Zakarpattia Oblast (), also referred to as simply Zakarpattia (Ukrainian: Закарпаття; Hungarian: Kárpátalja), Subcarpathia, or Transcarpathia in English, is an oblast located in the Carpathian Mountains in western Ukraine, mostly coterminous with the historical region of Carpathian Ruthenia. Its administrative centre is the city of Uzhhorod. Other major cities within the oblast include Mukachevo, Khust, Berehove, and Chop, the last of which is home to railroad transport infrastructure.

Zakarpattia Oblast was established on 22 January 1946, following Czechoslovakia's abandonment of its claim to the territory of Subcarpathian Ruthenia (Czech and also Slovak: Podkarpatská Rus) under a treaty between Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union. The territory of Subcarpathian Ruthenia was then taken over by the USSR and became part of the Ukrainian SSR.

During the Ukrainian independence referendum held in 1991, a referendum on autonomy was also held in the region. The Transcarpathia name and its variants instead reflect the East Slavic language practice of emphasizing the area's location "past" or "beyond" the Carpathians (as opposed to "below"). Western European languages have variously translated from the Hungarian or East Slavic language versions of the name, with the English and French names generally deriving from the Hungarian Subcarpathia.

History

Early history

thumb|170px|Carpathian highlanders

The County of Maramures in the Kingdom of Hungary overlaid with the current states of Ukraine and Romania|thumb|right

According to the Chronicon Pictum, the earliest state established in Zakarpattia was Ungvari in 677 AD. The name Ungvar derives from a migration of the Onogurs of Poltava, who were ruled by the northern Kubiar sons of Kubrat. The Onogur tribes entered Etelköz through the Verecke Pass. Some of Ungvari's Kubiars under Khan-Tuvan eventually joined the Rus' to form the Rus' Khaganate. In the late 9th century, Ungvari's ruling Árpád dynasty began to fulfil their ambitions for the Carpathian basin, where, by 895, they had relocated to rule over the Magyars.

According to the Gesta Hungarorum, as Prince Álmos entered on the castle of Hung and there he appointed his son Árpád as the primary ruler, hence he was called of the leader of Hungvária, while all of his valiant soldiers were known as Hungvárus, so since then all the Magyars have been known by this name internationally.

In 895, the Hungarian tribes entered the Carpathian Basin from here through the Verecke pass, and the lands of Transcarpathia were influenced by the Principality of Hungary since 895, which transformed the Kingdom of Hungary in 1000. In Transcarpathia, the Voivodeship of Maramureș, granted to a small Romanian nobility, was established in 1343. The region was reorganized into the Máramaros County in 1402.

Since 1867, it was part of the Hungarian side of Austria-Hungary until the latter's demise at the end of World War I. It approximately consisted of four Hungarian counties (comitatus): Bereg, Ung, Ugocsa, and Maramaros. This region was briefly part of the short-lived West Ukrainian National Republic in 1918. The region was occupied by Romania by the end of that year, mostly the eastern portion, such as Rakhiv and Khust. It was later recaptured by the Hungarian Soviet Republic in the summer of 1919. Finally, after the Treaty of Trianon of 1920, it became part of Czechoslovakia with a supposedly equal level of autonomy as the Slovak lands and Bohemia-Moravia-Czech Silesia (Czech lands).thumb|The 1885 ethnographic map of the Kingdom of Hungary, based on the 1880 census, with [[Ruthenians identified in orange (northeastern, upper-right-hand corner)]]

The province has a unique footnote in history as the only region in the former Czechoslovakia to have had an American governor: its first governor was Gregory Zhatkovich, an American citizen who had earlier emigrated from the region and represented the Rusyn community in the U.S. Zhatkovich was appointed governor by Czechoslovakia's first president, T. G. Masaryk in 1920, and served for about one year until he resigned over differences regarding the region's autonomy. In 1928, it adopted the name of Subcarpathian Rus' (). Nevertheless, such autonomy was granted as late as in 1938, after detrimental events of the Munich Conference; until then, this land was administered directly from Prague by the government-appointed provincial presidents (') and/or elected governors (').

