Chernivtsi

Chernivtsi (population - about 240,000 inhabitants, area - 144 square kilometres) the centre of the same region, which is also called BUKOVYNA, is situated in the southwestern part of Ukraine and borders on with Romania and Moldova. It's also one of the principal industrial, tourist and cultural centres in the western part of Ukraine. The history of Chernivtsi dates back to October 8, 1408, when it was mentioned for the first time by Moldovian master Olexandr Dobryi in his Law on Duties.

The territory of Chernivtsi for many years was a part of different historical and geographical formations: Bukovyna, Bessarabia, Pokuttia, Halychyna, Hutsulschyna; and different states: Kyiv Rus, Haluch-Volyn Knighthood, Moldovian State, Turkish Empire, Austrian-Hungarian Empire (1774-1918), Romania (1918-1940), the USSR (1940-1991) and Ukraine.

Chernivtsi was granted the municipal right in 1876 and the first municipal council was elected that year.

Chernivtsi is a famous administrative, economic, scientific, cultural and educational centre with a unique complex of urban architecture, monuments of art and nature. It numbers about 600 different historical and cultural monuments and memorials, 17 of them are under the state protection.

The history, glory and fame were brought to the city by famous poets and writers: Yuri Fedkovych, Olga Kobylianska, Ivan Franko, Mikhai Eminesku, Paul Celan, Elieser Steinbarg and others.

Chernivtsi is a city of students. There are 18 educational institutions of higher education, 6 technical schools (colleges) and 5 vocational training schools, which number more than 40,000 students. Chernivtsi Yuri Fedkovych National University, which is one of the most famous (founded in 1875), Bukovynian State Medical Academy, Chernivtsi Institute for Trade and economics, Bukovynian Finance and Economics Institute among them. The city also has very high scientific reputation. There is a number of research institutes here: Thermoelectricity Institute, Institute of Applied Mechanics and Mathematics Problems, Institute of Medical and Ecological Problems, World Economics and International Relations Institute and others.

There are many cultural establishments here: drama theatre, puppet theatre, regional philharmonic society, organ hall, art gallery, museum of fine arts etc.

Light, wood-processing (furniture production), food and machinery-building industries predominate in the economic complex of the city.

More than 200 non-government organizations and political parties, national cultural societies and religious organizations are functioning in the city today.

The office of the Romania Consulate General was established in Chernivtsi recently. Chernivtsi has partnership relations with the sister-cities Salt Lake City (USA), Saskatoon (Canada), Klagenfurt (Austria), Konin (Poland), Nazareth-Illit (Israel) and Suceava (Romania).