About Vinnitsya

Vinnitsya oblast was officially formed as a part of Ukraine by the government of the USSR on February, 27, 1932. It is located in right-bank Ukraine. It borders with Chernivtsi and Khmel'nitskiy oblasts in the West, with Zhitomir region in the North, with Kiev, Cherkassy and Kirovograd oblasts in the East, with Odessa oblast in the south. In the south-west, along the river Dniester, Vinnitsa region has a 202 kilometres long state boundary with Republic of Moldova.

The area of Vinnitsa oblast is 26.5 thousands km², that is 4.4% of modern Ukraine territory. Administratively territory of region is divided into 27 rural areas, and regional center into 3 city districts. Vinnitsya region has 27 areas, 17 cities, including 4 cities of republican and regional subordination, 30 settlements of urban type, 1459 settlements of rural type.

The population of the oblast as of January, 1, 1996 was 1876 thousand people, including urban sector - 888.5(47,4%), rural sector - 937.5 (52,6%). Density of population is 71 persons per sq.km. In Vinnitsya, which is more than 630 years old, lives more than 400 thousand people.

The oblast is provided with labour resources, their relative density in a total population is 56.4%.

Vinnitsya oblast is a land of industry and highly-mechanized agriculture, with a considerable research-and-production and mineral raw material base. 12.7 % of industrial and production capabilities of Ukraine, 2 % of cost of the main production assets and 2.6 % of industrial output falls on Vinnistya region.

Geographical factors influencing the oblast's economy

Vinnitsya oblast is located in the central part of Ukraine between the developed industrial and cultural centres Kiev and Lviv, and also between large cities of Pridneprov'ja region and the Black Sea region. The geographical position of the oblast strongly favors the accelerated development of its economic complex. Vinnitsya region occupies very favourable transport position, its territory is crossed by the major trunk-railways connecting southeast industrial regions of Ukraine with the Western Ukraine and the countries, bordering upon Ukraine in the west (Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Moldova). Through territory of the region there pass lines of gas mains. The power transmission line Vinnitsya - Albertirsha (Hungary) starts on its territory.

Vinnitsya oblast is situated in a forest-steppe zone. On territory of the oblast oak, hornbeam, lindens, ash tree, maple, and elm woods are widespread. Soil is basically podzolized (brown-red soil) (about 65 %). In the northeast of the region prevail chernozems (black soil), in the central part - grey, dark grey, light grey, in the southeast and in Transdniestria - deep chernozems and podzolized soils. More than 70 % of territory of the region is ploughed.

The climate of the oblast is moderate - continental, the average temperature in January is -6 0C, the average temperature in July: +19 0C. Annual amount of precipitation: 520-590 mm, 80 % of which fall in the warm period. On territory of the oblast 204 rivers of total length of about 10 kms are found. All of them belong to basins of Southern Bug and Dnepr.

Mineral raw material

On the territory of the oblast, 1159 deposits of more than 30 kinds of minerals are revealed. The region has the biggest in the world deposits of mineral raw material - kaolin (china clay) - 800 mn tons. Greatest of them – Glukhovtsy (Глуховецкое) kaolin deposit, Turbov (Турбовское) kaolin deposit, Veliko-Hadomsk (Великогадоминецкое) kaolin deposit. The Range of its use is very wide: paper, ceramic (porcelain, faience), electrotechnical (isolators), fire-resistant, aluminium, textile, cable, rubber, chemical and soap-producing industries, and also perfumery, manufacture of pencils and mineral paints.

On territory of the oblast there are about 50 deposits granite, gneisses, sandstone, greatest of them – Vitovsk (Витовское), Gnevan’ (Гневаньское), Strizhavka (Стрижавское), Zhehelev (Жежелевское) deposits. There is also a deposit of phosphorites, chalk, plaster, clays, sand.

Unique decorative property, the Vinnitsa's granites, are used in production of facing plates, windowsills, monuments, etc.

3 granite deposits are also explored and being developed (stocks 10 mn cubic meters), trial mining from 8 explored deposits is being made. Enterprises are provided with stocks for more than for 100 years.

