Kharkiv facts for kids

Kharkiv (pronounced KAR-kiv) is the second-largest city in Ukraine. It's located in the northeast part of the country. Kharkiv is known as a big center for culture, science, education, and industry in Ukraine. It has many museums, theaters, and libraries.

The city was started in 1654 as a fortress. Over time, it grew into an important place for factories, trade, and Ukrainian culture. For a while, from 1919 to 1934, Kharkiv was even the capital of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. Today, Kharkiv is home to many important businesses, especially in machinery and electronics.

History

Early Times

Long, long ago, around 200 BC, people called Scythians and Sarmatians lived in the Kharkiv area. Later, between the 2nd and 6th centuries AD, different groups like the Geto-Dacians, Sarmatians, and Goths also lived here.

Around the 8th to 10th centuries, a fortress belonging to the Khazars stood about 25 miles east of where Kharkiv is now. In the 12th century, the area was part of the land of the Cumans. After that, from the mid-13th century, it was part of the Mongol Empire.

By the early 1600s, this area was a border region. People here, called Cossacks, resisted being made slaves by the Tatars or serfs by the Polish-Lithuanian and Russian rulers.

Kharkiv Fortress

In 1654, during a time of trouble, groups of people settled by the Lopan and Kharkiv rivers. They rebuilt and strengthened an old settlement. Some stories say the city was named after a legendary Cossack founder named Kharko. However, the river's name was around even before the fortress was built.

The settlement accepted protection from a Russian leader called a voivode from Chuhuiv. The first voivode started building a fort in 1656. By 1689, the fortress was made bigger to include the Intercession Cathedral and Monastery.

Russian Empire Era

Kharkiv became an important administrative center in 1765. A famous university, Kharkiv University, was started in 1805. Many important people studied or taught there.

The city's streets were first paved in 1830. A tall bell tower, the Alexander Bell Tower, was built in 1844 to remember a victory over Napoleon. Running water was set up in 1870.

Even though many people in Kharkiv spoke Russian, the city became a center for Ukrainian culture in the 19th century. The first Ukrainian newspaper was printed here in 1812. Secret groups called hromadas also formed, helping to start a Ukrainian national movement.

In 1900, a student hromada started the Revolutionary Ukrainian Party (RUP). After the 1905 Russian Revolution, this party changed its name to the Ukrainian Social Democratic Labour Party (USDLP). This group wanted to help Ukrainian people and was different from the Bolsheviks.

After the February Revolution in 1917, the USDLP was a main party in the first Ukrainian government. However, as conditions worsened during the war, the USDLP lost support.

Soviet Era

Capital of Soviet Ukraine

In November 1917, the Bolsheviks, who had taken power in Russia, didn't get many votes in the Kharkiv area. But within Kharkiv city itself, they won more votes.

When the Ukrainian People's Republic (UPR) declared independence, the Bolsheviks formed their own council in Kharkiv. By February 1918, they had taken much of Ukraine. They made Kharkiv the capital of the Donetsk-Krivoy Rog Soviet Republic.

Later, the Red Army returned, and by December 1919, Soviet rule was back. The Bolsheviks made Kharkiv the capital of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. In 1922, this became part of the Soviet Union.

Many new buildings were constructed in a modern style called Constructivist architecture. One famous building was Derzhprom, which was the tallest building in the Soviet Union at the time. Sadly, many old churches were torn down during this period.

Under Joseph Stalin's plans, Kharkiv became a major industrial city. Factories like the Kharkiv Tractor Factory and the Malyshev Factory produced many important goods. By 1937, Kharkiv's factories were producing 35 times more than in 1913!

Many people moved from the countryside to Kharkiv for work. This changed the city's population. In the 1920s, the Ukrainian government encouraged using the Ukrainian language in schools. But later, this policy was stopped, and many Ukrainian thinkers were arrested.

In 1932 and 1933, a terrible famine, known as the Holodomor, happened. This was caused by the government taking grain and forcing farmers to join collective farms. Many people came to Kharkiv looking for food. Hundreds of Ukrainian writers and artists were arrested and killed in the 1930s. In 1934, the capital of the Ukrainian SSR was moved from Kharkiv to Kyiv.

In 1940, about 3,900 Polish prisoners were killed in Kharkiv and secretly buried in a nearby forest. Many Ukrainian cultural workers were also buried there after being killed in the 1937–38 purges.