Following the Munich Agreement, the southern part of the region was awarded to Hungary under the First Vienna Award in 1938. The remaining portion was constituted as an autonomous region of the short-lived Second Czechoslovak Republic.

World War II

After the Slovak declaration of an independent state on 14 March, the next day, Carpatho-Ukraine was proclaimed as an independent republic but was immediately occupied and annexed by Hungary, and the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia was proclaimed a day after. Voloshyn asked Hitler for support and recognition in advance, but received no answer. The state is known as 'the one-day republic' because it did not exist more than one day. The military operations and the occupation of Carpatho-Ukraine were finished by the Hungarian troops on March 18.

lang=en|thumb|Map of [[Carpatho-Ukraine, an entity that lasted only one day (March 15, 1939)]]

The major Jewish communities of the region had existed in Mukachevo, Ungvar, and Khust. During the German occupation of Hungary (March–December 1944), almost the entire Jewish population was deported; few survived the Holocaust.

In October 1944, the region was occupied by the Red Army. On 26 November 1944, the First Congress of People's Committees of Zakarpattia Ukraine took place in Mukachevo, On 29 June 1945, Czechoslovak President Edvard Beneš, seeking to postpone the inevitable incorporation of Czechoslovakia into the Soviet Bloc, signed a treaty formally ceding the area to the Soviet Union, and the next month it was united with the Ukrainian SSR through the "Manifest for unification with Soviet Ukraine" that was accepted by the 1st Congress of People's Committees of Sub-Carpathian Ukraine without any knowledge or approval of the common people. It was then annexed into the Soviet Union as Zakarpattia Oblast.

In December 1944, the National Council of Transcarpatho-Ukraine set up a special people's tribunal in Uzhgorod to try and condemn all collaborationists with the previous governments, both Hungary and Carpatho-Ukraine. The court was allowed to hand down either 10 years of forced labour or the death penalty. Several Ruthenian leaders, including and , were condemned and executed in May 1946. Avgustyn Voloshyn also died in prison. The extent of the repression showed to many Carpatho-Ruthenian activists that it was not possible to find an accommodation with the coming Soviet regime, as it had been with all previous ones. About 78% of the oblast's population voted in favour of autonomy; however, it was not granted.

On October 25, 2008, 100 delegates to the Congress of Carpathian Ruthenians declared the formation of the "Republic of Carpathian Ruthenia". The prosecutor's office of Zakarpattia region filed a case against priest Dymytrii Sydor and Yevhen Zhupan (members of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) in Ukraine and in close relations with the Russkiy Mir Foundation), an Our Ukraine deputy of the Zakarpattia regional council and chairman of the People's Council of Ruthenians, on charges of encroaching on the territorial integrity and inviolability of Ukraine. On May 1, 2009, National Union Svoboda blocked the holding of the third European congress of the Carpathian Ruthenians, a pro-Russian entity.

thumb|The [[Carpathian Biosphere Reserve became part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves of UNESCO in 1992.]]

At the 2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Yulia Tymoshenko won in most raions of Transcarpathia save for Mukachevo, Berehove, and Vynohradiv, where Viktor Yanukovych gained a majority.

In the 2010 and 2015 local elections, the United Centre won majorities in Transcarpathia. The 2012 Ukrainian parliamentary election saw both the United Centre and the Party of Regions win districts in Transcarpathia.

In the 2014 presidential election, Transcarpathia helped elect Petro Poroshenko as president of Ukraine. Turnout in the east of the region was among the lowest in Ukraine, below 40%, while it reached 65% in its west.

At the 2014 Ukrainian parliamentary election, electoral results in Transcarpathia saw districts being won by Arseniy Yatsenyuk's People's Front and by the Petro Poroshenko Bloc.

