Donbas (Ukrainian: Донбас) or Donbass (Russian: Донбасс), full rarely-used name Donets Basin (Ukrainian: Донецький басейн, translit. Donetskyi basein; Russian: Донецкий бассейн, translit. Donetskiy bassein), is a historical, economic and cultural region of eastern Ukraine. Originally a coal mining area, it has become a heavily industrialised territory suffering from urban decay and industrial pollution.
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Donbas covers three adminitsrative oblasts (provinces) in the east of the country: easternmost part of the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast around the city of Pavlohrad (the so-called "Western Donbas"), northern and central part of Donetsk Oblast (southern part is perceived to be Pryazovia coastland) and southern part of Luhansk Oblast (northern part is perceived to be Slobozhanschyna). The city of Donetsk is considered the unofficial capital of Donbas.
Donbas may sometimes be referred to a larger supranational region also consisting a part of neighbouring Rostov Oblast in Russia. This is explained by the fact that Donets' coal basin geographically extends to that area (also specializing in coal mining), which sometimes called a "Russian Donbas". But the latter is of lesser economical and, most of all, sociopolitical significance compared to the part that after 1991 belongs to Ukraine.
The name of the region originates from the coal-field discovered in late 19th century which was named after the Donets river flowing across the region.
In 1676, the first town of the Donbas emerged: Solanoye (now Slavyansk) which was built for the profitable business of extracting newly-discovered rock-salt reserves. In 1721, vast and rich coal fields were found, which started the "industrial boom" which led to the flourish of the region in 18th–first half of 20th century.
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