Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast

Geology of Ukraine

The region is situated between two main regional tectonic plates: Carpathian fold belt and Volhynia-Podillya plate. The most prominent features of the first one are the Carpathian Mountains, while the second one - Dniester river.

The Carpathian Mountains contribute tremendously to the change in relief of Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast and their elevation rises from north-east to south-west stretching along the oblast's south-western border. The elevation of the oblast varies from 230m to 2,061m above sea level. The mountains occupy almost one half of the whole Oblast and consist of two main mountain ranges: the Gorgany (highest peak – Mt. Syvulya Major (1,836m)) and the Chornohora range (highest peak – Mt. Hoverla (2,061m)).

The rest of Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast is located within the Dniester river and Prut river valleys. The plains of the oblast are part of the Carpathian Foothills and Opillia Upland (part of Podillia Upland) which are cut through by Dniester. The upland has a temperate-climate habitat mixed with grassland and woodland – also known as the forest steppe. The relief of the region consists mostly of rolling hills of 230-400m over the sea level. Near river valleys are common canyons and ravines.

A particular feature of the southern region of the Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast is Stanislav Canyon, in the so-called Kherson Mountains, a deep cut in the local topography where episodic water flowing into the Baltic has steeply eroded a canyon formation.[7]

The Dniester flows mainly through the Halych Raion and along the administrative border between Ivano-Frankivsk and Ternopil Oblasts. The territory of the region within immediate proximity to the river is traditionally known as Opillia. Opillia, however, stretches far beyond the oblast and only covers two of its raions: Halych Raion and Rohatyn Raion, both located in the north. Relief in the area consists of rolling hills uplands.

The Carpathian foothills consist mostly of low denudation accumulative uplands, while the right bank of Dniester along the border with the Ternopil Oblast depicts karst type relief of Pokuttia Upland. Because of it near that area along Dniester relief shows forms of canyon. Pokuttia Upland between Bystrytsia of Nadvirna and Prut River (Prut-Bystrytsia Upland) serves as drainage divide within the oblast between Dniester and Prut. Carpathian foothills have two depressions: one is at the confluence of Bystrytsia of Solotvyn, Bystrytsia of Nadvirna, Vorona and Bystrytsia rivers, called Bystrytsia Depression, and another is around the city of Kalush, called Kalush Depression.

Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast has a plethora of rivers, waterfalls, mountainous brooks, and smaller ponds, but there is almost no other type of bodies of water such as lakes and water reservoirs. Most of rivers either flow into Dniester or Prut River (tributary of Danube). The total water drainage area of the region is 13,900 km² (5,400 sq mi). Segments of Dniester and Cheremosh River are used as administrative borders with Ternopil and Chernivtsi oblasts respectfully.

The water drainage divide between Dniester and Prut cuts the region through middle of following districts: Nadvirna Raion, Kolomyia Raion, Tlumach Raion, and Horodenka Raion.

The region is a home to some 456 preserved areas (on June 1, 2006) of some 195,633 ha (483,420 acres), 30 out of which are of all-national importance with an area of 108,742 ha (268,710 acres) and the rest of a local importance.[8] In the Ivano-Frankivsk Region is located a strict nature reserve Gorgany that was created in 1996. There are five national parks in the region. There are numerous natural monuments of feature and habitat management areas (zakazniks).

The Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast is administratively subdivided into 14 districts (raions) as well as 6 cities (municipalities) which represent a separate raion and in direct subordination to the regional government, among which are Bolekhiv, Kalush, Kolomyya, Yaremche, and the administrative center of the region, Ivano-Frankivsk. Burshtyn became the 6th city of regional importance in 2014. The formation of the region was established in 1921 in the Second Polish Republic and was in majority preserved during the Soviet times. Most of the districts (former powiats) were reestablished as well in 1960s. The major industrial and cultural centers of the region were given a wider form of autonomy and assigned as the cities of regional subordination.

