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Khmelnytskyi Oblast

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Khmelnytskyi Oblast is a province located in western Ukraine. It is also known as Khmelnychchyna. This region covers about 3.4% of the total area of Ukraine. It sits at a historical crossroads for transport. It connects Central Europe to the Black Sea coast and Russia. The administrative center of this oblast is the city of Khmelnytskyi. The region is divided into three raions, which are administrative districts. It contains 13 cities, 24 towns, and over 1,417 villages.

Kamieniec Podolski widok 01
Kamieniec Podolski widok 01

The geography of the oblast is split between two historical regions. The northern part of the territory lies in Volhynia. The southern part lies in Podolia. The Volhynian section includes cities like Iziaslav, Starokostiantyniv, and Shepetivka. The Podolian section contains the developed cities of Khmelnytskyi and Kamianets-Podilskyi. The oblast borders several other Ukrainian provinces. These include Rivne to the northwest and Zhytomyr to the northeast. It also borders Vinnytsia to the east, Chernivtsi to the south, and Ternopil to the west.

Landscape features vary significantly across the province. The Podolian Upland occupies the central area. This upland sits between 270 and 370 meters above sea level. In the northwest, the Volyn highland reaches a height of 329 meters. The northern part includes a section of the Polissia region. This area has elevations between 200 and 250 meters. In the southwest, the Tovtry range crosses the land. The highest point in the entire oblast is Mount Velyka Buhaikha. It reaches 409 meters above sea level. The extreme south features canyon-like river valleys. The lowest point is the Dniester Reservoir at 121 meters above sea level.

Water is a vital part of the Khmelnytskyi landscape. There are 120 rivers with a length of 10 kilometers or more. The Dniester River is the largest river in the oblast. Its tributaries include the Smotrych, Ushytsia, and Zbruch rivers. The Southern Buh River also flows through the region. Its tributaries are the Buzhok, Ikva, and Vovk. Other rivers in the Dnieper River basin include the Horyn, Khmora, and Sluch. The oblast also contains 1,858 ponds and reservoirs. The Dniester Reservoir is the largest reservoir. Other large ones include Shchedrivske, Novostavske, and Kuzmynske.

The history of the region involves many changes in administration. It was created on September 22, 1937. It was originally called Kamianets-Podilskyi Oblast. It was formed from the border okrugs of the Vinnytsia Oblast. In 1941, Nazi Germany occupied the territory. It became part of the Reichskommissariat Ukraine. Soviet troops removed the German occupation in the spring of 1944. This happened during the Proskurov-Chernovtsy operation. In 1954, the administrative center was renamed Khmelnytskyi. This was done to honor Bohdan Khmelnytskyi. The oblast took its current name following this change.

Demographics show a diverse but mostly Ukrainian-speaking population. As of January 1, 2004, the population was 1,401,140. In 2002, it ranked 13th by population in Ukraine. The population density is 69.5 people per square kilometer. About 51% of the people live in urban areas. The remaining 49% live in rural areas. In the 2001 census, ethnic Ukrainians were 13.9% of the population. Ethnic Russians were 3.6%, and ethnic Poles were 1.6%.

UkraineNativeLanguagesCensus2001detailed-en
UkraineNativeLanguagesCensus2001detailed-en

Most residents speak Ukrainian. By the 2023–2024 school year, 99.83% of pupils studied in Ukrainian.

The economy of the oblast is built on several key industries. The energy industry is very important. The Khmelnyts’ka nuclear power plant is located in Netishyn. This is the most important industrial company in the region. Transport is another major sector. The city of Shepetivka serves as an important railway junction. Agriculture also plays a large role in the local economy. The region also has machinery and chemical industries. Visitors often travel to see historical sites. These include the Kamianets National Historical-Architectural Reserve. This reserve features an old town and a famous castle.

Kamieniec Podolski widok 01
Kamieniec Podolski widok 01
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