Population

{| class="wikitable"

|-

! Ethnicity

! 1897

! 1926

! 1939

! 1959

! 1989

! 2001

! 2017

|-

| Ukrainians ||8.5%||29.9%||49.7%||59.7%||63.2%||72.6%||84%

|-

| Russians ||66.3%||44.6%||31.0%||30.3%||31.2%||22.6%||12%

|-

| Jews ||19.5%||20.8%||15.2%||6.8%||2.1%||0.5%||

|-

| Belarusians ||0.2%||0.3%||0.7%||1.0%||1.1%||0.8%||

|-

| Bulgarians ||0.1%||0.2%||0.6%||0.6%|| || ||

|-

| Poles ||2.8%||1.7%|| || || || ||

|-

| Germans ||0.9%||1.1%||0.9%||0.1%|| || ||

|}

Language

Distribution of the population by native language according to the 2001 census:

{| class="standard"

|-

! Language

! Number

! Percentage

|-

| Ukrainian

| align="right"| 214 710 ||align="right"| 42.17%

|-

| Russian

| align="right"| 289 224 || align="right"| 56.81%

|-

| Other or undecided

| align="right"| 5 168 || align="right"| 1.02%

|-

| Total

| align="right"| 509 102 || align="right"| 100.00%

|}

As of 2017, 63% of the population spoke Russian at home, 7% Ukrainian, and 28% spoke both Ukrainian and Russian equally.

Awards

The Soviet Government awarded Mykolaiv the Order of the Red Banner of Labour on 31 December 1970, for successfully fulfilling its assignments for the development of industrial production, in the USSR's five-year economic plan.

On 25 March 2022 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy awarded Mykolaiv the title of Hero City of Ukraine due to the Battle of Mykolaiv.

Administrative districts

Mykolaiv is divided into four urban districts:

  • Tsentralnyi District is located in the northwest of the city. It includes the historic center of Mykolaiv, Raketne Urochyshche, Temvod, Soliani, Pivnichnyi, Ternivka (with a separate village council), Matviivka, Varvarivka.
  • Zavodskyi District is located in the west of the city. In this area, many industrial enterprises are concentrated. It also includes neighborhoods Lisky and Namyv, as well as towns of Velyka Korenykha and Mala Korenykha.
  • Inhulskyi District (former Leninskyi District) is located in the east of Mykolaiv. Among other neighborhoods, it includes the PTZ, Novyi Vodopii, Staryi Vodopii. The district has a zoo, bus and railway stations.
  • Korabelnyi District is located in the south of the city. It includes a broad beam, Bohoiavlenskyi, Balabanivka, Kulbakyne.

Official symbols

Mykolaiv adopted its current coat of arms on 26 September 1997. Its design came from the one adopted in 1883, by removing the symbol of Kherson province to which Mykolaiv didn't belong anymore.

Mykolaiv adopted its current flag on 2 July 1999 and its anthem on 11 September 2004.

Economy

thumb|[[Mykolayiv Shipyard]]

thumb|Modern [[shopping mall in the Mykolaiv city center]]

Mykolaiv is a major shipbuilding center of Ukraine since the time of both the Russian Empire (1721–1917) and the now defunct Soviet Union (1922–1991) and an important river port. The city has three major shipyards one of which is capable of building large navy ships. Other important industries are mechanical engineering, power engineering, metallurgy and food industry.

Mykolaiv was closed to foreign visitors until the late 1980s due to the large number of secret Soviet Navy projects that took place in the city (as well as due to its military air base, turbine factory and military port). The majority of the Soviet Navy's surface ships, including its only aircraft carrier, the aircraft carrier Kuznetsov, were built in Mykolaiv.

In May 2011, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych visited Mykolaiv and said that Ukraine was serious about reviving and further developing its shipbuilding industry in the Mykolaiv region.

