melitopol and the Pedagogical Institute in Berdiansk. There are also five higher-education private bodies—the Institute of Economics and Information Technologies, the State and Municipal Government Institute and the others. Over 65,000 people are students in this oblast. There are 212 Doctors of Science and 1,420 Candidates of Science among their lecturers. The city of Zaporizhzhia is one of the biggest centres for foreigners' education in Ukraine.

The International Astronomical Union named two minor planets 5936 Khadzhinov and 19082 Vikchernov in honor of Ukrainians from Zaporizhizhia Oblast who made a significant contribution in science and education.

## Economics

[edit]

Before the Russian invasion, Kyrylivka was a resort town on the Black Sea coast.

### Gross regional product

[edit]

The volume of the gross regional product (GRP) of the oblast in 2016 amounted to ₴104,323 million (9th place among the regions). The total contribution of the oblast to the GRP of Ukraine was 4.4%.

The index of the physical volume of gross regional product in the previous year's prices was 99.7%.

The amount of gross value added (GVA) in 2016 amounted to ₴82,054 million (9th place among the oblasts).

The total contribution of the oblast to the GVA of Ukraine amounted to 4.1% in 2016.

The index of physical volume of gross value added in previous year's prices was 99.8%.

The main types of economic activity that form the GVA of the oblast are:

* Industry (including the supply of electricity, gas, steam, and air conditioning): 41%
* Agriculture, forestry, and fisheries: 13.9%
* Wholesale and retail trade: 10.4%
* Real estate transactions: 6%[19]

## Gallery

[edit]

* Tavrian State Agrotechnological University in Melitopol

* Berdiansk State Pedagogical University in Berdiansk

* Saint Sergius Church in Tokmak

* Railway station in Polohy

* Old mansion in Orikhiv

* Old mill in Huliaipole

* Zaporizhzhia Polytechnic National University

* Zaporizhzhia International Airport

* Solokha Kurgan

* Stone Tomb

* White water lily formation in right-bank Zaporizhzhia Oblast

* Kaidatska wash

* Bilai Archipelago

* Middle Khortytsia River

* Coast of the Kakhovka Reservoir

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Partially annexed by Russia as Zaporozhye Oblast
2. ^ Control over Zaporizhzhia Oblast is disputed due to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. In the Russian-occupied part of the Oblast, the governor is Yevgeny Balitsky. Fedorov is the governor recognized by Ukraine.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Syvak, Nina; Ponomarenko, Valerii; Khodzinska, Olha; Lakeichuk, Iryna (2011). Veklych, Lesia (ed.). Toponymic Guidelines for Map and Other Editors for International Use (PDF). scientific consultant Iryna Rudenko; reviewed by Nataliia Kizilowa; translated by Olha Khodzinska. Kyiv: DerzhHeoKadastr and Kartographia. p. 20\. ISBN 978-966-475-839-7. Retrieved 2020-10-06. `{{cite book}}`: `|website=` ignored (help)
2. ^ "Zelensky replaces Zaporizhzhia Oblast governor". The Kyiv Independent. 2024-02-04. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
3. ^ "For the first time in the history of the Zaporizhhia Regional Council, a woman became its head". Zaporizhzhia Regional Council. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
4. ^ a b Чисельність наявного населення України на 1 січня 2022 [Number of Present Population of Ukraine, as of January 1, 2022] (PDF) (in Ukrainian and English). Kyiv: State Statistics Service of Ukraine. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 July 2022.
5. ^ "Валовии регіональнии продукт".
6. ^ "Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab". hdi.globaldatalab.org.
7. ^ "ZAPORIZHZHIA: A LAND OF INDUSTRIAL CAPACITY, OUTSTANDING PEOPLE, AND THE ISLAND THAT CHANGED HISTORY".
8. ^ Лише 3% українців хочуть приєднання їх області до Росії [Only 3% of Ukrainians want their region to become part of Russia]. Dzerkalo Tyzhnia (in Ukrainian). 3 January 2015.
9. ^ "Putin signs decrees paving way for annexing Ukraine territories of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia". the Guardian. 2022-09-29. Retrieved 2022-09-30.
10. ^ "Putin annexes four regions of Ukraine in major escalation of Russia's war". the Guardian. 2022-09-30. Retrieved 2022-09-30.
11. ^ Maynes, Charles (30 September 2022). "Putin illegally annexes territories in Ukraine, in spite of global opposition". NPR. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
12. ^ "Factbox: The four regions that Russia is poised to annex from Ukraine". Reuters. 2022-09-30. Retrieved 2022-09-30.
13. ^ "Ukraine: UN General Assembly demands Russia reverse course on 'attempted illegal annexation'". 12 October 2022.
14. ^ State Statistics Committee of Ukraine (web)
15. ^ National composition of the population. 2001 Ukrainian Population Census. State Statistics Committee of Ukraine
16. ^ "Division of Ukraine".
17. ^ "Ukraine: Provinces and Major Cities".
18. ^ Запорізька область: Ілюстрована енциклопедія. [Т.2]: Архітектура і містобудування. Культура. Економіка. Райони області / К.С. Карафін, О. І. Красюк. -Запоріжжя : Дике Поле, 2004. - 293 с.
19. ^ "Express issue". Ukrstat. Archived from the original on 7 June 2019.