The only thing in Europe deposit of garnets is explored in the region (till now it is not developed). There is the only in Ukraine deposit of fluorites which now is in a stage of geological investigation and prescreen testing. Preliminary estimations of its stocks are 100 mn tons, and predicted – 220 mn tons.

About 30 industries use fluorite concentrates (metallurgy, aluminium, chemical, cement, glass manufactures etc.). Metallurgical and other industries of Ukraine use 122 thousand tons of fluorite concentrates per year. It is delivered from Mongolia, China, and Thailand.

Vinnitsya is the only region in Ukraine with big stocks of pelicanit (30 deposits with approximate amount of resources about 170 mn tons).

Fuel resources of the region are limited and represented by peat and brown coal. These resources have local value.

Brown coal from Vinnitsa oblast corresponds in quality to products of well-known coal mines of Dneprodonbass and is suitable for energy purposes and processing through the methods of semi-coking and hydrogenation. Three preliminary deposits were prospected with reserves of 50 mn tons and three others are still in the process of prospecting.

In the industry of building materials sand and gravel are widely used. 5 deposits of sand are developed and explored, including 1 for silicate brick, 3 – for building solutions, and 1 ballast.

In Vinnitsa oblast, sources of curative mineral water from the Khmelnitskiy radon deposit are used. In addition, 21 sources of table water are prospected, 10 of them received passports, in 5 deposits bottling is done (“Regina,” “Princess,” “Shumilovskaya,” “Podolskaya,” “Rosyanaya”). Mineral waters of the “Mirgorodskaya” type were discovered. Detection of new deposits of radon is possible.

Bauxites (aluminum ore) were found in Podolye for the first time. According to geologists’ estimations, the resources of bauxites are about 3 mn tons.

According to foreign experts, the raw material from separate areas of Vinnitsya oblast has no equal materials in quality worldwide. Thus, mineral raw materials of Vinnitsya oblast create an excellent basis for fast development of its industry.

The territorial organization of the industry of the region

The industrial-territorial complex of the oblast consists of the following main functional parts - industrial and agroindustrial complexes, transport system. In total gross production of the industry and agriculture part of the industry makes more than 62 %.

In total production values, Vinnitsya oblast is invariably in the top five among all oblasts of Ukraine. By volume of output in industrial structure of Vinnitsya oblast the food-processing industry, mechanical engineering, light industry, and manufacturing of construction materials should be marked out. Significant growth of specific weights of branches which determine scientific and technical progress of the national economy is observed now. These are- electrotechnical and radio engineering industry, agricultural mechanical engineering, and instruments production.

The majority of mechanical engineering manufactures have average or low metal consumption and large labour intensity. Rather big group of the industrial enterprises of Vinnitsya oblast is made by the enterprises of agricultural mechanical engineering and branches which make the equipment for the food-processing industry. The greatest factories of the oblast are: the Vinnitsa factory of tractor units (makes units and spare parts for tractors and combines), Kalinevsk (Калиневский) machine-building factory, which makes the equipment for sugar mills, and also Mogilev-Podolskiy and Bar machine-building factories. The significant amount of non-metal-consuming and labour-intensive enterprises of mechanical engineering is concentrated in Vinnitsa. Here are tool-making, electrotechnical, bearing plants, a factory of radio engineering equipment and other enterprises.

On the mineral and building raw material basis of the oblast, the industry of construction materials develops successfully. In the present branch the main place takes kaolin manufacture (Glukhovtsy and Turbov complexes), and also mining of a granite (Gnevan’, Zhezhelev, Gubnik granite career). The major centres of the building industry are the following cities: Vinnitsa, Gnevan’, Glukhovtsy, Ladyzhyn (Ладыжин), Nemirov (Немиров), Pogrebysche (Погребище).

