Kharkiv (Ukrainian: Ха́рків, transliterated as Járkiv Spanish; in Russian: Харьков,
translit. as Kharkov) is the second largest city in Ukraine. It is the administrative
center of the Kharkiv oblast, as well as the administrative center of the surrounding
rayon first (first district) within the oblast. The city is located in the northeast
of the country, around the 49 ° 54′60″ N and 36 ° 18′60″ E. In 2006, its population
was 1.461.300 inhabitants.
Kharkiv is one of the main industrial, cultural and educational centers of Ukraine.
Its industry specializes in the production of weapons and machinery. There are hundreds
of industrial companies in the city. These include global giants like the Morozov
Design Bureau and the factory of tanks Malyshev (leaders in tank production since
the 1930s), Hartron (nuclear aerospace and electronics industry) and famous (producer
of turbines for nuclear power plants).
There is a metro (Metropolitan underground or suburban train), with 35 km of track
and 28 stations.
A well-known in Kharkov place is the freedom square (Ploshchad Svobody), currently
the third largest in Europe and the seventh largest square in the world.