German Occupation

During World War II, Kharkiv saw many big battles. The city was taken by Nazi Germany on October 24, 1941. It was fought over several times before finally being freed on August 23, 1943.

Before the war, Kharkiv had about 700,000 people. Many refugees came to the city, doubling its population. During the occupation, the Germans killed about 15,000 Jewish people in a ravine called Drobytsky Yar. They also killed another 30,000 residents and forced 60,000 people to work as slaves in Germany. Many people died from hunger, cold, and sickness.

By the time Kharkiv was freed in 1943, only about 200,000 people were left. Seventy percent of the city was destroyed.

After World War II

After the war, Kharkiv's factories, especially those making tanks, were brought back from the Urals. These factories became very important for the Soviet military. Houses and factories were rebuilt, and much of the city center was reconstructed in a grand style.

In the 1980s, Kharkiv was seen as a "model Soviet city." It was praised for its modern industry and science. The city's ability to build machines and weapons was thanks to its large factories and research centers working together.

The National University of Kharkiv played a big role in protests for democracy in the early 1990s. These protests helped lead to more democratic reforms.

Independent Ukraine

On December 1, 1991, people in the Kharkiv region voted for Ukraine to become an independent country. About 86% of people in the Kharkiv Oblast supported this.

After the Soviet Union broke apart, many Jewish people from Kharkiv moved to Israel or other Western countries. The city's Jewish population decreased.

Kharkiv's industries had strong ties to the Soviet market and Russia. Because of this, some people in eastern Ukraine, including Kharkiv, supported political parties that wanted to work closely with Russia.

2014 Pro-Russian Unrest

In 2013–2014, there were protests in Ukraine called Euromaidan. In Kharkiv, these protests were mostly peaceful. After the president was removed, some people in Kharkiv tried to declare independence, like separatists in other regions. On April 6, 2014, some pro-Russian protesters took over a government building and declared a "Kharkiv People's Republic." However, Ukrainian police quickly took back control.

Peaceful protests continued, and support for joining Russia decreased. In September, activists took down the largest monument to Lenin in the central square.

After these events, and Russia's actions in Crimea and Donbas, Kharkiv's economy faced challenges. But the city started to find new international markets and increase defense contracts. By 2018, Kharkiv had one of the lowest unemployment rates in Ukraine.

In July 2020, Kharkiv became part of the Kharkiv Raion as part of a big administrative change in Ukraine.

Geography

Kharkiv is located where the Kharkiv, Lopan, and Udy rivers meet. These rivers then flow into the Siverskyi Donets river in northeastern Ukraine.

Historically, Kharkiv is in the Sloboda Ukraine region, where it is considered the main city. The city stretches about 24.3 kilometers from north to south and 25.2 kilometers from west to east.

The highest point in Kharkiv is 202 meters above sea level in Piatykhatky, and the lowest is 94 meters in Novoselivka. Engineers have built special dams to control the water levels in the rivers.

Kharkiv has many green parks, some over 100 years old with ancient oak trees. Central Park is the city's largest public garden. It has different areas for children, extreme sports, family fun, and even a medieval area.

Climate

Kharkiv has a humid continental climate. This means it has long, cold, and snowy winters, and warm to hot summers. The city gets about 519 millimeters (20.4 inches) of rain each year, with most of it falling in June and July.

Governance

Administrative Divisions

Kharkiv is the main city of the Kharkiv Oblast (province). The city's matters are managed by the Kharkiv Municipality.

The city of Kharkiv is divided into 9 administrative districts. Until 2016, many of these districts were named after people or events from the early Soviet Union. But in February 2016, they were renamed to follow new laws in Ukraine. Over 200 streets in Kharkiv have also been renamed since 2015.

The districts are:

• Kholodnohirskyi (meaning 'Cold Mountain')
• Shevchenkivskyi (named after Taras Shevchenko)
• Kyivskyi (named after Kyiv)
• Saltivskyi (named after the Saltivka residential area)
• Nemyshlianskyi
• Industrialnyi (meaning 'Industrial')
• Slobidskyi (named after Sloboda Ukraine)
• Osnovianskyi (named after a city neighborhood called Osnova)
• Novobavarskyi (named after a city neighborhood called Nova Bavaria)

Demographics

In 1989, Kharkiv had about 1.6 million people. By 2023, the population was around 1.43 million. Kharkiv is the second-largest city in Ukraine, after Kyiv.

