VOLYN

oblast (province), northwestern Ukraine. The larger northern part of the oblast consists of the flat, swampy lowland of the Pripet Marshes; reed and grass marshes are very extensive; drier areas are generally forested. In the south are the rolling hills of the Volyn-Podilsk Upland, a rugged area much dissected by river valleys and gullies. The natural forest-steppe vegetation of the upland has largely disappeared under the plow. Agriculture dominates the economy, and more than half of the population is rural. The uplands produce sugar beets and grain, especially rye, wheat, and corn (maize). In the north, livestock raising is more important. The communities are all small and engaged chiefly in processing farm produce. The administrative centre is Lutsk (q.v.). There is a small coalfield in the southwest. The oblast was formerly part of the old region of Volhynia (q.v.). Area 7,800 square miles (20,200 square km). Pop. (1991 est.) 1,072,700.