Podolia

The region of Podolia (Ukrainian: Podillya, Polish: Podole) lies in the west-central and south-west portions of present-day Ukraine that correspond to Khmelnytskyi Oblast and Vinnytsia Oblast.

Geography

Podolia lies:

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• south of Volhynia
• southwest of the Kyiv region
• northeast of Moldova, across the Dniester River
• east of Galicia, across the Zbruch River, a tributary of the Dniester

It has an area of about 40,000 km², extending for 320 km from N.W. to S.E. on the left bank of the Dniester. In the same direction run two ranges of relatively low hills separated by the Southern Bug, ramifications of the Avratynsk heights.

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Two large rivers, with numerous tributaries, drain the region: the Dniester, which forms its boundary with Moldova and is navigable throughout its length, and the Southern Bug, which flows almost parallel to the former in a higher, sometimes swampy, valley, interrupted in several places by rapids. The Dniester forms an important channel for trade in the areas of Mogilev Podolskiy, Kalus, Zhvanets, Porog and other Podolian river-ports.

Related Topics:
Mogilev Podolskiy - Kalus - Zhvanets - Porog

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In Podolia "black earth" (chernozem) soil predominates, making it a very fertile agricultural area. Marshes occur only beside the Bug. A moderate climate predominates, with average temperatures at Kamenets of 9 °C (-4 °C in January, 20 °C in July).

Related Topics:
Black earth - Kamenets

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Russian-ruled Podolia in 1906 had an estimated population of 3,543,700, consisting chiefly of Ukrainians. Significant minorities included Poles and Jews, as well as 50,000 Moldavians, some Germans, and a few Armenians.

Related Topics:
1906 - Ukrainians - Poles - Jew - Moldavian - Germans - Armenians

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The chief towns include Kamenets-Podolskiy, the traditional capital, Balta, Bratslav, Gaisin, Letichev, Litin, Mogilev Podolskiy, Novaya-Ushitsa, Olgopol, Khmelnytskyi, Vinnytsia and Yampol.

Related Topics:
Kamenets-Podolskiy - Balta - Bratslav - Gaisin - Letichev - Litin - Mogilev Podolskiy - Novaya-Ushitsa - Olgopol - Khmelnytskyi - Vinnytsia - Yampol

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Podolia is regarded for its cherries, mulberries, melons, gourds, and cucumbers.

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History

The country has had human inhabitants since at least the beginning of the Neolithic period. Herodotus mentions it as the seat of the Graeco-Scythian Alazones and possibly Scythian Neuri. Subsequently the Dacians and the Getae arrived. The Romans left traces of their rule in the Wall of Trajan, which stretches through the modern districts of Kamenets, Ushitsa and Proskurov.

Related Topics:
Neolithic - Herodotus - Scythia - Dacia - Getae - Romans - Trajan

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During the Human migration many nationalities passed through this territory or settled within it for some time, leaving numerous traces in archaeological remains. Nestor in the Primary Chronicle mentions four apparently Slavic tribes: the Bujanes and Dulebes along the Bug River, and the Tivertsi and Ugliches along the Dniester. The Avars conquered these peoples in the 7th century. Prince Oleg of Kyiv, extended his rule over this territory known as the Ponizie, or "lowlands". These lowlands later became a part of the Ruthenian principalities of Volhynia, Kyiv, and Galicia. In the 13th century, the Mongols plundered the Ponizie; a hundred years afterwards Algirdas (Olgierd), prince of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, freed it from their rule, annexing it to his own territories under the name of Podolia, a word which has the same meaning as Ponizie. Polish colonisation began in the 14th century.

Related Topics:
Human migration - Nestor - Primary Chronicle - Slavic tribes - Bug River - Dniester - Avars - 7th century - Oleg - Kyiv - Ruthenian - Volhynia - Galicia - 13th century - Mongols - Algirdas - Grand Duchy of Lithuania - 14th century

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After the death of the Lithuanian prince Vytautas the Great (Vitovt) in 1430, Podolia became part of the Crown of the Polish Kingdom, with the exception of its eastern part, the province of Bratslav, which remained in Lithuania until its union with Poland in the Union of Lublin of 1569. Apart from an Ottoman occupation (1672 - 1699), the Poles retained Podolia until the Partitions of their country in 1772 and 1793, when the Habsburg Monarchy of Austria and Imperial Russia annexed the western and eastern parts respectively.

Related Topics:
Vytautas the Great - 1430 - Crown of the Polish Kingdom - Bratslav - Union of Lublin - 1569 - Ottoman - 1672 - 1699 - Partition - 1772 - 1793 - Habsburg Monarchy - Austria - Imperial Russia

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