Ethnicity and Language

According to the 2001 census, about 62.8% of Kharkiv's population were Ukrainians, and 33.2% were Russians.

In terms of language, the 2001 census showed that about 31.77% of people spoke Ukrainian as their main language, and 65.86% spoke Russian. A survey in 2023 found that 16% of people spoke Ukrainian at home, and 78% spoke Russian.

Religion

Kharkiv is an important religious center in Eastern Ukraine. There are many old and new religious buildings here. The Assumption Orthodox Cathedral was built in the 1680s and rebuilt later. The Annunciation Orthodox Cathedral, finished in 1888, is one of the tallest Orthodox churches in the world.

Kharkiv also has a Jewish population of about 8,000 people. They are served by the old Kharkiv Choral Synagogue, which was fully renovated. There are also two mosques, including the Kharkiv Cathedral Mosque, and an Islamic center.

Economy

Kharkiv has a diverse economy with many different types of jobs. These include financial services, manufacturing, tourism, and high technology.

International Economic Forum

Every year, Kharkiv hosts an International Economic Forum called "Innovations. Investments. Kharkiv Initiatives!" This event brings together diplomats, business leaders, government officials, and others to discuss economic development and investment in Ukraine.

Industrial Companies

During the Soviet era, Kharkiv was a huge center for factories and businesses. After the Soviet Union broke up, many of these factories, especially those making defense equipment, slowed down. But in the early 2000s, the industry started to grow again and adapt to new markets.

Big state-owned companies like Turboatom and Elektrovazhmash make a lot of heavy power equipment for the world. The Antonov plant produces different types of aircraft. The Malyshev factory makes armored vehicles and harvesters. Khartron is a top designer of space and commercial control systems.

IT Industry

Kharkiv is a big hub for the IT (Information Technology) industry in Ukraine. As of April 2018, there were 25,000 IT specialists in the Kharkiv region, mostly in computer programming. This makes Kharkiv the second-largest IT location in Ukraine, after Kyiv.

Most IT companies in Kharkiv work for international clients, with over 95% of their sales coming from outside Ukraine in 2017. Their main markets are North America and Europe.

Finance and Trade

Kharkiv is home to one of Ukraine's largest banks, UkrSibbank. The city also has many large, modern shopping malls.

There are several big markets in Kharkiv, including:

• Barabashovo Market, which is one of the largest markets in Europe.
• Tsentralnyi Market
• Kinnyi (Horse) Market
• Sumskyi Market
• Raiskyi Book Market

Science and Education

Higher Education

The Vasyl N. Karazin Kharkiv National University is a very famous university, founded in 1804–1805. Kharkiv has 13 national universities and many other schools. These schools offer a wide range of subjects. Some of the well-known universities include:

• Kharkiv National University
• National Technical University "KhPI"
• Kharkiv National University of Radioelectronics
• Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University
• Kharkiv National Aerospace University "KhAI"
• Kharkiv National University of Economics
• Kharkiv National University of Pharmacy
• Kharkiv National Medical University

More than 17,000 teachers and researchers work at these universities in Kharkiv.

Scientific Research

Kharkiv has many research centers, some connected to universities. There are three national science centers and 20 national research institutions. About 26,000 scientists work in research and development here.

Famous scientific groups, like the theoretical physics school and the mathematical school, started in Kharkiv. The Kharkiv Scientists House is a place where scientists meet to discuss their work.

Libraries and Schools

Besides university libraries, the Kharkiv State Scientific V. Korolenko-library is a big research library. Kharkiv has 212 secondary schools, including lyceums and gymnasiums. There is also an educational center called the "Landau Center," named after Nobel laureate L.D. Landau.

Culture

Kharkiv is a major cultural center in Ukraine. It has 20 museums, over 10 theaters, and many art galleries. Big music and film festivals are held in Kharkiv almost every year.

Theaters

The Kharkiv National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre is the largest theater in Kharkiv. The Kharkiv Ukrainian Drama Theatre is also very popular. The Kharkiv Academic Drama Theatre was recently renovated. The Kharkiv Puppet Theatre, founded in 1935, is the oldest puppet theater in Ukraine.