One of the largest industrial businesses in the city is the Mykolaiv Aluminia Factory (formerly part of Rusal and currently owned by Glencore), which produces aluminium oxide (alumina), raw material for the production of aluminum.

In addition to heavy industry, the city has a developed food processing industry, including a juice maker, Sandora (part of PepsiCo), a dairy products maker, Laktalis-Mykolaiv, and a brewery, Yantar. Nibulon (Ukrainian: Нібулон), one of Ukraine's biggest agriculture companies specialized in the production and exportation of grain such as wheat, barley and corn is headquartered in Mykolaiv. The company has its own maritime fleet and shipyard, the Nibulon Shipyard, and also developed its own river fleet to transport grain to export terminals.

In January 2017, the Mykolaiv Development Agency released a promo video of the city's investment potential.

The Mykolaiv Armored Factory (owned by Ukroboronprom) has been a large repair facility for Ukraine's military since the beginning of the Russo-Ukrainian War. Engineers at the plant designed an armored ambulance based on the BTR-70 to be used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Ukrainian military presence

Mykolaiv, being an important strategic city in southern Ukraine has a significant Ukrainian military presence, including the shipyards that build Ukraine's surface navy ships, the Mykolaiv Ukrainian Navy base, the "MARP" aircraft repair factory (Mykolaiv), and the Kulbakino army base (in the Mykolaiv Oblast, outside of the city of Mykolaiv).

Previously for many years after World War II the city had been home to the 92nd Guards Motor Rifle Division, the former 92nd Guards Rifle Division. The 79th Airmobile Brigade is based in the city.

Transportation

Mykolaiv is one of Ukraine's most important transportation junctions. It is a major commercial river and sea port, and a major highway and rail junction. Mykolaiv also has a dual-function passenger and freight airport, but passenger service at the airport is not significant, compared to Ukraine's major airports. In addition to the airport and sea and river port, Mykolaiv has two train stations, and an intercity bus station.

Air

Mykolaiv Airport (IATA code NLV) is one of the largest and most technically well equipped airports in the South of Ukraine, which serves the city. The airport, located northwest of Mykolaiv, is mainly used for air freight and only has limited passenger service. Russian airline UTAir Aviation offers flights from Mykolaiv to Moscow (Vnukovo – VKO airport). In addition, there are one-hour passenger flights from Odesa (the nearest major airport) to Mykolaiv. Almost all airline passenger service in the South West of Ukraine (where Mykolaiv is located) is through Odesa International Airport: to reach Mykolaiv by airplane, tourists generally reach Odesa by plane, and then take a bus, taxi or train, for approximately 2 hours, to Mykolaiv. Odesa, the largest city in South West Ukraine, is from Mykolaiv.

Kulbakyno airport, also known as Mykolaiv, is a Class I military air base located just to the southeast of the city center, in Kulbakyno. It primarily supports wings of Sukhoi Su-24, Sukhoi Su-25, Sukhoi Su-27, and Mikoyan MiG-29.

Bus travel long distance

Mykolaiv is an 8.5-hour bus ride from Kyiv's main bus station. Ukrainian private national bus companies Gyunsel and Avtoluks operate overnight buses from Kyiv to Mykolaiv seven nights per week. The bus station in Mykolaiv is located at Prospekt (Avenue) Bohoyavlenskyi 21.

Roads

thumb|Road on Varvarivskyi bridge

The main north–south highway that passes through Mykolaiv is H (or M)-14.

The main East-West Highway that passes through Mykolaiv is E-58 M-14 (West and then South to Odesa), and South East to Kherson, a major port on the Dneper River, just before it flows into the Black Sea. The E-58 M-14 then continues East to the major industrial city and port in South Eastern Ukraine, Mariupol.

The main highways to and from Mykolaiv are from Kherson (), Odesa (), Uman (), Chişinău (Kishniev), Moldova (), the Crimean Peninsula (), Kyiv (), Kharkiv (), and Lviv () in Western Ukraine. Ukraine's roads, including those leading from Mykolaiv, tend to be poorly maintained and can be very dangerous.

