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The Nature of Zaporozhye Region
Zaporozhye region occupies only 4 % of Ukrainian territory, but any landscapes can be found here. The most part of region territory is occupied by the black earth steppe. There are gently sloping bills, solitary gorges with blooming vegetation, roads disappearing out of sight in the distance and forest plantations. There is a great variety of different deposits in the steppe bowels of the the Iron - ore Belozersk deposit, the Manganese - ore Bolshoy Tokmak deposit, the Brown coal Gulaypoleh deposit.the Iron - ore Belozersk deposit, the Manganese - ore Bolshoy Tokmak deposit, the Brown coal Gulaypoleh deposit.
 Steppe vegetation is presented by different kinds of herbs and wild growing cereals. Among them there is tarragon, thyme, feather- grass. The fauna of Zaporozhye land is typical of the southern . Doves, swallows, skylarks, tomtits, sea gulls, herons, quails, partridges, wild ducks and pheasants represent birds. Here live large animals like wild boars, and also roe deer and deer, which were brought in these parts for acclimatization. Widely spreads are also hares, gophers, lizards, grass snakes, runners and steppe vipers.
The
Dnieper is the main waterway of the region. Many other rivers also run here: the Konka, the Molochnaya, the Berda, the Gaichur, the Verhnyaya Tersa and the Obitochnaya. In the
Dnieper many kinds of fish can be found, such as pike, sander, perch, bream, crucial, roach and goby. Bull - fish and Bely Amur are bred in the
Kakhovskoye
Sea . Rather often the local fishermen are lucky to catch the king- fish of the
Dnieper waters- catfish that reach 100 and more kilograms.
In the south of the region warm, shallow and rich in fish
Azov
Sea splashes its waves.
The peculiar feature of the Azov northern coast is long narrow sandy spits that stretch into the sea for dozens of kilometers. There are several spits in Zaporozhye region: Berdyansk Spit, Obitochnaya Spit and Fedotov Spit (the latter with
Beruchiv
Island ). Their nature is unique. The fauna of Obitochnaya Spit reserve includes 100 species of birds, 70 species of fish and 20 species of mammals. Long and clean
In summer the number of sunny days here is more than in Sochy. But the heat is not sweltering. Sea breezes and steppe winds, filled with aroma of ripe cereals, make it milder. And how healthful the healing strength of the Azov lagoons mud and leach is! After mud – bath treatment sick people can dance gopak, as Ostap Vishya, a famous Ukrainian writer of humorous stories said.
About sixty unique places of Zaporozhye region need state protection. Khortitsa
Island , theAzov spits, plavni – this is only a small part of unique places in Zaporozhye region Founded in 1770 Alexandrovskaya fortress became the basis of a future town. By the decree dated June 5, 1806 Alexandrovsk town was given a status of a so-called “uyezd” chief town. This status remained unchanged up to 1920. In February 1921 it received its present name, connected with the history of the region – Zaporozhye (the place behind the rapids).
Zaporogye is a large administrative, cultural and industrial centre in the South of the . As to it’s industrial potential it occupies the third place in the Ukrainian republic, and as to it’s population, it takes the 4th place (pop. over 900,000).
The national composition of the city is various: alongside with Ukrainians and Russians there live about 90 different nationalities.
The city of steel – makers, power – engineers and machinebuilders, located in the curve of the
Dnieper river covers the area of 31,000 hectares.
The beauty and width of the river is repeated in the central thoroughfare,Lenin Avenue, which is one of the longest streets in
Europe The name of Zaporozhye can be very closely translated as the place beyond the rapids, beyond the underwater rocks. Before the highdem was built across the
Dnieper in 1930-s, the Dniper wasn't navigable and in this particular place boats could not pass up or downstream. Zaporogye is a large administrative, cultural and industrial centre in the South of the
. As to it’s industrial potential it occupies the third place in the Ukrainian republic, and as to it’s population, it takes the 4th place (pop. over 900,000).
The national composition of the city is various: alongside with Ukrainians and Russians there live about 90 different nationalities.
The city of steel – makers, power – engineers and machinebuilders, located in the curve of the
Dnieper river covers the area of 31,000 hectares.
The beauty and width of the river is repeated in the central thoroughfare,Lenin Avenue, which is one of the longest streets in
Europe .
Zaporozhye is situated close to the lower reaches of the mighty European river
Dnieper , near Khortitsa – the island of rare beauty that has legendary part and glorious present.
It will not take you long to make a route of Khortitsa. You can do it in a day, if you like, as this island behind the Dnieper Dam is no lager than 30 km in circumference. But you can scarcely find a larger, more beautiful or historically valuable island among those in the course of the
Dnieper .
Long ago, up-stream waters of the
Dnieper were roaring running against enormous granite ridges - the rapids. Below the rapids, about 100 km deep into the heart of lowland country there were plavni – a boundless area with age – old leafy forest and thickets of reeds and grass. That unique place was called Veliky Lug («Bid Meadow») and it began right beyond the southern edge of Khortitsa, within the present – day city limits.
There are no rapids any more. They were covered with the waters of the lake which appeared as a result of the Dneproges construction. Veliky Lug does not exist either as it was also sunk by the manmade sea – Kakhovskoye Reservoir. In fine weather one can Maly Kuchugury while observing this panorama from the suburban recreation zone – the
village of
Razumovka .
In the city limits, there are about 13 sanatoria-out of 25 located in Zaparozhye region.
A great number of sanatoria are situated on the island Khortitsa, they harmonize with landscape and the Old Dnieper rocky banks. One can call Zaporozhye the city of tourism; nearby there is a highway of great importance – «Moscow –
Simferopol »; snow – white liners at the moorings with tourists on board is a usual picture. The network of hotels and campings is able to accommodate all the guests.
In our cite there is much to see: unique in architecture and shape Dneproges Dam; bridges designed by the famous engineer Preobrazhensky, which are among the most beautiful in Europe; the gigantic old oak – tree that witnessed the glorious Zaparozhye Cossacks; and of course, the Island of Khortitsa – a national reserve, the glory of Ukraine
Zaporozhye Cossacks
and its region are considered the cradle of a unique phenomenon of XV – XVII Century Europe – origin, prosperity, and downfall of Cossacks, who went down in history, named as Zaporozhye Cossacks.
 Cossacks were free people. They ran away from oppression of land lords to will steppes of the Dnieper side area, grouping into bands up the
Dnieper rapids. The word «Zaporozhtsy» (those from behind the rapids) goes back to those events. Whole history of Cossacks is a permanent war: against Turkish sultan, Crimean Khan,
ruled by szlachta (Polish gentry).
Europe was amazed by Cossack’ military skills, and a lot of monarchs, including Russians tsars, were quite willing to accept their services.
Cossacks never worked for landlords, never lived in serfdom, they were free people, whose only duty was to defend the southern frontier. After had got the access to the
Black Sea coast their services were no more required, and «a nest of self – will», as empress Katherine II called Cossacks, was destroyed by her order at the end of May 1775.
The rebirth of Cossacks began in late 90s: almost at the same time such organizations as «Kazachye bratsyvo» («Cossacks brotherhood»), «Kasatskaya volnitsa» («Free Cossacks Society»), «Kosatsky Kosh» («Cossacks’ Host») appeared.
Later in 1996 on the basis of Zaporozhye hower
Dnieper area Cossacks Army another organization, Cossacks of Ukraine Association was formed, in which 16 regions of the country are already represented.
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