Ivano-Frankivsk region overview
Ivano-Frankivsk (Ivano-Frankovsk) oblast is situated in the southwest of Ukraine, on the border of two natural geographical areas: the East-European Plain and the Ukrainian Carpathian.
The region borders on Republic of Romania. Ivano-Frankivsk is the capital city.
Population (2013) - 1,382,000 (3.03%, 12th place).
Land area - 13,928 sq. km. (2.3%, 22nd place).
Ivano-Frankivsk region features
Ivano-Frankivsk region has a favorable geographical position. It is an important junction of railways located near other European countries.
The oblast is rich in recreational resources (about 100 sources of mineral waters), forests (45% of the territory), mineral resources (oil, natural gas, brown coal).
Local climatic conditions are favorable for agriculture. The climate is temperate continental. On the flat part of the region, winters are mild (the average temperature in January ranges from -4 to -5,5 degrees C), and summers are warm (18-19 degrees C in July).
In the Carpathians, the climate is more severe and humid; the average January temperature ranges from -6 to -9 degrees C, July - from 17 to 6 degrees C.
The region is rich in natural reserves and parks: “Gorgany” natural reserve (5.3 thousand hectares); Carpathian, Galitsky and “Huzulschyna” natural parks (97.5 thousand hectares or about 50% of all protected natural areas in the region); Dniester and Polyanitsky regional landscape parks (38.4 thousand hectares), etc.
The province has 14 districts, 15 towns and 765 villages.
Ivano-Frankivsk region nature
Ivano-Frankivsk region nature
Author: Ihor Bobyk
Ivano-Frankovsk region nature
Author: Ihor Bobyk
Ivano-Frankivsk region scenery
Author: Witwicki Oleg
Tourism in Ivano-Frankivsk region
The remarkable nature of Ivano-Frankivsk region, rich natural relief, good climate, pure mountain air, inexhaustible sources of medicinal mineral waters create favorable conditions for development of sanatorium and resort treatment and tourism.
In the oblast, there are five resort areas and eleven health centers. Climatic treatment, mineral baths are used for recreational therapy.
Also, Ivano-Frankivsk region has the most developed ski resort in Ukraine - Bukovel.
Vygodskaya railway (“Carpathian tram”) is used for tourism.
Ivano-Frankivsk region economy
Industry: power generation, oil and natural gas extraction, chemical and petrochemical production, food processing.
Agriculture: cattle farming; plant-growing is mainly concentrated on flax, sugar beets and grains.