The important place in manufacture of the commodity industry in Vinnitsa oblast is occupied by a group of industrial-agrarian enterprises. Within the structure of sugar industry, for example, there are 40 factories. The biggest sugar mills of the region are in Kryzhopol’ (Крыжопольский), Kirnasovka (Кирнасовский), Gaysin (Гайсинский), Pogrebischensk (Погребищенский), Bershad’ (Бершадский). Manufacture of fruit-and-vegetable canned food, animal oil, meat and meat products, and confectionery is well developed in the region. Currently in Vinnitsa region function 6 meat-packing plants, the biggest of them is in Vinnitsa. By manufacture of gross output the meat industry of region yields only to sugar industry. The greatest centres of the fruit-and-vegetable industry are the Bar, Vinnitsa, Mogilev-Podolskiy. Brewing is well developed. Large breweries are located in: Vinnitsa, Mogilev-Podolskiy, Bershad’ (Бершадь), Tivrov (Тивров), Chernyatin (Чернятин), Murovan’ (Муровань), Kurilovtsy (Куриловцы), Brailov (Браилов).

The most developed branch of light industry in Vinnitsa oblast is clothing industry. It is represented by Vinnitsa production associations named after V.Volodarskiy and "Podolia" clothes factory, and also their subsidiaries in Bar, Tulchin (Тульчин), urban village Voronovtsy (Вороновцы), villages Zaluzh'e (Залужье) and Obodovitsy (Ободовицы), garment factories in Kozyatin (Козятине) and urban village Brailov (Браилов). Enterprises of the cotton industry are in Khmel’nik (Хмельник) and Mogilev-Podolskiy. The enterprise of the knitting industry is in Vinnitsa. Production of Vinnitsa art-production association “Vinnychanka” ("Biнничанка") with its branches in villages Klembovtsy (Клембовцы) and Gorodnovtsy (Городновцы) is widely known. In Vinnitsa also works leather accessories factory.

The chemical industry is developed (Vinnitsa chemical plant named after Sverdlov (Свердлов), Mogilev-Podolskiy factory “Pobuthym” (“Побутхим”). The major centres of woodworking industry are Vinnitsa, Khmel’nik (Хмельник), Bar, Gaysin (Гайсин), Tulchin (Тульчин), Bershad’ (Бершадь) (furniture manufacture), Kalinovka (Калиновка) (wood-shaving combine), Rososha (Росоша) village(manufacture of a paper).

Power economy of Vinnitsa oblast is based substantially on local hydropower resources and represented by hydropower plants and thermal power plants. The largest enterprise of electric power industry of region is Ladyzhin (Ладыжинская) state district power station, which provides with the electric power not only Vinnitsa, but also other regions. Through territory of region pass 3 gas mains: Urengoi-Pomary-Uzhgorod (Уренгой-Помары-Ужгород), "Soyuz", Dashava-Kiev (Дашава-Киев).

The largest industrial unit of the region is Vinnitsa industrial centre. About 50 % of the industry of the region is concentrated there. In intraregional division of work it is marked out with production of mechanical engineering, chemical, food, light industries, and also manufacture of building materials. Gaysin and Ladyzhin (Гайсинско-Ладыжинский) industrial centre, which is formed on base of Ladyzhin (Ладыжинская) state district power station, is promising. In Mogilev-Podolskiy industrial centre develops mechanical engineering, and branches of light and food-processing industry. The further development of the present industrial centre is connected with formation of labour-consuming and water-retaining manufactures. The largest industrial centres of Vinnitsa region are also Bar, Kozyatin (Козатин), Tulchin, Bershad’ (Бершадь), Nemirov (Немиров), Kryzhopol’ (Крыжополь), Yampol’ (Ямполь).

Agriculture

One of the main branches of Vinnitsa oblast's specialization is agriculture.

Its specific weight in public gross output is more than 40 %.

In structure of natural-resource potential of Vinnitsa region ground resources take the leading place. The area of agricultural lands is 2027.2 thousand hectares, 1741.3 thousand hectares of them is arable land, 53.9 thousand hectares - long-term plantations, hayfields - 50.9 thousand hectares, pastures - 181.1 thousand hectares.

In arable lands surpasses podzolized soil. Significant part - 21.2 percents of the area – is occupied by black soil type.

709 collective agricultural enterprises, 94 state farms of all systems, 26 intereconomic agricultural enterprises, 846 rural (farming) economies function on territory of the region.

