ZAPORIZHZHYA

Russian Zaporozhye, also spelled Zaporozhe, or Zaporozje, oblast (province), southeastern Ukraine. It encompasses the northwestern shore of the Sea of Azov and stretches inland across the coastal plain, the Azov Upland, and the Dnieper Plain to the Dnieper River to include a very small part of that river's right-bank area. The entire oblast lies within the steppe zone, although much of the natural grass cover has been plowed and gully erosion is serious. The climate is dry, and many of the rivers are seasonal. Apart from the metallurgy of Zaporizhzhya city, the administrative centre, and engineering in Melitopol and Berdyansk, there is an iron-mining complex on the southwestern shore of the Kremenchuk Reservoir. Other industry is concerned chiefly with processing agricultural produce, for agriculture, although susceptible to drought, is highly developed, dominated by grains, notably wheat and corn (maize). Sunflowers, potatoes, melons, and other vegetables are also important, and there are a number of vineyards and orchards. Dairying predominates in the north of the oblast, and sheep raising in the Azov coastal plain. Area 10,500 square miles (27,200 square km). Pop. (1991 est.) 2,108,500. Russian Zaporozhye, also spelled Zaporozhe, or Zaporozje, formerly (until 1921) Aleksandrovsk, city and administrative centre of Zaporizhzhya oblast (province), southeastern Ukraine, on the Dnieper River just below its former rapids. In 1770 the fortress of Aleksandrovsk was established to ensure government control over the Zaporizhzhya Cossacks, whose headquarters were on nearby Khortitsa Island. The settlement became a town in 1806. The growth of the city dates from the construction in 192732 of the Dnieper hydroelectric station, then the largest in the world. In World War II the dam was destroyed, but it was subsequently reconstructed. On the basis of the power, a large metallurgical industry developed, including a major iron and steel plant. Zaporizhzhya has one of the largest strip-rolling mills of Ukraine. Coke by-products supply an important chemical industry. A range of engineering and light industries includes the manufacture of automobiles and electrical apparatus. The city stretches for several miles along the Dnieper, with a greenbelt separating its industrial and residential sectors. There are teacher-training, pharmaceutical, and machine-building institutes. Pop. (1993 est.) 900,000.