Rivne, city in western Ukraine, capital of Rivne Oblast on the Ust'ya River, 180 km (112 mi) northeast of L'viv. Rivne is a road and rail junction and an industrial center on the fertile Volhynian Upland, where grain and sugar beets are the main crops. Flax, small grains, and potatoes are grown nearby. Industries in the city produce tractors, high-power equipment, chemicals (ammonia, acids, and fertilizers), building materials, food products, linen, and other consumer goods. Rivne has several professional institutes, a music and drama theater, a philharmonic orchestra, and several museums. Among its architectural monuments is the Dormition Church (1756) and a gymnasium building.
Rivne was first mentioned in 1282 as a trade center of the Halych-Volyn' Principality. It passed to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the 14th century, to Poland in 1569, and to Russia in 1793. Following the struggle for Ukraine's independence, it passed to Poland in 1921, and then the Ukrainian republic of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) in 1939. Population (1998 estimate) 245,000.Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001
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