SUMY

city and administrative centre of Sumy oblast (province), northeastern Ukraine, on the Psel River. Although a settlement existed there in the 8th and 9th centuries, Sumy was founded as a fortress in 1652 and as a town in 1780. Among survivals of its past are the Cathedral of the Transfiguration and the Church of the Resurrection, both 18th century. Modern Sumy's industries produce machinery for the chemical industry, electron microscopes, pumps, and fertilizers and other chemicals. Light industries include sugar refining and other food processing and the production of clothing and footwear. Teacher-training and cultural institutes also are located there. Pop. (1993 est.) 307,000. oblast (province), northeastern Ukraine. It lies on the southwestern margins of the Central Russian Upland. In the north in the Desna Basin is mixed forest, with extensive areas of marsh. South of the Seym River is forest steppe on soils of such high fertility that most of the natural vegetation of oak wood and steppe grasses has been cleared and put under the plow. Agriculture dominates the economy, chiefly cultivation of grains, sugar beets, tobacco, hemp, and potatoes; many cattle are kept. The reliance on agriculture has led to a steady decline of overall population since 1939, despite an increasing urban population. The oblast's cities, including Sumy, an administrative and chemical centre, are small or midsized and engaged principally in processing farm produce, especially sugar refining. Some petroleum is obtained in the south of the oblast. Area 9,200 square miles (23,800 square km). Pop. (1994 est.) 1,424,700.