Odessa
Odessa Oblast (Ukrainian: Одеська область, translit. Odes’ka oblast’; also referred to as Odeshchyna - Ukrainian: Одещина) is an oblast (province) of south-western Ukraine. The administrative center of the oblast is the city of Odessa.
History
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 February 27, 1932 as part of the Ukrainian SSR. It was expanded further following the annexation in 1940 of the Romanian territory of Budjak, the part of southern Bessarabia that lay north of the Danube River. This was part of the deal reached between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union in the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. However, the area in the far south around Izmail was not incorporated into the oblast until 1956.
Geography
The oblast occupies an area of around 33,300 square kilometres (12,850 sq miles). 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.
Economy
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/Moldovan, Bulgarian and Greek minorities reside in the province. The Greek minority is mostly preponderent in the city of Odessa.
Bulgarians and Romanians represent 21% and 13% respectively, of the population of the formerly Romanian region of Budjak, within Odessa oblast.
History
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 February 27, 1932 as part of the Ukrainian SSR. It was expanded further following the annexation in 1940 of the Romanian territory of Budjak, the part of southern Bessarabia that lay north of the Danube River. This was part of the deal reached between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union in the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. However, the area in the far south around Izmail was not incorporated into the oblast until 1956.
Geography
The oblast occupies an area of around 33,300 square kilometres (12,850 sq miles). 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.
Economy
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/Moldovan, Bulgarian and Greek minorities reside in the province. The Greek minority is mostly preponderent in the city of Odessa.
Bulgarians and Romanians represent 21% and 13% respectively, of the population of the formerly Romanian region of Budjak, within Odessa oblast.