Ukraine's 2017 education law makes Ukrainian the required language of study in state schools. Since 2017, relations between Ukraine and Hungary have rapidly deteriorated over the issue of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine.

thumb|Scenic view of Turja Pasika village, north of Mukachevo

Transcaparthian voters overwhelmingly supported Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the 2019 Ukrainian presidential election.

At the 2019 Ukrainian parliamentary election, President Zelenskyy's Servant of the People party won a plurality in Transcarpathia. Electoral turnout in the region was the lowest in the country (<42.5%)

After the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Hungary, led by the government of pro-Russian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, attempted to destabilize the region on multiple occasions. Orban's government has been actively trying to hinder Ukraine's defences against Russian military aggression, including establishing an espionage network in Zakarpattia and conducting several false-flag attacks on members of the Hungarian minority and their properties, with the attempt to damage Ukraine's reputation on the international level and falsely accuse Zelenskyy's government of stirring up anti-Hungarian sentiments. Ukraine's security and intelligence services revealed that the Hungarian government-sponsored network of spies and saboteurs has been working in close coordination with the Russian intelligence apparatus.

The 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine revived interest among Hungarian nationalists for annexing Zakarpattia.

On 27 January 2024 Hungarian László Toroczkai said at a conference that his party Mi Hazánk Mozgalom would lay claim to Zakarpattia/Transcarpathia if the Ukraine-Russia war led to Ukraine losing its statehood.

Geography

right|220px|thumb|[[Ukrainian Carpathians, dividing Zakarpattia (on the south-western side) from Prykarpattia (on the north-eastern side)]]

The Zakarpattia Oblast has a total area of and is located on southwestern slopes and foothills of the Carpathian Mountains covering around 80% of area in the region. The rest of the region is covered by the Transcarpathian Lowland which is part of the Pannonian plain. Zakarpattia is the only Ukrainian oblast to have boundaries with four countries: Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania. The Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians, part of which are located within Zakarpattia Oblast, were recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007.

The largest rivers that flow through the oblast include the Tysa, Borzhava, and the Tereblia. A high altitude lake is located in Rakhiv Raion, which is the highest in the region. It is called Nesamovyte. The lake is located in the Hoverla preserve on the slopes of Turkul mountain. The lake's area is and it is located above sea level.

The region's climate is moderate and continentalAccording to the 2001 Ukrainian Census, the population of Zakarpattia Oblast is 1,254,614. The current estimated population is . With the comparison of the last official Soviet Census of 1989 the total population grew by 0.7%.

The Ukrainian state does not recognise ethnic Rusyns as a separate nationality, instead categorizing them as a subgroup of Ukrainians. Rusyns and the Rusyn language are thus included in the category of Ukrainians and Ukrainian language group are in the majority (72.5%), other ethnic groups are relatively numerous in Zakarpattia. The largest of these are Hungarians (20.1%), Romanians (2.6%), Russians (2.5%), Roma (1.1%), Slovaks (0.5%) and Germans (0.3%). The Ukrainian government does not recognize the Rusyn people living in that country as a distinct nationality but rather as an ethnic sub-group of Ukrainians. About 10,100 people (0.8%) identify themselves as Rusyns according to the last census.

Out of 1,010,100 Ukrainians in the region, 99.2% (~1,002,019) identified their native language as Ukrainian, while about 0.5% (~5,051) consider their native language to be Russian. Out of 151,500 Hungarians, 97.1% (~147,107) consider their native language to be Hungarian, while about 2.6% (~3,939) consider their native language to be Ukrainian. Out of the 32,100 officially recorded Romanians, 99.1% (31,811) identified their native language to be Romanian, while 0.6% (~193) consider their language Ukrainian. Out of 31,000 Russians, 91.6% (28,396) identified their native language as Russian, while 8.1% (~2,511) consider their language Ukrainian. Out of 14,000 Romani peoples only 20.7% (2,898) identify their native language as Romani, while 62.9% (~8,806) consider their language Ukrainian or Russian. Out of 5,600 Slovaks 43.9% (2,458) identify their native language as Slovak, while 42.1% (~2,358) consider their language Ukrainian. Out of 3,500 Germans, 50.0% (1,750) acknowledge their native language, while 38.9% (~1,362) consider their language Ukrainian. About 81% of the oblast population considers the Ukrainian language their native language, while 12.7% of population gives consideration to the Hungarian language and just over 5% considers either the Russian or Romanian languages.

