Art Gallery
Catholic Cathedral
City information
Overview
Ivano-Frankivsk lies in the Precarpathian plain where fast waters of the Nadvirnianska Bystrytsia and Solotvynska Bystrytsia join together. Ivano-Frankivsk is the regional center and one of the largest economic and cultural centers in the west of Ukraine.
The first mention of the city named Stanyslaviv refers to 1662 when the city received a Magdeburg right. In 1962 the city celebrated its 300-anniversary. It was renamed after a famous writer and public figure Ivan Franko who would come here more than once, made good friends, wrote and recited his works.
Geographical data for the region:
Territory 13 900 km
Population 1 465 000
Cities 15
Settlements 24
Villages 765
The Ivano-Frankivsk region is situated in the southwest of Ukraine on the border of two natural geographical areas: East-European Plain and Ukrainian Carpathian. The region borders on the Lviv, Ternopil, Chernivtsi and Zacarpattia regions, Republic of Romania.
The favorable geographical position takes considerable influence on the distribution of productive forces in the Ivano-Frankivsk region. These are the distribution in the junction of main railways, the neighborhood of European countries, recreational (about 100 sources of mineral waters) and forest (above 40% of the territory are covered with forests) resources, availability of minerals (oil, gas, brown coal, potassium and common salt, azocerite, limestone, raw materials for cement production and other construction raw materials), as well as climatic conditions mainly favorable for agriculture.
The total land stock of the Ivano-Frankivsk region is 1,392,700 ha. Agricultural lands occupy 635,400 ha with arable lands of 410,800 ha, pastures 128,400, haying lands 79,800 ha, long term stands 16 400 ha. Tilled territories make 29.8%. Arable lands in the structure of agricultural ones compose 64.8%.
Forest resources occupy central place in the natural resource potential of the region. Average forest areas of Ukraine being 14%, this index for the region makes 43.5%. Forests cover the territory of 606500 ha.
The region forests are the component of the forest stock of the whole Carpathian region which is the greatest raw material base of Ukraine where about 50% of mature and mature forest stands of the country are concentrated.
The bowels of Ivano-Frankivsk region are rich in minerals. The specific weight of some of them in the resource potential of Ukraine is significant and makes: salt brines 7.7%, magnesium raw salts 29.6%, anhydride and gypsum 28.9%, potassium fertilizers 22.5%, oil 21.4%.
The region counts 160 explored deposits of 24 kinds of minerals (in Ukraine 8,000 deposits, 90 kinds), only 50-55% of them being developed; this evidences for the low level of development of the resource potential.
Basic reserves of oil and gas of the Carpathian oil and gas province occur in the Ivano-Frankivsk region.
The Dolyna oil field, Bytkiv-Babchin oil gas field and Bohoradchin gas deposit are the largest ones as to their reserves.
The non ore mineral resources are represented by considerable reserves of potassium salts situated in the Kalush-Golynske deposit. Besides, the deposits of magnesium salts are available there. The deposits of common salt in Bolekhiv and Dolyna are of interregional significance.
The Ivano-Frankivsk region possesses great reserves of raw materials for production of building materials. This concerns limestone (Lypove deposit), marls (Mezhgiria-Dubove), pottery clays (Kolomyia). The Carpathians are also rich in sandstone, gravel, nodule or
Foreign Economic Relations
The situation in the sphere of investments remains complicated and stressed.
The available volumes of foreign investments are far from meeting real requirements which could help to cardinal improve the economic conditions in the region, the requirements being above $ 2,000,000,000.
The data bank of the investment intentions of the region enterprises and organizations which numbers 15 business plans and 62 investment applications has been created with this purpose. These materials are presented at the exhibitions of the investment potentialities, forums, meetings, they are sent to the Ministry of Economics, State Investment Committee, National Agency of Ukraine on Reconstruction and Development, foreign embassies.
The regional state authorities have developed a regional program of the investment innovation activity, which realization will promote the creation of independent investment climate, will produce a possibility to concentrate investments in the priority trends of the economy development.
Industry
The region economy is of industrial agrarian character, 2.8% of the total cost of capital assets of Ukraine being concentrated there simultaneously with creation of 2.7% of national income. Above two thirds of the total social product fall on the region industry.
The industrial potential of the region is mainly concentrated in the cities of Ivano-Frankivsk, Kolomyia, Kalush, Nadvirna, Dolyna, Gallitsian region (Burshtyn TEP).
OSC "Naftokhimik Prykarpattia", which specific weight in the volume of production as a whole in the fuel branch makes 60.1%, is the largest enterprise in the branch.
The Burshtyn TEP, the largest enterprise in the power branch of the region, generates above 20% of the region power. Today the plant supplies electric power to the western region of Ukraine and also exports it.
Almost one third of the total industrial production of the region (33.4%) falls on the products of chemical industry.
Nowadays the open stock company "Oriana" is the multibranch enterprise in Ukraine which incorporates 12 working plants, including: a mining plant, metallurgical and petrochemical plants.
