Zakarpattia Oblast, Zakarpattya, Transcarpathian Oblast
Zakarpattia Oblast or Transcarpathian Oblast (Ukrainian: Закарпатська область, Zakarpats'ka oblast' or Закарпаття, Zakarpattia, also transliterated Zakarpattya; Hungarian: Kárpátalja) is an oblast (province) of Ukraine. Its capital is Uzhhorod. Other important cities are Mukacheve and Chop (the border town housing various transportation infrastructure).
Earlier history of the area is elaborated at Carpathian Ruthenia, a former name for the geographic region.
Although ethnic Ruthenians are in majority here, other ethnic groups are relatively numerous in Zakarpattia. The largest of those are Hungarians, Romanians(50.000+), Russians and Slovaks. Their languages and culture are respected by providing national school education, clubs etc. Zakarpattia is home to approximately 25,000 ethnic Roma (otherwise known as Gypsies), the largest population of Roma in Ukraine). In Berehevo works the first Hungarian College in Ukraine: II. Rákoczi Ferenc College. The rusyn people living in Ukraine are not recognised as a distinct nation.
The area of the region is 12,800 km²; its population (as of 2004-05-01) is 1.2 million people.
Zakarpattia's economy depends mostly on trans-border trade, vinery and forestry.
Until it's demise at the end of World War I, it was part of Austria-Hungary. It then joined the newly formed Czechoslovakia, of which it formed one of the main regions, the other being Bohemia, Moravia and Slovakia. During the World War II Nazi occuparation of Czechoslovakia, it was awarded to Hungary under the First Vienna Award, becoming one of it's 'highland' territories. After the Soviet "liberation", it was annexed by the Soviet Union and became part of the Ukraine SSR. After the break-up of the Soviet Union, it became part of Ukraine as the Zakarpattia Oblast.
There have been some suggestions prior to 1993 of the region rejoining Czechoslovakia, but this issue has been made largely superfluous with it's break-up.