Until recently, only the inhabitants of this country and former citizens of the USSR heard about this region of Ukraine. Today, the Luhansk region is heard by everyone.
General information
Lugansk region is the easternmost region of Ukraine. It is located on a plain going from the valley of the river. Seversky Donets. In the south of it is the Donetsk Ridge, and in the north are the spurs of the Central Russian Upland. Due to good climatic conditions and a good location, this territory has always been inhabited by people. Lugansk region borders on Donetsk (south-west) and Kharkov (north-west) regions of Ukraine. In addition, it has a long border with Russia. In the east, north and south, it borders on the Voronezh, Belgorod, Rostov regions of the Russian Federation.
Main characteristics
Lugansk region stretches from north to south for 250 km. From west to east, its length is 190 km. The territory of the Luhansk region is 26.7 thousand km, which is 4.4% of Ukrainian land. The relief of the region is a wavy plain, rising from the Seversky Donets to the south and north.
History of education
For many centuries, this territory, called the Wild Field, separated Russia from the Crimean Khanate. In the XVI century. here guard services begin to form. At this time, a huge number of tsarist troops appeared on this territory. At the end of the XVII century. a new historical region was formed here - Slobozhanshchina. In order to unite coal regions as a whole, in 1919 the Donetsk province was formed with a center in the city of Lugansk, which existed until 1925. From 1925 to 1930, the Lugansk district existed. In June 1925, the provinces in Ukraine were abolished, and the district became directly subordinate to the Ukrainian SSR.
Lugansk Oblast got its current name in 1958. And before that, since the separation of the Stalin region in 1938, it was called Voroshilovgrad. However, they returned to the original name from 1970 to 1990. Then it was decided to re-choose the second option. After the collapse of the USSR, the Luhansk region remained part of independent Ukraine.
Minerals
These territories are famous for their deposits of high quality coal. They are estimated at billions of tons. A third of them are coking, and two thirds are anthracites. Natural gas deposits have also been discovered here. Sandstone, limestone, marl, chalk, various clays were found in several areas of the Luhansk region. In Lugansk, Lysychansk, Severodonetsk, Starobelsk mineral water sources were discovered.
Climatic conditions
In the Luhansk region, a temperate continental climate prevails. In January, the average temperature is -15 ° C, and in July +35 ° C. The area is relatively cold in winter. Its distinctive feature is the sharp southeast and east winds and severe frosts. Summer is sultry and dry. In the autumn, in the Luhansk region it is warm, dry and sunny. Precipitation is about 500 mm per year.
Soil and vegetation
Fertile land is what Ukraine has always been famous for. Lugansk region in this case is no exception. Black earth prevails here. The thickness of the fertile layer in some places reaches 1-1.5 m of thickness. Soddy soils are also common here. Most of the Luhansk region is the steppe. There are few forests here - they occupy about 7% of the region.
Economy
The favorable geographical position of the region contributed to the development of the economy. This is the territory of long-developed lands. Its advantages are:
- proximity to areas rich in raw materials, such as the North Caucasus, Dnieper, Black Earth Russia;
- a well-developed network of roads and railways;
- the proximity of large industrial centers and regions (Kharkov, Center of Russia, Rostov-on-Don).
What is the Luhansk region famous for? The year 2014 brought destruction to all sectors of the economy of this region. Until recently, the mining and chemical industries, heavy engineering, metallurgy, and agriculture flourished in it. This region was one of the five most developed industrial and economic regions of Ukraine. Up to 5% of all labor resources and about 4.6% of the country's fixed assets were concentrated here. Industry was a leading industry. Its specific gravity in the gross domestic product was three quarters.
Industrial complex of Lugansk region
In the diversified complex of the Lugansk region, the processing industry was the leader. In the total volume of production, its share was about 72%. It is represented by oil refining, coke, engineering, petrochemical and chemical industries. In the region, there were factories for the production of pulp and paper products, food products, building materials. The products of the Luhansk region could be found not only in Ukraine, but also far beyond its borders. The main trading partner of this region was the Russian Federation.
Industry Region
There are several heavy industry enterprises in the region. Also, a fuel and energy complex is developed here, the main part of which is mining enterprises. In total production, they make up about 18%. The mining industry consists mainly of coal enterprises. The Luhansk region in the industrial complex of the country stands out for its scale of coal mining, the capacity of primary oil refining, the production of metal-cutting machines, window glass, synthetic resins, plastics, soda ash, and cardboard.
In this region, 3 largest industrial hubs have formed:
- Lugansky - his specialization is determined by the enterprises of metalworking engineering, light industry.
- Lysychansko-Rubezhansko-Severodonetsk - enterprises of the petrochemical, chemical industry.
- Alchevsk-Stakhanovsky - metallurgical, coal and machine-building complexes.
In the rating of 100 largest enterprises of Ukraine are:
- OJSC Alchevsk Iron and Steel Works.
- PP "Rovenkyanthracite".
- GAEK "Luganskkoblenergo".
