Volyn Oblast (Ukrainian: Волинська область, romanizedVolynska oblast) or simply Volyn (Ukrainian: Волинь), is an oblast (province) in northwestern Ukraine. It borders Rivne Oblast to the east, Lviv Oblast to the south, Poland to the west and Belarus to the north. Its administrative centre is Lutsk. Kovel is the westernmost town and the last station in Ukraine on the rail line running from Kyiv to Warsaw. The population is 1,021,356 (2022 estimate).[4]

Volyn Oblast
Волинська область
Volynska oblast[1]
Country Ukraine
Administrative centreLutsk
Government
 • GovernorYuriy Pohulyaiko[2][3]
 • Oblast council64 seats
 • ChairpersonHryhoriy Nedopad
Area
 • Total20,144 km2 (7,778 sq mi)
 • RankRanked 20th
Population
 (2022)[4]
 • TotalDecrease 1,021,356
 • RankRanked 24th
GDP
 • Total₴ 93 billion
(€2.4 billion)
 • Per capita₴ 90,331
(€2,300)
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal code
Area code+380-33
ISO 3166 codeUA-07
Raions16
Cities (total)11
• Regional cities4
Urban-type settlements22
Villages1053
HDI (2022)0.722[6]
high
FIPS 10-4UP24
Websitewww.voladm.gov.ua

History

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Lutsk in the 18th century

Volyn was once part of the Kievan Rus' before becoming an independent local principality and an integral part of the Kingdom of Galicia–Volhynia, one of Kievan Rus' successor states. In the 15th century, the area came under the control of the neighbouring Grand Duchy of Lithuania, in 1569 passing over to Poland and then in 1795, until World War I, to the Russian Empire where it was a part of the Volynskaya Guberniya. In the interwar period, most of the territory, organized as Wołyń Voivodeship was under Polish control.

In 1939 when Poland was invaded and divided by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union following the Molotov–Ribbentrop pact, Volyn was joined to Soviet Ukraine, and on December 4, 1939, the oblast was organized.

Many Ukrainians rejoiced at the "reunification", but the Polish minority suffered a cruel fate. Thousands of Poles, especially retired Polish officers and intelligentsia were deported to Siberia and other areas in the depths of the Soviet Union. A high proportion of these deportees died in the extreme conditions of Soviet labour camps and most were never able to return to Volyn again.

In 1941 Volyn along with the Soviet Union was invaded by the Nazi Germany's Barbarossa Offensive. Nazis alongside Ukrainian collaborators completed their holocaust of the Jews of Volhynia in late 1942.

Partisan activity started in Volyn in 1941, soon after German occupation. Partisans were involved in the Rail War against German supply lines and were known for their efficiency in gathering intelligence and for sabotage. The region formed the basis of several networks and many members of the local population served with the partisans. The Poles in the area became part of the Polish Home Army, which often undertook operations with the partisan movement.

UPA initially supported Nazi Germany which had in turn supported them with financing and weaponry before the start of World War II. Many served in the various RONA and SS units. Once they became disillusioned with the Nazi program, they independently began to target all non-Ukrainians (Poles, Jews, Russians, among others) for extermination. Some 30,000 to 60,000 Poles, Czechs, remaining Jews, and Ukrainians who tried to help others escape (Polish sources gave even higher figures) and later, around 2,000 or more Ukrainians were killed in retaliation (see Massacres of Poles in Volhynia).

In January 1944 the Red Army recaptured the territory from the Nazis.

In the immediate aftermath of World War II the Polish-Soviet border was redrawn based on the Curzon line. Volyn, along with the neighbouring provinces became an integral part of the Ukrainian SSR. Most Poles who remained in the eastern region were forced to leave to the Recovered Territories of western Poland (the former easternmost provinces of Germany) whose German population had been expelled in accordance with the Potsdam Agreement.

The area underwent rapid industrialisation including the construction of the Lutsk automobile factory (LuAZ). Nevertheless, the area remains one of the most rural throughout the former Soviet Union.

Historical sites

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The following historical-cultural sites were nominated in 2007 for the Seven Wonders of Ukraine.[citation needed]

Relics

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Politics

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Former Chairmen of Oblast Council

Subdivisions

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The Volyn Oblast is administratively subdivided into 4 raions (districts).

