Nikolaev region is located in the south of Ukraine in the basin of the Southern Bug River and borders with Odessa, Kirovograd, Kherson and Dnepropetrovsk regions. The south of the region is washed by the waters of the Black Sea. The administrative center is the city of Nikolaev, a large industrial, scientific and cultural center. The region was formed on September 22, 1937 after unbundling of the Odessa region. Its territory is occupied by zones of forest-steppes and steppes covered with lush grasses; the climate is moderately continental. The main rivers of the region are the Southern Bug, Ingul and Ingulets. The lands of the region were inhabited in the late Paleolithic era (more than 15 thousand years ago), as evidenced by the remains of settlements of this time on the banks of the Southern Bug and Ingul. Remains of camps, inhabitants of the Mesolithic era (10 thousand years ago) were found in many areas of the region. During the Neolithic period the territory of Nikolaev region was part of the zone of Bug-Dniester archaeological culture, settlements of which were found in the northern and north-western part of the region. In the first centuries AD these lands were gradually settled by Slavic tribes. At the end of the 10th century the territory of the modern region was a part of Kievan Rus. This Buzhsky fertile land was repeatedly attacked by foreign invaders — hordes of Pechenegs, Polovtsians, Mongol-Tatars, Lithuanians and others.
The historical and archaeological reserve «Olvia» in the village of Parutino (near Nikolaev) stores many different items depicting the culture and life of the peoples of those distant historical times.
After the Russian-Turkish war in 1768-1774g.g. the territory of the region became part of the Russian state. It was from this time that intensive settlement of this region began. At the same time, the first buildings of the future city of Nikolaev appeared on the Ingul River, where a shipyard was built, which gave rise to the shipbuilding of the Black Sea Fleet.
At present the leading industry of the region is shipbuilding. There are three large shipyards and many industrial enterprises operating in Nikolaev, which ensure the production of modern river and sea vessels. In the economic potential of the region a significant weight is also occupied by non-ferrous metallurgy, the main representative of which is JSC «Nikolaev Alumina Plant», food and processing industry enterprises. On the territory of Nikolaev region there is a South Ukrainian nuclear power plant. Agriculture of this region with favorable climatic conditions is well developed, the main crops of plant growing are cereals, industrial, melons, as well as grapes and horticulture. Livestock breeding occupies a significant weight in the agricultural economy.
In Nikolaev region there are excellent conditions for health-improving recreation and fascinating tourism. Sandy beaches of the Black Sea coast, lakes, therapeutic muds of Tiligulsky and Beykushsky estuaries invariably attract hundreds of thousands of tourists, vacationers and those wishing to improve their health. On the territory of the region there are several hundred sanatoriums, boarding houses, objects of the reserve fund, regional landscape parks. Grassy steppe expanses, river and lake beds, granite rocks, relic groves and protected tracts — all this makes up the sights of this southern region and creates perfect conditions for active recreation and photo hunting. A unique territory is the regional landscape park «Kinburn Spit», where forests alternate with areas of untouched land. The attention of tourists is invariably attracted by the archeological reserve «Olbia». A traditional attraction of the region is yachting and yacht tourist cruises. Black Sea resorts of the region — Koblevo, Ochakov and Rybakovka — are invariably popular among the residents of Ukraine. Hundreds of boarding houses and vacation homes are built here by the sea shore. Warm gentle sea, sandy beaches with moderately gentle bottom, water slides, boat and yacht rides, children’s attractions, youth discos create exceptional opportunities for a full-fledged youth and family vacation. The combination of the aroma of steppe herbs and flowers and sea air form a wonderful health-improving atmosphere.