Roads through Mykolaiv include:

  • the east–west Euro-Asian transport corridor: Odesa–Mykolaiv–Kherson–Dzhankoy–Kerch.
  • the corridor Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation: Reni–Izmail–Odesa–Mykolaiv–Kherson–Melitopol–Berdyansk–Mariupol–Novoazovsk.

the road M14 (Odesa–Novoazovsk), having an exit to the main highway M18 (Yalta–Simferopol–Kharkiv).

Roads to/from Mykolaiv include:

  • R-06 (Ulianovka–Mykolaiv) with the highway M05 (Odesa–Kyiv), which, in turn, is linked with the highway M12 in the city district of Uman, having an exit on the route Lublin–Warsaw–Gdańsk (Poland). The length of the route Gdańsk–Mykolaiv is .
  • N11 (Dnipro–Kryvyi Rih–Mykolaiv)
  • N14 (Аleksandrovka–Kropyvnytskyi–Mykolaiv)

Bridges

Mykolaiv, being located at the confluence of two major rivers, has two main bridges.

thumb|right|Varvarivskyi Bridge

thumb|[[Inhul Bridge|Inhul River bridge in Mykolaiv]]

thumb|Old pedestrian bridge over Inhul River

The Varvarivskyi Bridge over Southern Bug is a swing bridge with Europe's largest span (). It is also the southernmost bridge over the Southern Bug. The bridge connects the North coast of Mykolaiv to its Tsentralnyi District, located on the West Bank of the river. The Odeske Highway crosses the bridge and then continues south-west to Odesa.

Another major bridge is the Inhul Bridge crossing the Inhul River. The bridge leads from the north coast of Mykolaiv, and goes north-northeast to the peninsula on the north side of the Inhul, just north of Mykolaiv. On the north Side of the Inhul River, the Heroyiv Stalingrada Highway crosses the bridge, streaming into Pushkinska Street on the other side.

Rail

Overnight train travel in sleeper-berth passenger trains is a very common way to travel long distances in Ukraine, cheaper, more comfortable and faster than buses – and more environment-friendly, for that matter. There are nightly trains from Kyiv's main passenger train station to Mykolaiv.

In addition to Kyiv, trains from Mykolaiv regularly run to the two closest major cities to Mykolaiv: Odesa (south west of Mykolaiv); and Kherson (south of Mykolaiv). Direct trains to Moscow (26 hours), Kyiv (8-10), Lviv (18), Odesa (5), the Crimea (8 hours) depart every day. Train departures timetable. All trains have coach cars.

Mykolaiv's passenger train station is called Mykolaiv – Passenger. It at the intersection of Myru Avenue and Novozavodska Street 5 (in Ukraine street address numbers are placed after the street name).

  • Dnieper-Bug Sea Commercial Port
  • Mykolaiv River Port
  • Sea Specialized Port Nika-Tera

Local transportation

thumb| [[Mykolaiv tram|Tram in Mykolaiv]]

The main forms of city transport are fixed-route marshrutkas, buses, trolley buses, and trams.

Tram

The length of Mykolaiv's tram lines is . From 1897 until 1925 Mykolaiv's trams were pulled by horses. Trams began to be powered by electricity in 1915, and this has continued through the present. At their inception, the tracks were , but during the period from 1952 to 1972 they were switched to standard gauge.

Тrolleybus

The length of Mykolaiv's trolleybus lines is . Mykolaiv's trolleybuses have operated since 29 October 1967.

Education

thumb| [[Admiral Makarov National University of Shipbuilding]]

There are several universities in Mykolaiv. The main universities are: Admiral Makarov National University of Shipbuilding (leading shipbuilding university in Ukraine), Petro Mohyla Black Sea State University, Sukhomlinsky National University of Mykolaiv, and Mykolaiv State Agrarian University.

