Donetsk region

Donetsk region is region in the south-eastern Ukraine, it was formed July 17, 1932. This is a major industrial region of Ukraine, located in the steppe zone, in the east borders with the Russian Federation, in the south it has access to the seas of the Mediterranean basin. The name of the region was received from the name of Seversky Donets River, which flows in the north of the region.

Sights in Donetsk region

The territory of Donetsk region is 26.5 thousand square kilometers, or 4.4% of the entire territory of Ukraine, its length from north to south - 240 km, from west to east - 170 km.

According to population (about 4.5 million people) Donetsk region ranks first among the Ukrainian regions, where urban residents account for more than 90%. Here live the representatives of some 90 nationalities, among which dominate Ukrainians (50%) and Russians (40%), as well as Greeks, Byelorussians, Jews, Germans.

By administrative-territorial structure region is divided into 18 districts of regional subordination, has 51 towns, 132 urban-type settlements, 1122 villages.

A characteristic feature of the Donetsk region is a combination of powerful industry and diversified agriculture with the developed of transport. It is the largest region of Ukraine, which provides about 20% of industrial output of the state, with the population of 10% of all-Ukrainian.

Industry is represented primarily with two branches – metallurgy and coal mining. In the region there is produced more than half of the total coal volume in Ukraine. Metallurgy provides about 50% of total industrial production in Donetsk region, where 80 enterprises of metallurgical complex produce a full range of metal products to export to more than 50 countries.

Donetsk region is the only region of Ukraine, which provides the country with hard alloys, and distributes non-ferrous metals, lead, mercury.

Machinery specializes in manufacturing equipment for mining and metallurgical industry, heavy machinery, power equipment, agricultural machinery and chemical industries. There are more than 200 companies that provide most of the needs of Ukraine in various types of machinery and equipment.

Donetsk region has a developed transport infrastructure - Donetsk Railway, which provides up to 40% nationwide transport, Mariupol sea port, international airport in Donetsk, passenger / cargo airports in Mariupol and Kramatorsk, dense network of roads.

Donetsk region is known for complex of structures of historical and architectural reserve in Slovyanogorsk, cultural and architectural sights in Artemovsk, Stone Tombs - steppe nature reserve near the town Volodarskoe, museum of artist A. I. Kuindzhi in Mariupol.

In accordance with resolution of Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine 26.07.2001 "On approving the list of historical places of Ukraine", the historic towns of Donetsk region have become - Artemovsk - 1571, Gorlovka - 1779, Donetsk - 1869, Kramatorsk - 1860, Makeyevka - end of XVII century, Mariupol - 1780, Slavyanogorsk - 1538-1539 years, Slavyansk - 1645.

Natural reserves of the Donetsk region cover about 3% of its territory, there are four regional landscape parks, national Natural Park, the Ukrainian Steppe Reserve of NAS of Ukraine, the Botanical Garden of NAS of Ukraine. In the region grow more than 200 protected plant species.

In the Donetsk region there are 38 natural monuments, 13 reserved tracts, a park - a monument of landscape architecture. So Slavyanogorsk concentrated 129 archaeological monuments and 73 historical and cultural heritage of the past. These are burial mounds and ancient settlements, Scythian and Sarmatian and Slavonic monuments of archeology, medieval castles of time Khazar Khanate and the Golden Horde. Khomutovskaya steppe shows the view of Priazovye (Azov Sea Coast) in the past.