TERNOPIL

Russian Ternopol, formerly Tarnopol oblast (province), western Ukraine. It occupies an area on the Volyn-Podilsk Upland. Its southern boundary runs along the Dniester River, to which the greater part of the oblast drains. The entire oblast lies in the forest-steppe transition zone and has fertile soils, most of which have been plowed; only small, scattered groves of oak survive. The intensive cultivation has brought about severe, widespread soil erosion and gullying. Ternopil oblast's economy is overwhelmingly agricultural, and the density of its rural population is remarkably high. Grains, chiefly rye, wheat, and corn (maize), occupy a large portion of the arable land. Sugar beets lead the industrial crops, especially in the east. Sunflowers are grown in the west and some tobacco in the south, while hops are generally important. The oblast's abundant potato crops are used for human and animal consumption and for distilling. Approximately one-quarter of the population lives in small towns, which are engaged chiefly in processing farm produce, especially sugar refining. Ternopil city is the administrative centre. Area 5,300 square miles (13,800 square km). Pop. (1991 est.) 1,177,100. Russian Ternopol, formerly Tarnopol, city and administrative centre of Ternopil oblast (province), western Ukraine. It lies along the upper Seret River, 70 miles (115 km) east of Lviv. Although its date of foundation is unknown, the first known reference to Ternopil occurs in 1524, when as a Polish town it was sacked by the Tatars. Taken by Austria in 1772 and returned to Poland in 1920, Ternopil was annexed by the U.S.S.R. in 1939. World War II inflicted exceptionally heavy damage on the city. Modern Ternopil is an important railway junction and has light engineering, food-processing, and consumer-goods industries. Although most of the city is new, the 16th-century Nativity and 18th-century Dominican churches survive. A medical institute is also located there. Pop. (1993 est.) 229,000.