- Zhydachevsky pulp and paper mill.
- SE "Severodonetsk nitrogen".
- Stakhanov Ferroalloy Plant.
- JSC "Linos".
- OJSC "Lisichansk Soda".
Agriculture
The villages of the Luhansk region are the basis of agriculture in this territory. Manufacturers specialize in the production of Pancake week (sunflower) and grain (winter wheat, corn) crops. Livestock and vegetable growing are quite developed. Rural residents grow dairy and cattle, pigs, sheep. The region has a well-developed poultry industry. All agricultural production is concentrated in 19 administrative units. They are divided into 3 production zones (depending on soil, climatic and economic conditions): southern, northern and suburban. At the disposal of agricultural producers is 2.2 million hectares of land, of which 1.3 million hectares occupy sown areas. The use of modern agricultural technology helps to collect very high yields of various crops, vegetables and melons.
The population of Lugansk region
The Luhansk region is characterized by a high level of urbanization. In this region, about 86.5% of the population lives in cities. The density is 96 people per 1 sq. Km. km This indicator is the seventh among all cities of Ukraine. More than 53% of the population are women. About 60% of the region’s residents are of working age. For a thousand able-bodied people there are 706 children and pensioners. The birth rate in the region is 6.1 ppm. In recent years, the Luhansk region continued to decline in population. The natural decline in the administrative regions was not the same.
In 2013, the number of Lugansk region amounted to 2.3 million people. This region occupies the 6th place in terms of the number of people in Ukraine. For the period from January 1, 2014 to 1.09. In 2014, the population decreased by 6.6 thousand people.
National composition
Representatives of 104 nationalities (nationalities) live in the Luhansk region. The share of Ukrainians is just over 50% of the total population. Russians are about 40%. Most of them live in areas located near Lugansk. Among other representatives, Belarusians (1%) and Tatars (less than 1%) can be distinguished.
Religion
Ukraine (including the Luhansk region) is distinguished by the presence of many faiths. On the territory of the region under consideration, there are 45 areas of religion. They are represented by 791 religious organizations (764 communities, 10 regional administrations and associations, 5 educational institutions, 6 spiritual missions, 6 monasteries). There are 188 Sunday schools in the area. On the territory of the Luhansk region, 1107 clergy are engaged in church affairs.
Among the total number of communities in the region:
- 58.2% are Orthodox (444 communities);
- 24.2% are Protestants (185);
- 14% are non-traditional and latest religious movements (107);
- 1.7% - Jews (13);
- 1.3% - Muslims (10);
- 0.5% - Greek Catholics (4 arrivals);
- 0.1% - Roman Catholics (1 community).
Administrative division
Regions of the Lugansk region: Troitsky, Starobelsky, Slavianoserbsky, Stanichno-Lugansky, Sverdlovsk, Swatovsky, Perevalsky, Popasnyansky, Novopskovsky, Melovsky, Novoaydarsky, Markovsky, Kremensky, Lutuginsky, Krasnodonsky, Belovodsky, Antraturatinsky, Belok. It has 933 settlements, of which:
- 37 - cities (14 - regional and 23 - district significance);
- 109 - urban-type settlements;
- 787 - sat.
In the region there are: 17 district and 37 city councils, 84 township councils and 206 village councils.
Industrial centers
In addition to Lugansk, which is a large industrial center of the East of Ukraine, other settlements play an important role in the economic development of the region. These include, for example, Sverdlovsk. Lugansk region is distinguished by the fact that even in relatively small settlements various enterprises operate. Here are: the coal processing complex Sverdlovantratsit, GOAO Mayak, Canadian company East Coal Company, JV Intersplav, OJSC Sverdlovsk Machine-Building Plant, and a mining equipment plant. Sverdlovsk (Lugansk region) has in its subordination: Chernopartizansk, 6 urban-type settlements (Volodarsk, Pavlovka, Kalinisky, Leninsky, Shakhtersky, Fedorovka), 3 villages (Kiselevo, Prokhladny, Ustinovka), 7 villages (Kuryache, Malomedvezhye, Utkino, Matveevka, Rytikovo, Antrakop, Proval) and the Ivashchensky farm.
Cities of Lugansk region
The high level of urbanization in the region was previously mentioned. The bulk of people live in cities and numerous towns. Most of them have large industrial enterprises. Cities of the Lugansk region, the population of which exceeds 18 thousand people, are: Lugansk (424.1 thousand people), Alchevsk (110.5), Severodonetsk (108.9), Lisichansk (103.5), Krasny Luch (82.2), Stakhanov (77.2), Sverdlovsk (64.9), Rubezhnoe (60.0), Anthracite (54.2), Rovenki (47.4), Bryanka (46.8), Krasnodon (44, 0), Pervomaisk (38.2), Kirovsk (28.2), Perevalsk (25.7), Molodogvardeisk (23.1), Popasnaya (21.8), Sukhodolsk (20.9), Kremennaya (20, 1).
