Rivne Oblast

Lore & Background

Before its annexation by the Soviet Union in September 1939 as a result of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact (prior to the USSR's entry into World War II in 1941), the region was part of the Second Polish Republic's Wołyń Voivodeship following the Polish–Soviet War. Previously it was part of the Volhynian Governorate. The Rivne Nuclear Power Plant is located in the oblast, near the city of Varash. The relief varies: the northern portion lies in the Polesian Lowland, while the southern part is within the Volhynian Upland. The main water artery is the river Horyn, and the northwestern area reaches the Prypiat. Large portions are covered in woodlands, and the region has deposits of amber and basalt. In recent years (2016–2017) there were reports of illegal extraction of so-called Rovno amber.

Reader's Guide

Rivne Oblast is significant as a region that largely preserved the Ukrainian language despite Soviet Russification, with 92–95% Ukrainian speakers from 1959 to 1989. It has one of the highest birth rates in Ukraine, though with notable variation among raions. The oblast's administrative divisions were reduced from 16 raions to 4 in July 2020. The region contains historic-cultural sites nominated for the Seven Wonders of Ukraine, including Ostroh Castle, Dubno Castle, and the Tunnel of Love narrow-gauge railway. The oblast's coat of arms features a white cross on a red background, reflecting its location in historical Volhynia.

Did You Know?

• Rivne Oblast has one of the highest birth rates in Ukraine, with rural fertility at 18% versus urban 13.5% in 2012.
• The region experienced illegal extraction of amber, known as 'Rovno amber,' reported in 2016–2017.
• In the 2023–2024 school year, all 164,344 pupils in the oblast studied in Ukrainian-language classes.
• The oblast's coat of arms features a white (silver) sword with a gold hilt on a red background, symbolizing its historical Volhynian heritage.