MYKOLAYIV

(RussianNikolayev) also spelled Nikolaev, or Nikolajev oblast (province), southern Ukraine. It lies on the Black Sea Plain, sloping down gently from the Dnieper Upland in the north to the coast of the Black Sea. The northern part of the oblast is greatly dissected by gullies, and soil erosion generally is severe. The oblast has little surface water other than the Southern (Pivdennyy) Buh River, and even the larger rivers nearly dry out in summer. The coast has many lagoons and long estuaries, often sealed off by sandbars. The whole area is steppe, with fertile soils, and a high proportion is plowed for winter wheat, corn (maize), sunflowers, and sugar beets. Vineyards and orchards are widespread, especially on the Southern Buh, and cattle and sheep are kept in large numbers. Apart from the capital, Mykolayiv, cities are small and concerned chiefly with processing agricultural products. In the north considerable granite is quarried. Area 9,500 square miles (24,600 square km). Pop. (1991 est.) 1,350,800. Russian Nikolayev, also spelled Nikolaev, or Nikolajev, city and administrative centre of Mykolayiv oblast (province), southern Ukraine. The city lies along the estuary of the Southern (Pivdennyy) Buh River, about 40 miles (65 km) from the Black Sea. It was founded in 1788 as a naval base after the Russian annexation of the Black Sea coast, near the site of the ancient Greek Olbia. In 1862 a commercial harbour was opened, and in 1873 a railway was built to the port. It is now one of the most important Ukrainian Black Sea ports, serving the Kryvyy Rih area and extensive steppe grain lands. Mykolayiv is one of the largest shipbuilding centres of Ukraine. The city also has a wide range of other engineering and consumer-goods industries. An alumina-processing plant utilizing imported bauxite was built in the 1970s in the suburb of Zhovtneve. Mykolayiv is a modern city in appearance, laid out on a gridiron pattern of broad streets. The city has shipbuilding and teacher-training institutes. Pop. (1993 est.) 519,000.