Raions of the Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast

No.	Name	Created	Arms	Administrative center	Area (km2 / sq mi)	Population (2001)
1	Bohorodchany Raion	January 1, 1947		Bohorodchany (Urban-type settlement)	799 km2 (308 sq mi)	70,212
2	Verkhovyna Raion	December 8, 1966		Verkhovyna (Urban-type settlement)	1,254 km2 (484 sq mi)	30,079
3	Halych Raion	January 1, 1947		Halych (City)	723 km2 (279 sq mi)	65,640
4	Horodenka Raion	January 1, 1947		Horodenka (City)	747 km2 (288 sq mi)	60,881
5	Dolyna Raion	January 1, 1947		Dolyna (City)	1,248 km2 (482 sq mi)	71,059
6	Kalush Raion	January 1, 1947		Kalush (City)	647 km2 (250 sq mi)	62,883
7	Kolomyia Raion	January 1, 1947		Kolomyia (City)	1,026 km2 (396 sq mi)	105,940
8	Kosiv Raion	January 1, 1947		Kosiv (City)	903 km2 (349 sq mi)	90,167
9	Nadvirna Raion	January 4, 1965		Nadvirna (City)	1,294 km2 (500 sq mi)	113,508
10	Rohatyn Raion	January 4, 1965		Rohatyn (City)	815 km2 (315 sq mi)	51,125
11	Rozhniativ Raion	January 4, 1965		Rozhniativ (Urban-type settlement)	1,303 km2 (503 sq mi)	75,598
12	Sniatyn Raion	January 4, 1965		Sniatyn (City)	602 km2 (232 sq mi)	68,971
13	Tysmenytsia Raion	December 8, 1966		Tysmenytsia (City)	736 km2 (284 sq mi)	85,400
14	Tlumach Raion	January 4, 1965		Tlumach (City)	684 km2 (264 sq mi)	52,835
				Average	912.9 km2 (352.5 sq mi)	71,735.6
Main city municipalities of the Ivano-Frankivsk Region
a	Bolekhiv	October 21, 1993		Bolekhiv (City)	300 km2 (120 sq mi)	21,232
b	Ivano-Frankivsk	October 28, 1963		Ivano-Frankivsk (City)	84 km2 (32 sq mi)	230,443
c	Kalush	March 20, 1972		Kalush (City)	65 km2 (25 sq mi)	67,887
d	Kolomyia	October 28, 1963		Kolomyia (City)	41 km2 (16 sq mi)	61,448
e	Yaremche	December 30, 1977		Yaremche (City)	657 km2 (254 sq mi)	20,821
f	Burshtyn	March 11, 2014		Burshtyn (City)	657 km2 (254 sq mi)	20,821
				Total	1,147 km2 (443 sq mi)	401,831 (27.6%)

The oblast has 15 cities which are (alphabetical order): Bolekhiv, Burshtyn, Dolyna, Halych, Horodenka, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kalush, Kolomyia, Kosiv, Nadvirna, Rohatyn, Sniatyn, Tlumach, Tysmenytsia, and Yaremche. Five of those cities are of regional importance and the other ten are of district importance. All cities have its own council and mayor that represent a local form of self-government allowed by the laws on local administration and the Constitution of Ukraine. City municipalities of the region are independent from any district administration.

Within the region there are 24 urbanized settlements (towns) which are a special settlement classification inherited from the Soviet municipal organization. Three of those towns serve as administrative centers of their respective districts. Each town has its own council that along with surrounding village councils compose a district administration which has its own executive branch, District State Administration, appointed by the President of Ukraine. Towns do not have a mayoral office and their head of the council serves as the main representative of the whole settlement.

All other settlements in the region are considered rural and accounted for some 765 localities including villages and 20 selyshches (smaller villages) which are administered by 477 village councils. Some village municipalities consist of several villages, while others are a single-village municipality. There are several villages that are part of city municipalities such as Ivano-Frankivsk, Bolekhiv, and Yaremcha, while all others are spread out across the districts of the region.

When on November 27, 1939, the Soviet regime was established in Stanisławów Voivodeship, the Polish administrative division of it was kept almost the same until January 17, 1940. Only two powiats Stryi and Zydaczow were transferred away.

On December 4, 1939, the voivodeship was officially renamed into Stanislav Oblast. In 1940 the oblast was redivided into 37 raions and two municipalities (cities of oblast subordination). The administrative centers of the former raions were following settlements: Bohorodchany (town), Bolekhiv (city), Bilshivtsi (town), Bukachivtsi (village), Burshtyn (town), Voinylov (village), Vyhoda (village), Halych (town), Hvizdets (town), Horodenka (town), Delyatyn (town), Dolyna (city), Zhabie (village), Zhovten (town), Zabolotiv (town), Kalush (city), Kolomyia (city), Korshiv (village), Kosiv (city), Kuty (town), Lanchyn (town), Lysets (town), Nadvirna (city), Novytsya (village), Obertyn (town), Otynya (town), Pechenizhyn (town), Rohatyn (city), Rozhnyativ (town), Snyatyn (city), Solotvyn (town), Stanislav (city), Tlumach (city), Tysmenytsya (town), Chernelytsya (town), Yabluniv (town), Yaremcha (village). Two municipalities were cities of Stanislav and Kolomyia. On November 11, 1940, Delyatyn Raion was liquidated. On November 16, 1940, Novytsya Raion was re-administrated under town of Perehinske.

During the World War II the region was occupied by the Nazi Germany (see Operation Barbarossa). Along with Lviv, Drohobych and Tarnopil oblasts, it was reorganized on August 1, 1941, into Distrikt Galizien centered in Lemberg and annexed to the General Government. The area of the former Stanislav Oblast was divided into three kreis (counties): Kalusz, Stanislau, and Kolomea. On July 27, 1944, the region was liberated from the Nazi Germany by the Soviet Army (see Lvov–Sandomierz Offensive).

