About Nikolaev

Nikolayev is the capital of Nikolayev Oblast, southern Ukraine. The city lies along the estuary of the Southern (Pivdennyy) Buh River, about 40 miles (65 km) from the Black Sea. A leading port on the Black Sea and an important shipbuilding center, the city has an excellent harbor kept open in winter by icebreakers. Manufactures include agricultural and construction machinery. Founded in 1784 as a fortress near the site of the ancient Greek colony of Olbia , the city was named Nikolayev in 1788 when it became a shipbuilding center. The city was occupied and badly damaged by the Germans from 1941 to 1944, during World War II. Population (1998 estimate) 518,000.