The basic specialization of the agricultural enterprises of all patterns of ownership in crop sector is cultivation of grain crops, sugar beet; in animal industries - production of meat and milk.

In the general structure of sown areas the winter wheat occupies 17 %, barley - 14, sugar beet - 12 percents.

Vinnitsa region takes the first place among areas of Ukraine on manufacture of beet.

On the average in 1991-1995 years in area by all categories of economy it was made 2 mn 300 ths tons of grains, 4 mn tons of sugar beet, 1 mn 272 ths tons of potato, about 200 ths tons of vegetables, 155 ths tons of fruits, 63 thousand tons of sunflower, 262 ths tons live weight of meat, 973 ths tons of milk, 478 mn eggs.

The agriculture creates powerful base for development of the food-processing industry. More than 22 percents workers are occupied in it. Over last 5 years main industrial funds of the branch have grown in 1.3 times, and its specific weight in the industry has grown from 40 up to 59%.

Export of production of food-processing industry makes 68 percents from export of all industry.

The food enterprises consume 21 percent of fuel, 71 - of heat 43 – of electric power of all consumption in the industry.

The branch has potential opportunities to provide stable rise of volumes of manufacture of finished commodities on the basis of processing agricultural raw material.

The region has:

By manufacture of sugar Vinnitsa region takes the first place in Ukraine and has real opportunities to become the main supplier of this production to the countries of the CIS and distant foreign countries.

Social sphere

In the region there are 1112 comprehensive schools, in which learn 247.6 ths pupils. Besides that 3 private schools for 300 pupils function in Vinnitsa.

The amount of constantly working preschool institutions is 983, they are meant for 66.5 ths places.

The network of medical establishments totals 25 ths beds. Polyclinic institutions have 25.6 ths visits per shift.

Provision of the population with hospitals per 10 ths people is 133.2 beds, and with polyclinics - 136.5 visits per change.

In Vinnitsa region there are 1360 club institutions, 1382 mass libraries, 21 museum, 2 theatres, and regional Philharmonic Society.

Training of specialists in the region is carried out by 4 institutes of higher education, for associates there are 28 educational institutions.

Priorities of present development of the industry in the region

Now both for Ukraine as a whole and for Vinnitsa area in particular, a great value have foreign trade activities. For Vinnitsa region following priority spheres for foreign investments are determined: production of manufacturing equipment for sugar, fat-and-oil, baking, flour-and-cereals, meat-and-milk industries, production of baby food, biotechnology in branches of processing industry. The total amount of direct foreign investments in economy of the region by the beginning of 1996 year has made up 4190.95 thousand US dollars. 43 countries of the world have invested money in economy of the region, most of all: Spain, Germany, Poland, USA, Hungary. The last year Vinnitsa region had cooperation with 53 countries of the world on all continents.

One of priority directions is the mechanical engineering of the region. Due to wide assortment of production the mechanical engineering of the region is competitive enough in the markets of the neighboring countries. A number of the enterprises gained general acceptance worldwide. So, tool-producing association was awarded with prizes of the International Diamond star of quality twice. Its production is sent to all countries of Europe, and also to Cuba, Taiwan, to Brazil, Singapore, USA, the countries of the CIS, Asia, Africa. In near-term outlook consumers of Vinnitsa mechanical engineering from the countries of the CIS are unable to reorient the economic cooperation to the third countries. At the same time wide penetration of machines and the equipment to the promising markets of industrially developed countries demands connection to global network of transnational corporations on the basis of attraction of foreign investments and radical structural reorganization of the branch.

The big hopes are assigned to processing and food industries. These branches sharply can reduce export of agricultural raw material and provide stable rise of volumes of realization of finished commodities.

Building industry increases its significance. Collective enterprise “Vinnitsastroy”(" Винницастрой ") makes the big volume of building and assembly jobs outside Ukraine, particularly in Poland and Russia.

From the point of view of prospect the use of mineral resources deserves special attention. Having unrated stocks of minerals, the region can take leading positions on their export to the countries of the CIS or to the world market.