Name Center Center population
(thousand people)
Area
(km2)
Population
(thousand people)
Hromadas
Volodymyr Raion Volodymyr 38,9 2558,2 174,7 11
Kamin-Kashyrskyi Raion Kamin-Kashyrskyi 12,5 4693,4 132,4 5
Kovel Raion Kovel 68,2 7647,9 271 23
Lutsk Raion Lutsk 221,1 5247,8 457,3 15
 
Volyn Oblast districts (since 2020)
Hromada Type Center Raion
Lutsk city Lutsk Lutsk
Volodymyr city Volodymyr Volodymyr
Kovel city Kovel Kovel
Novovolynsk city Novovolynsk Volodymyr
Ustyluh city Ustyluh Volodymyr
Zymne village Zymne Volodymyr
Ovadne village Ovadne Volodymyr
Berestechko city Berestechko Lutsk
Horokhiv city Horokhiv Lutsk
Marianivka town Marianivka Lutsk
Ivanychi town Ivanychi Volodymyr
Lytovezh village Lytovezh Volodymyr
Pavlivka village Pavlivka Volodymyr
Poromiv village Poromiv Volodymyr
Kamin-Kashyrskyi city Kamin-Kashyrskyi Kamin-Kashyrskyi
Soshychne village Soshychne Kamin-Kashyrskyi
Kivertsi city Kivertsi Lutsk
Olyka town Olyka Lutsk
Tsuman town Tsuman Lutsk
Holoby town Holoby Kovel
Lublynets town Lublynets Kovel
Velytsk village Velytsk Kovel
Dubove village Dubove Kovel
Kolodiazhne village Kolodiazhne Kovel
Povorsk village Povorsk Kovel
Lokachi town Lokachi Volodymyr
Zaturtsi village Zaturtsi Volodymyr
Torchyn town Torchyn Lutsk
Boratyn village Boratyn Lutsk
Horodyshche village Horodyshche Lutsk
Pidhaitsi village Pidhaitsi Lutsk
Liubeshiv town Liubeshiv Kamin-Kashyrskyi
Liuboml city Liuboml Kovel
Holovne town Holovne Kovel
Vyshniv village Vyshniv Kovel
Rivne village Rivne Kovel
Kolky town Kolky Lutsk
Manevychi town Manevychi Kamin-Kashyrskyi
Prylisne village Prylisne Kamin-Kashyrskyi
Zabolottia town Zabolottia Kovel
Ratne town Ratne Kovel
Velymche village Velymche Kovel
Zabrody village Zabrody Kovel
Samary village Samary Kovel
Rozhyshche city Rozhyshche Lutsk
Dorosyni village Dorosyni Lutsk
Kopachivka village Kopachivka Lutsk
Stara Vyzhivka town Stara Vyzhivka Kovel
Dubechne village Dubechne Kovel
Serekhovychi village Serekhovychi Kovel
Smidyn village Smidyn Kovel
Lukiv town Lukiv Kovel
Turiisk town Turiisk Kovel
Shatsk town Shatsk Kovel

Demography

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Age structure

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0–14 years: 19.0%   (male 101,739/female 95,332)
15–64 years: 68.2%   (male 344,359/female 363,116)
65 years and over: 12.8%   (male 42,221/female 90,463) (2013 official)

Median age

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total: 35.7 years  
male: 33.2 years  
female: 38.3 years   (2013 official)

Notable people

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Syvak, Nina; Ponomarenko, Valerii; Khodzinska, Olha; Lakeichuk, Iryna (2011). Veklych, Lesia (ed.). "Toponymic Guidelines for Map and Other Editors for International Use" (PDF). United Nations Statistics Division. 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.
  2. ^ "Government adopts a series of personnel decisions". Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. October 28, 2019. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  3. ^ "Trofimov introduces new head of Volyn Regional State Administration". Ukrinform. December 3, 2019. Retrieved December 3, 2019.
  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.
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50°44′29″N 25°21′14″E / 50.74139°N 25.35389°E / 50.74139; 25.35389