Kharkiv

The Kharkiv Region is located in eastern Ukraine, with its administrative center in the city of Kharkiv. It borders Belgorod Region (Russia) to the north, Luhansk Region to the east, Donetsk Region to the southeast, Dnipropetrovsk Region to the southwest, Poltava Region to the west, and Sumy Region to the northwest. The Region lies 460 km from Kyiv and 670 km from the Odesa seaport. Administratively, it is divided into seven districts, comprising 17 cities, 61 urban-type settlements, and 1,538 villages.

Kharkiv Region possesses a highly industrialized economy, represented by mechanical engineering, metallurgy, chemical production, and the food industry, while also maintaining a significant agricultural base. Agricultural land covers approximately 19,000 square kilometers, accounting for 5.9% of Ukraine’s total arable area. The Region is home to an aviation plant specializing in space control systems and serves as a major hub for all branches of mechanical engineering – from large-scale industrial manufacturing to microelectronics. In addition, Kharkiv hosts one of the largest natural gas fields in Ukraine, which plays a crucial role in the national energy sector.

Despite ongoing military challenges, Kharkiv Region continues to demonstrate remarkable economic resilience and adaptive capacity. The transformation of the Regional economy is reflected in the steady growth of entrepreneurial activity: more than 20,800 new business entities were registered in 2024 alone, a testament to the determination and ingenuity of local entrepreneurs who continue to create opportunities even under wartime conditions.

Industry specialization: mechanical engineering (agricultural, energy, and aerospace sectors); gas production (Ukraine’s largest producer); information technology (outsourcing services); and agriculture (production of flour, milk, butter, and tobacco).

Natural resources: substantial reserves of natural gas and sand.

In the Regional-economy structure, trade (39.6% of total enterprise sales) and industry (33.1%) remain the leading sectors, while agriculture (6.1%) and financial and insurance activities (8.0%) also play a significant role. Although wartime risks periodically affect business activity and production chains, the diversified economic structure – particularly the strong positions of industry and trade – mitigates shocks and preserves a foundation for post-war recovery and growth.

The Region hosts 32 universities and five technical schools, ensuring a strong scientific and educational base. Leading higher education institutions include V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, Kharkiv National Medical University, and the National Technical University “Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute”. These institutions play a pivotal role in training highly skilled professionals for Ukraine’s industrial and technological sectors.

In 2023, the unemployment rate in Kharkiv Region stood at 6.7% (compared with the national average of 9.9%), while the average monthly salary reached $523 (the national average being $627).