The enterprise makes above 100 kinds of various chemical production (metal magnesium, vinylchloride, carbomide formaldehyde resins, ethylene, propylene, potassium fertilizers, tafting coatings, etc.).
The open stock company firm "Barva" is the only producer in Ukraine in a lot of positions. The enterprise with almost 3000 employees makes a wide range of chemical products, such as: anionic, acidic and active dyes; surfactants and textile added substances; chemical additions for polymeric materials, consumer goods.
There are the following largest machine building and metal working enterprises:
OSC "Avtolivmash" specializing in production of single units, which are large automated complexes, the plant possesses highly and diversely qualified staff. The plant has its own design office with engineering staff which decides all the problems of design and putting into operation of new facilities and knowhow and creation of new designs and structures. OSC "Kolomyiasilmash"
OSC "Kolomyiasilmash" is the only enterprise in Ukraine producing selfmoving loaders for agriculture.
OSC "Ivita" The enterprise profile is production of home appliances, mainly laundering machines "Ivita". The enterprise is interested in mastering other kinds of complicated home appliances: gas four burners plates, electric hot plates, refrigerators and other consumer commodities.
Agriculture
Fodder production occupies essential place in agriculture.
Grain production is the leading one in plant growing. Production of sugar beet, flax, winter rape, potato, vegetables has become widely developed now.
The total amount of sowing areas being 410,000 ha (1997) 233,200 ha or 56% fell on collective sector and 176 800 ha (44%) on population and private farms.
The region possesses scientific, research and other structures of agricultural trend engaged in selection and seed production. The Scientific Research Institute of Criciferae (Ivano-Frankivsk) is engaged in selection of new varieties of these cultures and supplies high productive seeds to agricultural producers of the region and state as well as export outside Ukraine. Program "Ripak" is created under the institute aegis.
Agricultural state research plant in a complex with two elite economies which simultaneously produces about 1.0 tons of elite seeds works in the region.
Transport and Communication Infrastructure
A developed transport system represented by the motor, railway, air, trolley bus and pipeline transport is an important component of the economic complex of the region.
The motor roads of general use extend for 11,400 km, streets and roads in the cities and settlements for 1,300 km, motor roads of departmental subordination 2,200 km, trolley bus lines 51.8 km, railways of general use 500 km, railways of enterprises and organizations 600 km, main pipelines 81.5 km.
Beginning from 1992 the Ivano-Frankivsk airport became the international airport with frontier and customs control.
The airport traffic capacity is 400 passengers an hour.
Currency Exchange
"Western Union" agency, Ivano-Frankivsk, 49 Dnisrovska St., tel. 4-81-18, 5-90-94.
Currency exchange may be carried out in banks and exchange offices located in airports, railway terminals, hotels and major tourist routes.
History and Culture
The picturesque land of Ivano-Frankivsk was populated in the olden time. According to results of archaeological researches first settlements appeared 40 thousand years ago. In the Bronze age tribal formations were engaged in cattle breeding and agriculture.
In the 10-11th centuries the Forecarpathia was a part of Kyiv Rus. From 1141 is was a part of Gallitsian principality and then Gallitsian-Volynian principality which carried on trade with Kyiv, Novgorod, Byzantine, Hungary, Czech, Germany, Poland, Bulgaria. The Gallitsian-Volynian principality delivered fur, salt, cattle, honey, wax, manufactured articles. Broadcloth, arms, gold were imported to Forecarpathia. Fish, wine, silk, spices were brought there from the Black Sea area. The city of Halych, the principality capital, its other towns: Kolomyia, Snyatyn, Tysmenytsia, Tlumach played essential part in the manufacture development.
The region position in the geographical center of Europe has determined the population orientation to the values of western culture, in particular: a respect to private property, following the norms of Christian morals, a respect to family, keeping the values and achievements of the national culture, individual business activity.
Because of relatively short socialist period certain traditions and experience of individual private land tenure, independent economic initiative and cooperation, local self management are still kept in the historical memory of the people.
The potential of business initiative of the local population is confirmed by the fact that a lot of those born in this land who left for the countries of Western Europe and American continent in the early 20th century could successfully realize their business and intellectual abilities both in business, science and administrative sphere.
Cultural Life:
Every year in August they celebrate a City Day with concerts of folklore and art ensembles. The Christmas parade of verteps (Christmas plays) from January 1 to January 14 on the streets and squares of the city is a spectacular sight. Also Ivano-Frankivsk is famous for its all-Ukrainian festival of art ensembles "Precarpathian Spring" (in May every year), festival of a national and patriotic song and poetry "Volia" (Freedom) (in October odd years).
Ivano-Frankivsk is a large center of mechanical engineering, wood-processing, chemical and light industry. The Precarpathian University named after V. Stefanyk, the Ivano-Frankivsk State Technical University of Oil and Gas, the Medical Academy, the Spiritual Institute of the Greek-Catholic Church train their students to become skilled specialists. There is bus and railway communication with Bulgaria, Moldova, Poland, Russia, Romania and Baltic countries. Planes come and go to Manchester (Great Britain), Moscow (Russia).
