Template:Featurt airticle/October 2016
Odesa (Ukrainian: Оде́са, pronounced [ɔˈdɛsɑ]), or Odessa (Roushie: Оде́сса), is the third lairgest ceety in Ukraine, wi a population o 1,003,705. At the beginnin o the 20t century it wis the biggest ceety o Ukraine an haed a special unthirlt jurisdiction. The ceety is a major seaport an transportation hub locatit on the northwastren shore o the Black Sea. Odessa is an aa an admeenistrative centre o the Odessa Oblast an major cultural center o multi-ethnic population. Its alternative Roushie name is the Soothren Palmira.
The predecessor o Odessa, a smaa Tatar dounset, wis foondit bi Hacı I Giray, the Khan o Crimea in 1440. Efter a period o Lithuanie control, it passed intae the domain o the Ottoman Sultan in 1529 an remained in Ottoman hands till the Ottoman Empire's defeat in the Russo-Turkis War o 1792. The ceety o Odessa wis foondit bi a decree o the Empress Catherine the Great in 1794. Frae 1819 tae 1858 Odessa wis a free port. Durin the Soviet period it wis the maist important port o trade in the Soviet Union an a Soviet naval base. On 1 Januar 2000 the Quarantine Pier o Odessa trade sea port wis declared a free port an free economic zone for a term o 25 years.
In the 19t century it wis the fowert lairgest ceety o Imperial Roushie, efter Moscow, Saunt Petersburg an Warsaw. Its historical airchitectur haes a style mair Mediterranean nor Roushie, haein been hivily influencit bi French an Italian styles. Some biggins are biggit in a mixtur o different styles, includin Art Nouveau, Renaissance an Clessicist.
Odessa is a wairm watter port. The ceety o Odessa hosts twa important ports: Port o Odessa itsel an Port Yuzhne (an aa an internaitionally important ile terminal), situatit in the ceety's suburbs. Anither important port, Illichivsk, is locatit in the same oblast, tae the sooth-wast o Odessa. Thegither thay represent a major transport hub integratin wi railways. Odessa's ile an chemical processin facilities are connectit tae Roushie's an EU's respective networks bi strategic pipelines.