Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, also referred to as Ivano-Frankivshchyna (Івано-Франківщина) or simply Frankivshchyna, is an oblast (region) in western Ukraine. Its administrative center is the city of Ivano-Frankivsk. It has a population of 1,351,822.
Hutsul plays trembita trumpet
Hutsuls in traditional dress in wedding ceremony in Vorokhta
Mud volcano in Starunia
Maniava waterfall
Western Ukraine or West Ukraine refers to the western territories of Ukraine. There is no universally accepted definition of the territory's boundaries, but the contemporary Ukrainian administrative regions (oblasts) of Chernivtsi, Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv, Ternopil and Zakarpattia are typically included. In addition, Volyn and Rivne Oblasts are also usually included. It is less common to include the Khmelnytskyi Oblasts in this category. It includes several historical regions such as Carpathian Ruthenia, Halychyna including Pokuttia, most of Volhynia, northern Bukovina and the Hertsa region, and Podolia. Western Ukraine is sometimes considered to include areas of eastern Volhynia, Podolia, and the small northern portion of Bessarabia.
Old Town of Lviv, the capital of the Kingdom of Galicia–Volhynia from 1272 to 1349 and nowadays, the most populated city of Western Ukraine
Old city and Catholic churches in Uzhhorod, showing the influence of Western Christianity on Western Ukraine
Fortress of Kamianets, a former Ruthenian-Lithuanian castle and a later three-part Polish fortress
The Carpathians in the Zakarpattia Oblast are the highest mountain range in Ukraine