Sukhomlinsky National University of Mykolaiv is the oldest university in Mykolaiv. The idea of the university foundation arose in the 1860s, but it was realized only on July 18, 1913, when the Mykolaiv Teacher's Institute was founded. Nowadays there are 7,000 students studying at the university, 300 teachers working at 36 departments. Annually, the university graduates 1,000 specialists and 60-70 undergraduates.

There are 10 higher education institutions in Mykolaiv of level III or IV accreditation. 65 general education schools, lycees, gymnasium schools, 3 evening schools, and 12 private learning institutions are in the city.

In a survey in June–July 2017, adult respondents reported the following educational levels:

Sports

Mykolaiv is represented within the Ukrainian Bandy and Rink-bandy Federation.

thumb|Central City Stadium, Mykolaiv

MFC Mykolaiv (Municipal Football Club "Mykolaiv", Ukrainian: Муніципальний футбольний клуб "Миколаїв") is a Ukrainian football club. Created back in 1920, it is one of the oldest sports clubs in Eastern Europe. The club existed as a football team of the Black Sea Shipyard. The club has been relegated three times from the Ukrainian Premier League. MFС Mykolaiv's best achievement in the Ukrainian Premier League was the 13th place (in 1994–95). Since the 2022 Russian aggression, the club has suspended its participation in professional competitions. Mykolaiv's main football stadium is Tsentralnyi Stadion. There are several smaller stadiums located within or nearby Mykolaiv, among which is the Stadion Parku Peremohy (Victory Park Stadium). As for other professional-level football clubs in the city, there were also FC Vast Mykolaiv, SC Enerhiya Mykolaiv, FC Sudnobudivnyk Mykolaiv. Besides those clubs, there are many smaller amateur-level clubs such as Varvarivka, Torpedo Mykolaiv, and many others.

Mykolaiv's professional basketball team is MBC Mykolaiv. The team has won or finished second or third in several international tournaments since 1988, and won the Ukrainian Championship in 1992. MBC Mykolaiv is part of the Ukrainian Basketball SuperLeague, which is the top professional basketball league in Ukraine.

The Mykolaiv students won two gold and bronze medals in the Ukrainian Academic Rowing Cup.

Among other types of sports, Mykolaiv hosts an American football team, Mykolaiv Vikings, and there are many enthusiasts of sailing sports.

International relations

Mykolaiv is part of the International Black Sea Club and The World Council of Environmental Initiatives, since ICLEI).

Mykolaiv is twinned with:

  • Aalborg, Denmark, since 2023
  • Dezhou, China, since 2009
  • Galați, Romania, since 2003
  • Glasgow, Scotland, since 2024
  • Kotka, Finland, since 2024
  • Kutaisi, Georgia, since 2012
  • Nilüfer, Turkey, since 2001
  • St Helier, Jersey, since 2023
  • Tianjin, China, since 2001
  • Tinos, Greece, since 2012
  • Trieste, Italy, since 1996
  • Weihai, China, since 2019
  • Zhoushan, China, since 2016

Notable people

thumb|upright| [[Vitaliy Kim, 2020]]

thumb|upright| [[Iryna Sysoyenko, 2018]]

thumb|upright| [[Vladimir Vasilyev (writer)|Vladimir Vasiliev, 2006]]