## Further reading

[edit]

* (In Ukrainian) Запорізька область: Ілюстрована енциклопедія. [Т.2]: Архітектура і містобудування. Культура. Економіка. Райони області / К.С. Карафін, О. І. Красюк. -Запоріжжя : Дике Поле, 2004. - 293 с.

## External links

[edit]

* Specialized investment portal – official website (in Ukrainian)
* Zaporizhzhia Regional Tourist Information Centre – official website (in Ukrainian)
* Zaporizhzhia Oblast Administration – official website (in Ukrainian)
* Zaporizhzhia Oblast Rada – official website (in Ukrainian)

* v
* t
* e

Administrative divisions of Zaporizhzhia Oblast

Administrative center: Zaporizhzhia

Raions|

* Berdiansk
* Melitopol
* Polohy
* Vasylivka
* Zaporizhzhia

Hromadas|

* Andriivka
* Andrivka
* Berdiansk
* Berestove
* Bilenke
* Blahovishchenka
* Chernihivka
* Chkalove
* Dniprorudne
* Dolynske
* Enerhodar
* Fedorivka
* Huliaipole
* Kamianka
* Kamianka-Dniprovska
* Komysh-Zoria
* Komyshuvakha
* Kostiantynivka
* Kushuhum
* Kyrylivka
* Mala Bilozerka
* Mala Tokmachka
* Malynivka
* Matviivka
* Melitopol
* Molochansk
* Mykhailivka rural
* Mykhailivka settlement
* Mykhailo-Lukasheve
* Myrne
* Nove
* Novobohdanivka
* Novomykolaivka
* Novooleksandrivka
* Novouspenivka
* Novovasylivka
* Oleksandrivka
* Orikhiv
* Osypenko
* Pavlivske
* Petro-Mykhailivka
* Plodorodne
* Polohy
* Preobrazhenka
* Pryazovske
* Prymorsk
* Rozdol
* Rozivka
* Semenivka
* Shyroke
* Smyrnove
* Sofiivka
* Stepne
* Stepnohirsk
* Tavriiske
* Ternuvate
* Terpinnia
* Tokmak
* Vasylivka
* Velyka Bilozerka
* Vesele
* Vilniansk
* Vodiane
* Voskresenka
* Vozdvyzhivka
* Yakymivka
* Zaporizhzhia

Cities|

* Berdiansk
* Dniprorudne
* Enerhodar
* Huliaipole
* Kamianka-Dniprovska
* Melitopol
* Molochansk
* Orikhiv
* Polohy
* Prymorsk
* Tokmak
* Vasylivka
* Vilniansk
* Zaporizhzhia

* v
* t
* e

Administrative divisions of Ukraine

Capital: Kyiv

Oblasts|

* Cherkasy
* Chernihiv
* Chernivtsi
* Dnipropetrovsk
* Donetsk
* Ivano-Frankivsk
* Kharkiv
* Kherson
* Khmelnytskyi
* Kirovohrad
* Kyiv
* Luhansk
* Lviv
* Mykolaiv
* Odesa
* Poltava
* Rivne
* Sumy
* Ternopil
* Vinnytsia
* Volyn
* Zakarpattia
* Zaporizhzhia
* Zhytomyr

Cities with special status|

* Kyiv
* Sevastopol

Autonomous republic|

* Crimea

Administrative centers|

* Cherkasy
* Chernihiv
* Chernivtsi
* Dnipro
* Donetsk
* Kramatorsk
* Ivano-Frankivsk
* Kharkiv
* Kherson
* Khmelnytskyi
* Kropyvnytskyi
* Kyiv
* Luhansk
* Sievierodonetsk
* Lutsk
* Lviv
* Mykolaiv
* Odesa
* Poltava
* Rivne
* Sevastopol
* Simferopol
* Sumy
* Ternopil
* Uzhhorod
* Vinnytsia
* Zaporizhzhia
* Zhytomyr

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF
* FAST
* WorldCat

National|

* Germany
* United States
* Czech Republic
* Spain
* Latvia
* Israel

Geographic|

* MusicBrainz area

Other|

* Encyclopedia of Modern Ukraine
* Yale LUX

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