Literature

In the 1930s, Kharkiv was a very important place for writers. Many famous literary figures worked here. Sadly, over 100 of these writers were arrested and killed during the Stalinist purges. This sad time is called the "Executed Renaissance." Today, a museum remembers their work.

Kharkiv is also known as the "capital city" of Ukrainian science fiction and fantasy. Many popular writers live here. The annual "Star Bridge" science fiction convention has been held in Kharkiv since 1999.

Music

The Kharkiv Philharmonic Society has a professional Academic Symphony Orchestra. The Organ Music Hall, located in the Assumption Cathedral, has a large organ. The Kharkiv Conservatory and the Kharkiv National Kotlyarevsky University of Arts are also in the city.

Kharkiv hosts the important Hnat Khotkevych International Music Competition for Ukrainian Folk Instruments. There is also a music festival called "Kharkiv – City of Kind Hopes."

Visual Arts and Museums

Kharkiv has been home to many famous painters. The city has many modern art galleries, including the Yermilov Centre and the Kharkiv Art Museum.

There are about 147 museums in the Kharkiv region. Some of the museums in the city are:

• The M. F. Sumtsov Kharkiv Historical Museum
• The Kharkiv Art Museum
• The Natural History Museum at V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University
• The Kharkiv Maritime Museum, about shipbuilding and navigation.
• The Kharkiv Puppet Museum, the oldest doll museum in Ukraine.

Landmarks

Kharkiv is famous for its churches and unique architecture. Some important landmarks include:

• Dormition Cathedral, built in the 17th century.
• Pokrovskyi Monastery, built in the 18th century.
• Annunciation Cathedral, built in the late 1800s.
• Derzhprom building, a famous example of constructivist architecture from the 1920s.
• Freedom Square, one of the largest city squares in Europe.
• Kharkiv railway station, rebuilt in 1952.

Other attractions include the Taras Shevchenko Monument, Mirror Stream fountain, and the Zoo.

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  Dormition Cathedral

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  Pokrovskyi Monastery

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  Annunciation Cathedral

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  Kharkiv Ukrainian Drama Theatre

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  Kharkiv Puppet Theatre (old bank building)

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  Kharkiv State Academy of Design and Arts

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  Kharkiv Central Market Hall

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  Kharkiv Choral Synagogue

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  Railway Pochtamt (post office)

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  Palace of Culture of Railway Workers

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  Kharkiv railway station

Parks

Kharkiv has many parks and gardens. These include Central Park, Shevchenko Park, Hydro Park, Strelka Park, Sarzhyn Yar, and Feldman Ecopark. Central Park and Shevchenko Park are popular places for people to relax and have fun. The Ecopark is great for kids and families. Sarzhyn Yar is a modern park with a mineral water source.

Language

Most people in Kharkiv speak Russian. Even after Ukraine became independent, Russian was still widely used by both ethnic Russians and Ukrainians in the city.

Media

Kharkiv has many TV channels, radio stations, and newspapers, both in print and online.

Newspapers

• Slobidskyi Krai
• Vremya
• Vecherniy Kharkov
• Segodnya
• Vesti
• Kharkovskie Izvestiya

Magazines

• Guberniya

TV Stations

• "7 kanal"
• "А/ТВК"
• "Simon"
• "ATN Kharkiv"
• "UA: Kharkiv"

Radio Stations

• Promin
• Ukrainske Radio
• Radio Kharkiv
• Kharkiv Oblastne Radio
• Russkoe Radio Ukraina
• Shanson
• Retro FM

Online News in English

• The Kharkiv Times
• Kharkiv Observer

Transport

Kharkiv is a major transportation hub in Ukraine. It is connected to many cities around the world by air, train, and road. There are about 250,000 cars in the city. Kharkiv is one of only four Ukrainian cities with a subway system.

Local Transport

Kharkiv has many ways to get around. The Kharkiv Metro (subway) started in 1975 and has three lines with 30 stations. Kharkiv buses carry about 12 million passengers every year. Trolleybuses, trams, and marshrutkas (private minibuses) are also important ways to travel in the city.

Railways

The first railway connection to Kharkiv opened in 1869. The first train arrived from the north on May 22, 1869. Kharkiv's main train station was rebuilt in 1952 after being destroyed in World War II. Kharkiv is connected to all major cities in Ukraine and other countries by regular train services. Local trains, called elektrychkas, connect Kharkiv with nearby towns and villages.