Around two thirds are Eastern Orthodox and about a quarter are Catholic. The largest denomination is the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyivan Patriarchate, followed by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate and the Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church. Smaller religious groups include Roman Catholics and Protestants, which are largely associated with minority groups; Roman Catholics and Protestants tend to be Hungarian or Rusyn.

{| align="center" class="wikitable plainlinks TablePager"

|+

! |Nationality

! |Number

! |in 1989 (%)

! |in 2001 (%)

! |growth (%)

|-----

|Ukrainians (incl. Rusyns)

|1,010,100

|78.4

|80.5

| +3.4%

|-----

|Hungarians

|151,500

|12.5

|15.1

| +2.7%

|-----

|Romanians

|32,100

|2.4

|2.6

| +9.0%

|-----

|Russians

|31,000

|4.0

|2.5

| -37.3%

|-----

|Roma

|14,000

|1.0

|1.1

| +15.4%

|-----

|Slovaks

|5,600

|0.6

|0.5

| -22.3%

|-----

|Germans

|3,500

|0.3

|0.3

| +3.0%

|+

|}

{| width="45%" class="wikitable " style="text-align: right;"

|-

! Year !! Fertility !! Birth || Year !! Fertility !! Birth || Year !! Fertility !! Birth

|-

|1990 || 2,2 || 21 251 || 2000 || 1,5 || 14 481 || 2010 || 1,9 || 18 301

|-

|1991 || 2,2 || 21 059 || 2001 || 1,4 || 13 699 || 2011 || 1,9 || 18 460

|-

|1992 || 2,2 || 20 559 || 2002 || 1,5 || 14 207

|-

|1993 || 2,0 || 19 264 || 2003 || 1,5 || 14 747

|-

|1994 || 1,9 || 17 725 || 2004 || 1,5 || 15 472

|-

|1995 || 1,8 || 17 320 || 2005 || 1,6 || 15 750

|-

|1996 || 1,7 || 16 473 || 2006 || 1,7 || 16 530

|-

|1997 || 1,6 || 15 708 || 2007 || 1,7 || 16 833

|-

|}

Their languages and culture are respected by the provision of education, clubs, etc. in their respective languages. Those who recognize Ukrainian as their native language total 81.0% of the population, Hungarian — 12.7%, Russian — 2.9%, Romanian — 2.6%, Residents in seven of Mukachivskyi Raion's villages have the option to learn the Hungarian language in a school or home school environment. Only one percent of the population does not follow any religion.

The oblast's main industry includes woodworking. Other industries include food, light industry, and mechanical engineering. The foodstuffs segment in the structure of ware production of national consumption is 45%. The total number of large industrial organisations is 319, compared to 733 small industrial organisations.

The most common crops grown within the region include cereals, potatoes and other vegetables. In 1999, the total amount of grain produced was 175,800 tons, of sunflower seeds — 1,300 tons, and potatoes — 378,200 tons.

2020

Distribution of seats after the 2020 Ukrainian local elections

Election date was 25 October 2020

2015

Distribution of seats after the 2015 Ukrainian local elections

Election date was 25 October 2015

Administrative divisions

thumb|250px|Raions of Zakarpattia Oblast as of August 2020.

thumb|250px|Raions and cities of Zakarpattia Oblast before 2020.

