Lugansk region

Square: 26.7 ths. sq. km.
Center of the region: town of Lugansk.
Administrative and territorial division: 18 districts.
Population: 2 272.7 ths. people.

Geographical position

The region is located in the eastern part of Ukraine in steppe zone. The major part of the region’s territory is an undulating plain dissected by gully and ravine pattern. Rivers of the region belong to the basin of Severskiy Donets.

Transportation network

The total length of railway roads is 1,192 km and automobile roads – 5.6 ths. km including 5.2 ths. km of roads with hard surface. Lugansk, Popasnaya, and Rodakovo are the largest railway junctions. There are airports in Lugansk and Severodonetsk.

Output of the regional enterprises can be delivered to Kiev, Moscow, Rostov-na-Donu, Belgorod, Voronezh, and ports of the Azov and Black seas by any of the mentioned types of transportation in short time.

Economic potential

Lugansk region possesses significant economic potential and is in the top five most powerful industrial and economic regions of Ukraine.

Industry plays the leading role in economy of the region. Its share in the volume of gross social product is 75%.

Industry of the region represents multisectoral complex with leading processing sectors. Processing industry is represented by enterprises producing coke and oil refined products, machine building companies, chemical, petrochemical, food, pulp and paper, light, and construction materials enterprises.

Output of Lugansk region companies is well-known in many regions of Ukraine and abroad.

There are three large industrial hubs in the region. Specialization of Lugansk hub is defined by companies of machine building, metal work, and light industry, Alchevsk and Stakhanov hub – enterprises of coal, metallurgy, and machine building complexes, while Lisichansk, Rubezhnoye, and Severodonetsk hub – companies of chemical and petrochemical industries.

Lugansk maintains close economic ties with foreign twin towns: Lublin (Poland), Cardiff (Great Britain), Pernik (Bulgaria), and others.

Natural and recreational potential

The region is rich in high quality coal. Coal reserves enumerate dozens billions tons. Two thirds of reserves consist of anthracite (hard) coal and other steaming coal, while one third – of coking coal. Limestone, sandstone, chalk, chalky clay (marl), and different clays used in construction are widespread in many districts. There are a lot of industrial wastes accrued in gob piles and spoil dumps, which can be used in construction. There are deposits of natural gas. Springs of curative mineral waters are present in Lugansk and Starobelsk.

Soils in the region are fertile and mainly are presented by black earth. Application of correct agricultural methods allows to gather heavy crops. There are few forests (merely 7% of the territory).

There are 87 territories and objects of natural and reserve fund in Lugansk region. In particular, such natural monuments as complex Idarskaya terrace and Kongressov Yar/gill, parks – state importance monuments of landscape architecture Ostraya Mogila/Sharp Grave and Druzhba/Friendship, 13 reserve territories, 48 natural monuments, 6 parks – monuments of landscape architecture, and 14 natural landmarks. Mineral waters of different types belong to natural recreational resources. Health tourism and family rest are among priorities.

Climate in the region is moderate continental. Average temperature in January reaches -7 ?С, and in July +22 ?С. Winter is relatively cold with sharp eastern and south-eastern winds, as well as frosts. Summer is parching. Autumn is sunny, warm, and dry.

Historical and cultural potential

The following are the most interesting tourist objects: natural monuments – unique chalk cliffs Baranye Lby/Sheep foreheads in urban settlement Novoidar, Korolevskiye/King rocks in Lugansk nature reserve, memorial complex Molodaya Gvardiya/Young Guard in Krasnodon, farmstead of XVIII century in Alexandrovsk, complex of Derkulsk stud farm constructions of 1765 in village of Danilovka, etc.

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