Air Travel

Kharkiv is served by Kharkiv International Airport. You can also find charter flights here. The Kharkiv North Airport is a factory airfield and was a big production site for Antonov aircraft.

Sport

Kharkiv International Marathon

The Kharkiv International Marathon is a big international sports event. It attracts thousands of professional athletes, young people, students, and tourists to Kharkiv.

Football (Soccer)

Football is the most popular sport in Kharkiv. The city has several football clubs that play in Ukrainian competitions. The most successful club is FC Dynamo Kharkiv, which won many national titles in the 1920s and 1930s.

Other clubs include:

• FC Metalist Kharkiv
• FC Metalist 1925 Kharkiv
• FC Arsenal Kharkiv

There is also a women's football club, WFC Zhytlobud-1 Kharkiv, which plays in European competitions. The Metalist Stadium hosted three matches during the UEFA Euro 2012 football championship.

Other Sports

Kharkiv has had several ice hockey clubs that played in the Ukrainian Hockey Championship. Avangard Budy is a bandy club from Kharkiv that won the Ukrainian championship in 2013.

There are also men's volleyball teams, Lokomotyv Kharkiv and Yurydychna Akademiya Kharkiv. RC Olymp is the city's rugby union club, and many of its players are on the national team.

Tennis is popular in Kharkiv, and there are many professional tennis courts. Elina Svitolina, a famous tennis player, is from Kharkiv. There is also a golf club and horse riding facilities at Feldman Ecopark. Cycling is growing in popularity, and a new bicycle highway is being built in Kharkiv.

Notable People

Many famous people were born or lived in Kharkiv, including:

• Serhii Babkin (born 1978) – a singer and actor.
• Valentina Grizodubova (1909–1993) – one of the first female pilots in the Soviet Union.
• Lyudmila Gurchenko (1935–2011) – a famous Soviet and Russian actress and singer.
• Vasily Karazin (1773–1842) – the founder of the National University of Kharkiv.
• Hnat Khotkevych (1877–1938) – a writer, composer, and musician.
• Mikhail Koshkin (1898–1940) – the chief designer of the T-34 Soviet tank.
• Les Kurbas (1887–1937) – a famous movie and theater director.
• Simon Kuznets (1901–1985) – an American economist who won the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences.
• Lev Landau (1908–1968) – a Soviet physicist who won the Nobel Prize in Physics.
• Élie Metchnikoff (1845–1916) – a zoologist who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
• Otto Struve (1897–1963) – a Russian-American astronomer.
• Elina Svitolina (born 1994) – a famous tennis player.
• Anna Ushenina (born 1985) – a women's world chess champion.
• Serhiy Zhadan (born 1974) – a Ukrainian poet and novelist.

Sister Cities

Kharkiv is twinned with many cities around the world. This means they have special friendly relationships and often work together on projects. Some of Kharkiv's sister cities include:

• Albuquerque, USA
• Bologna, Italy
• Brno, Czech Republic
• Cincinnati, United States
• Daejeon, South Korea
• Daugavpils, Latvia
• Jinan, China
• Kaunas, Lithuania
• Kutaisi, Georgia
• Lille, France
• Nuremberg, Germany
• Poznań, Poland
• Rishon LeZion, Israel
• Tianjin, China
• Varna, Bulgaria

Images for kids

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  Kharkiv city council

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  Kharkiv railway station

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  National University of Kharkiv

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  Assumption Cathedral

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  The first railway station in Kharkiv, built in 1869.

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  A 19th-century view of Kharkiv, with the belltower of the Assumption Cathedral.

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  The Intercession Cathedral with bell tower and Ozerianska church (right) built in Kharkiv in 1689.

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  Plan of Kharkiv, 1930.

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  Mirror Stream fountain.

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  Kharkiv in 1981.

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  A monument to the persecuted kobzars in Kharkiv.

• Kharkiv International Airport.jpg

  Kharkiv International Airport.

• Pamyatnik Shevchenko.jpg

  Taras Shevchenko Monument.

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  Kharkiv Art Museum.

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  M. F. Sumtsov Kharkiv Historical Museum.

See also

In Spanish: Járkov para niños