[[File:Historical Counties in Zakarpattia.GIF|thumb|250px|Historical regions in Zakarpattia Oblast:

{| width="100%"

| valign="top"|

| valign="top"|

|}]]

On 18 July 2020, the number of raions (districts) was reduced to six.

Zakarpattia Oblast was previously subdivided into 13 raions (districts), as well as 5 cities (municipalities) which are directly subordinate to the oblast government: Berehove (Beregszász), Chop (Csap), Khust, Mukachevo, and the administrative centre of the oblast, Uzhhorod. There are a total of 11 cities, 19 towns, and more than 579 villages.

thumb|250px|[[Berehove]]

Zakarpattia Oblast incorporates four unofficial geographic-historic regions (counties): Ung, Bereg, Ugocsa and Northern Maramureș. There is a project for a reform of the current administrative division of the Oblast

Administrative centres of raions may be located within a city of regional importance, while such city is not technically a part of the raion.

Each raion is subdivided into radas (councils). Cities and towns (urban-type settlements) all have own individual councils, while villages and rural settlements may be formed into multiple settlements councils or an individual village council. A city of regional significance may consist of an individual populated place or be complex of several settlements (the city proper and suburbs) which are governed by their own rada (council). All cities are either of regional importance or of district importance.

<!---<sup>*</sup> former regional municipalities--->

Villages:

  • Batrad
  • Halabor

Symbols

The coat of arms of Zakarpattia was originally created in the end of the 1920s in the then-Czechoslovakia. The oblast's flag was approved at the XXIII plenary session of the Transcarpathian Regional Council. The coat of arms on the flag also appears on the Rusyn flag. The anthem of the Transcarpathian region is a folk musical work arranged by M. Keretsman to a poem attributed by some researchers to Oleksandr Dukhnovych, to the music of controversial Transcarpathian politician Stefan Fentsyk (according to other sources, Stepan Fentsyk himself is the author of the words). The Transcarpathian Regional Council approved the anthem of the Transcarpathian region on 22 December 2009.

See also

  • Carpathian Ruthenia, small historical region
  • Carpatho-Ukraine, a short-lived Ukrainian state on the territory
  • Ruthenians and Ukrainians in Czechoslovakia
  • Museum of Folk Architecture and Life, museum displaying Zakarpattia architecture
  • Eparchy of Mukačevo and Prešov
  • Kárpátalja football team

<gallery mode="packed" heights="160">

File:Morning of Petros.jpg|Petros - a peak in the Chornohora with height of

File:Після грози.jpg|Mount Pikui

File:Над оз.Ворожеска.jpg|Sheep near the Lake Vorozheska

File:Рута і промені.jpg|Carpathian Biosphere Reserve

File:21-101-0002 Uzhgorod Exaltation Cathedral RB.jpg|Cathedral of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Uzhhorod

File:Karpaty, Zakarpats'ka oblast, Ukraine, 89641 - panoramio (23).jpg|Schoenborn Castle-Palace in Chynadiiovo

File:MukachevoCastle1.jpg|Palanok Castle in Mukachevo

File:Дерев'яна церква в селі Нижня Апша..jpg|Wooden Church of St. Nicholas (1604) in Nyzhnia Apsha

File:150601 5DM2 7790-HDR.jpg|Church of the Archangel Michael in Uzhok

</gallery>

References

Further reading

  • carpathia.gov.ua — Official website of Zakarpattia Oblast Administration
  • Zakarpattia Council official site
  • Zaholovok — Zakarpattia actual news
  • Zakarpattia essays — All about Zakarpattia and Ukraine
  • Verkhovna Rada website — Zakarpattia Oblast data
  • Photos and infrastructure objects of Zakarpattia on interactive map (Ukrainian Navigational Portal)
  • all.zakarpattya.net — All about Zakarpattia
  • mukachevo.net — Zakarpattia Oblast informational portal
  • map.meta.ua — Digital map of Zakarpattia Oblast
  • Zakarpattia Oblast – photographs
  • Dictionary of transcarpathian words