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Kharkiv
Kharkiv, city, capital of Kharkiv Oblast, eastern Ukraine,
at the junction of the Kharkiv, Lopan, and Udy rivers. A large city and
chief industrial and transportation center, Kharkiv (also called Kharkov)
is located near the rich coal mines of the Donets Basin and is linked by
railroad to the iron ore deposits of Kryvyy Rih. Manufactures include farm
and mining machinery, electric and railroad equipment, chemicals, machine
tools, and processed food. Kharkiv is a city of broad avenues and large
buildings; historical points of interest include Pokrovsky Cathedral (late
17th century), Uspensky Church (late 18th century), Patriarch's Church
(19th century), and a bell tower (1812) built to commemorate victory over
Napoleon. The city is the site of a university, scientific research centers,
and several theaters and museums.
Kharkiv was founded in 1656 as a fortress protecting
Moscow from the Tatars. The city grew as a trade and cultural center, and
in 1765 it became the administrative center of Ukraine. With the development
of the vast mineral wealth of the region in the late 19th century, Kharkiv
developed into an industrial and rail transportation center. During World
War I Kharkiv was the scene of heavy fighting, first between German and
Russian troops and later (1917-20) between opposing forces in the Russian
Revolution. It was the capital of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic
from 1920 to 1934, when it was replaced by Kyiv. During World War II Kharkiv
was occupied (1941-43) by German troops and suffered severe damage. Population
(1990 estimate) 1,618,000.
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