Ternopol region

Square: 13.8 ths. sq. km.
Center of the region: town of Ternopol.
Administrative and territorial division: 17 districts.
Population: 1 080.4 ths. people.

Geographical position

Ternopol region is situated in the western part of Podolskoye plateau. It borders on Rivne region in the north, Chernovtsy region in the south, Ivano-Frankovsk region in the south-west, and Lvov region in the west. Ternopol region is situated near Ukrainian border with Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania.

Almost all territory of the region is occupied by Podolskaya height. Kremenetskiye mountains and Tovtry are notable in the borders of the height. Dnestr is the main river of the region (with inflows Zolotaya Lipa, Koropets, Strypa, Djurin, Seret, Nichlava, and Zbruch).

Transportation network

Road and railway are main kinds of transportation in the region. Ternopol and Chortkov are the largest railway junctions. Dnestr river is navigable. There is an airport in Ternopol town.

Economic potential

Food industry, machine building, and light industry are the weightiest in pattern of Ternopol region industrial output. The share of foodstuffs makes 71% in the pattern of consumer goods’ production.

Export and import operations connect Ternopol regions with 72 countries of the world. Russia, Germany, Moldova, Poland, Italy, Turkmenistan, India, the USA, Hungary, and the Czech Republic are main trade partners of the region. The following are the largest export markets for Ternopol region: Russia, Moldova, Germany, Turkmenistan, Poland, India, and Georgia.

Output of food industry, live animals, produce of cattle breeding, machines, electric equipment, textile and textile articles, other industrial goods, as well as timber, and articles prevail in pattern of export deliveries due to peculiarities of regional economy specialization.

The following are main types of articles imported to the region: machines and electric equipment, output of chemical industry, textile and textile articles, base metals and articles from them, plastics and articles, rubber articles, phytogenic articles, vehicles, and other goods.

Natural and recreational potential

Land resources are the main riches of Ternopol region. Black earths and grey wooded (podzolic) soils prevail in the region. These soils are among the most fertile grounds in the world. High percentage of fertile lands and flat territory substantially condition structure and specialization of Ternopol regional economy. There are 64% of tilled lands in the region. Arable lands make 84.2% in the pattern of agricultural holding (approximately 890 ths. ha). It is one of the highest indices in Ukraine.

Ternopol region is a leader in Ukraine by procurement of wild fruits, berries, birch sap, and herbs. Forests of the region possess significant reserves of crude drug.

There are 421 territories and objects of natural reserve fund including natural reserve Medobory, 89 game reserves, 308 natural monuments, 18 parks – monuments of landscape architecture, and dendropark in Ray village laid in ХVІІ century. Favorable climatic conditions, picturesque landscapes, forests, rivers, springs of mineral water, and curative muds constitute recreational resources of the region.

Mineral resources: considerable reserves of construction mineral raw stock (limestone, chalk, marl, gypsum, silica sand, sand rocks, brick and tile clays, clay loam, and gravel and pebble materials). Also there are reserves of peat and small deposits of brown coal.

Significant reserves of curative mineral waters are concentrated in the region. They can be used to treat diseases of internals, support-motor apparatus, etc. Springs of hydrocarbonate, chloride, hydrosulphuric, and sulphate waters were explored.

Climate in the region is moderate continental. Average temperature in January reaches -5 ?С, and in July +19 ?С. Average annual rainfalls amount to 550-600 mm.

Historical and cultural potential

The following are the most interesting tourist objects: Zhbarashskiy historical and cultural reserve, architectural monuments of ХІІ–ХІХ century in the town of Kremenets, Nikolayevskiy/St. Nicholas cathedral, ensemble of Lyceum, Bogoyavlenskiy/Epiphany monastery, ensemble of Pochaevskaya lavra, Staryi/Old castle, picture gallery in Ternopol, Dominican Roman Catholic church of ХVІІІ century, and the largest in the world Khrustalnaya/ Crystal gypsum cave with mineral springs in the village rivchee.

There are two theatres in the town of Ternopol, regional philharmonic society. State museums include local lore museums in the towns of Ternopol and Kremenets, museum Molotkovskaya tragedy in the village of Molotkovo, etc.

The following materials were used for preparation of the article:
Ternopol regional state administration,
Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine,
Ministry of foreign affairs of Ukraine