The administrative division of Stanislav Oblast was reinstated and confirmed on January 1, 1947, with the same 36 raions and two municipalities as their existed before the war. Several settlements, however, had their status elevated. The status of a town obtained Bukachivtsi, Vyhoda, and Yaremcha, while Halych and Horodenka became recognized as cities. The next major changes in the region took place in the late 1950s. In 1957 five raions were liquidated: Vyhoda, Zhovten, Kuty, Pechenizhyn, and Chernelytsya. Then another five were liquidated in 1959: Bukachivtsi, Korshiv, Perehinske, Solotvyn, and Stanislav. On December 30, 1962, within the oblast was created the Verkhovyna Industrial Raion, centered in a town of Verkhovyna.[9]

On October 28, 1963, another major change took place when raions of the oblast were re-administered into the six rural raions, one – industrial, and two municipalities. There were the following administrative centers: Bohorodchany, Halych, Horodenka, Kalush, Kolomyia, Kosiv, Dolyna (municipalities – Ivano-Frankivsk (new name) and Kolomyia). On January 4, 1965, Dolyna Industrial Raion Raion was redesigned into the regular raion, while five other previous raions were recreated: Nadvirna, Rohatyn, Rozhnyativ, Snyatyn, and Tlumach. On December 8, 1966, there were created Verkhovyna and Ivano-Frankivsk raions. That was the last major re-administration of the oblast.

On March 20, 1972, in the city of Kalush was created a municipality and it became a city of oblast subordination. On December 30, 1977, the same thing happened to Yaremcha status of which was elevated as well. On March 28, 1982, the Ivano-Frankivsk Raion was re-administrated under the Tysmenytsya Raion. On October 21, 1993, the city of Bolekhiv became of an oblast subordination with its own municipality. On December 14, 2006, Yaremcha was renamed into Yaremche.

The dominant religion in Ivano-Frankvisk Oblast is Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, professed by 57% of the population. Another 35% is Eastern Orthodox and 6% are unaffiliated generic Christians. Adherents of Roman Catholic Church and Protestantism make up 1% of the population respectively.

0-14 years: 16.7% (male 118,518/female 112,130)

15-64 years: 69.5% (male 468,589/female 489,596)

65 years and over: 13.8% (male 63,324/female 126,635) (2013 official)

total: 37.3 years

male: 34.7 years

female: 40.0 years (2013 official)

In 1979 Sofia Rotaru performed the song "Krai" ([Native] Land) about Prykarpattia.[14] In the song Rotaru calls Prykarpattia the land of the Cheremosh and Prut rivers.

Through Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast runs one European route E50 which travels through the city of Rohatyn in the north. It coincides with the Ukrainian International highway M12 which is the only highway of that classification in the region. The highway travels from Zhydachiv in Lviv Oblast and after passing Rohatyn travels towards Berezhany in Ternopil Oblast.

Besides that highway, through the region run three highways of national importance.

• H09 traveling from Lviv the route enters the region from the north near Rohatyn and after passesing the cities of Ivano-Frankivsk and Yaremcha continues on towards Rakhiv going over the Carpathian ridge.
• H10 starts in Stryi, passes through Ivano-Frankivsk, Kolomyia and Sniatyn, and continues on towards Chernivtsi.
• H18 starts from the center of Ivano-Frnkivsk and through Tysmenytsia (Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast) and Monastyryska (Ternopil Oblast), terminating in Ternopil.

There is also small network of minor P-highways.

• P20 runs from Tyaziv (north of Ivano-Frankivsk) through Tlumach and Horodenka to Sniatyn.
• P21 runs from Dolyna over the Carpathian to Khust (Zakarpattia Oblast).
• P24 runs from Tatariv (Yaremche municipality) to Verkhovyna, Kosiv, Kolomyia, Hvizdets, Horodenka, and Ternopil Oblast.
• P38 runs from Bohorodchany to the village of Stara Huta.
• P62 runs from Verkhniy Yaseniv (Verkhovyna Raion) to Usteriky, then by the Prut valley and the Chernivtsi Oblast border travels to Kuty where it turns into Chernivtsi Oblast towards Storozhynets.

T-network (09) includes:

• T0901 - Kalush, Yasen, Kuzmynets
• T0902 - Borshniv-Osada, Rozhniativ, Kosmach, Nadvirna
• T0903 - Halych, Medukha, Zastavche, Pidhaitsi
• T0904 - Ozeryany, Obertyn, Hvizdets, Zabolotiv, Rozhniv, Kuty
• T0905 - Delyatyn, Lanchyn, Kolomyia
• T0906 - Ivano-Frankivsk, Cherniiv, Nadvirna, Bystrytsia
• T0909 - Kosiv, Rozhniv, Sniatyn
• T0910 - Kalush, Burshtyn
• T0911 - Bolekhiv, Tysiv, Kozakivka
• T0915 - Pistyn, Mykytyntsi, Verkhniy Verbizh
• T1417 - (Lviv Oblast) Kurovychi, Peremyshlyany, Rohatyn
• T1419 - (Lviv Oblast) Kalush, Zhuravno, Zhydachiv, Rozdil, Mykolaiv
• T2601 - (Chernivtsi Oblast) / (Romanian border) (route 209G) Seliatyn, Parkulyna, Dykhtynets, Marynychi, Pidzakharychi, Kuty, Sloboda Banyliv, Chortoryia, Hlynytsia, Chernivtsi
• T2621 - (Chernivtsi Oblast) Horodenka, Khreshchatyk
• T2648 - (Chernivtsi Oblast) Vyzhnytsia, Kuty, Pidzakharychi