  • Taisia Afonina (1913–1994), Soviet, Russian painter and watercolorist
  • David Aizman (1869–1922), Russian-Jewish novelist and playwright
  • Mykola Arkas (1853–1909), composer and historian
  • Isaak Babel (1894–1940), journalist and writer, spent part of his childhood in Mykolaiv
  • Paul A. Baran (1909–1964), American Marxist economist
  • Sy Bartlett (1900–1978), Ukrainian-American author and screenwriter/producer of Hollywood films
  • Yurii Biriukov (born 1974), businessman, politician and founder of Phoenix Wings
  • Georgy Brusilov (1884–1914?), Arctic explorer
  • Victor Buerger (Berger) (1904–1996), Ukrainian–British chess player
  • Art Hodes (1904–1993), jazz pianist born in Mykolaiv, emigrated to Chicago as a child
  • Svetlana Ischenko (born 1969), poet, stage actress, teacher and artist
  • Boris Kamensky (1870–1949), Imperial Russian violinist
  • Vitaliy Kim (born 1981), businessman and politician, the Governor of Mykolaiv Oblast since 2020
  • Vsevolod Kniaziev (born 1979), judge and lawyer
  • Stepan Makarov (1849–1904), commander of the Imperial Russian Navy, oceanographer, and author
  • Max Maltzman (1899–1971), American architect noted during the Art Deco era
  • Larisa Matveyeva (born 1969), poet, novelist, playwright and translator
  • Serhii Melnychenko (born 1991), photographer, dancer, master of sports of the international class in ballroom dances
  • Yuri Nosenko (1927–2008), KGB defector, born in Mykolaiv
  • Maria Orska (1893–1930), actress of the German theater and cinema in the 1920s
  • Galina Petrova (1920–1943), medic and Chief Petty Officer in the Black Sea Fleet during WWII
  • Pinkhus Rovner (1875–1919), Jewish Ukrainian Bolshevik revolutionary
  • Serhiy Ryzhkov (1958–2017), constructor, ecologist and academic professor
  • Chana Schneerson (1880–1964), mother of the seventh Chabad-Lubavitch Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson
  • Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson (1902–1994), the Chabad-Lubavitch Rebbe, born in Mykolaiv and lived there until 1907
  • Aleksandra Sokolovskaya (1872–1938), Russian Marxist revolutionary and Leon Trotsky's first wife
  • African Spir (1837–1890), philosopher, studied in Mykolaiv
  • Grigory Stelmakh (1900–1942), Soviet military commander
  • Iryna Sysoyenko (born 1982), politician and lawyer
  • Meir Teomi (1898–1947), Ukrainian-born actor and immigrant to Mandatory Palestine who was murdered during a terrorist attack
  • Leon Trotsky (1879–1940), revolutionary, studied in Mykolaiv
  • Konstantin Umansky (1902–1945), Soviet diplomat, editor, journalist, and artist
  • Vladimir Vasilyev (born 1967), Russian science fiction writer and musician
  • Pyotr Veinberg (1831–1908), Russian Empire poet, translator, journalist, and literary historian
  • Oleg Voloshyn (born 1981), Russian-Ukrainian journalist, political pundit, and former government official
  • Sergei Zakharov (1950–2019), Russian singer with a rare lyrical baritone
  • Hennadiy Zubko (born 1967), Ukrainian politician
  • Oleksandr Zubov, (born 1983), Ukrainian chess player, born in Mykolaiv

Sport

thumb|upright| [[Olha Kharlan, 2016]]

  • Valeriy Dymo (born 1985) – swimmer who competed in the 2004, 2008 and the 2012 Summer Olympics
  • Olha Kharlan (born 1990) – sabre fencer; European, world, and Olympic champion
  • Olena Khomrova (born 1987) – sabre fencer, team gold medalist at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
  • Nikita Rukavytsya (born 1987), professional footballer for Israeli Premier League club Maccabi Haifa and the Australia national team.
  • Oleksiy Sereda (born 2005) – diver; at age 13, he was the 2019 European champion in the 10 metre platform event, the youngest ever to win this gold medal; lives in Mykolaiv
  • Oxana Tsyhuleva (born 1973) – trampolinist, silver medalist at the 2000 Summer Olympics

See also

  • Black Sea Shipyard
  • Mykolayiv Shipyard
  • Okean Shipyard

References

Explanatory notes

  • Official portal of The Mykolaiv City Council —Note that the Ukrainian language version has more working features than the English and Russian language versions.
  • Nikolaev Travel Guide for English speaking visitors
  • An English-language city guide to Mykolaiv