The Central Black Earth/ Chernozemye Region is a region in European Russia, located south of Central Russia and north of Ukraine.
Divnogorye is a natural museum-reserve in the center of the Voronezh
region with amazing chalk pillars (divas), and inside one of these chalk
mountains there is a functioning cave church of the Sicilian Icon of the
Mother of God.
Oryol Polissya is a national park in the north-west of
the Oryol region, which boasts not only that Turgenev wandered in the
local forests, who dedicated most of his famous "Hunter's Notes" to
them, but also the largest population of bison in Russia - they are
already here more than 400 individuals.
Prokhorovka - here is the
famous Prokhorovka field - the third military field of Russia, where the
most important battle of the Battle of Kursk took place.
Svoboda is a
place in the vicinity of Kursk, where on the picturesque bank of the
Tuskar River stands one of the most famous monasteries in the Black
Earth region - the Root Hermitage, founded in 1597 on the site of the
appearance of the revered Kursk Root Icon. In the XVIII-XIX centuries.
Kursk Korenskaya Fair, one of the largest in the Russian Empire, was
held here.
Spasskoe-Lutovinovo - here in the north of the Orel region
is the family estate of Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev. One of the main
literary places in the region, where the museum-reserve of the classics
of Russian literature now operates.
The economic region received its outlines within the boundaries of
the administrative-territorial division of the central regions of Russia
in the 20th century. Currently, it is not geographically the center, as
it is located near the western border.
The isolation of the
territory as an administrative unit was in the early stages of the new
settlement of the outskirts of North-Eastern Rus' in the 16th-17th
centuries. By that time, the territorial division of the military and
administrative and economic activities of the Discharge Order into the
Moscow (in charge of not only Moscow, but also national affairs),
Belgorod, Vladimir, Novgorod, Sevsky and Kiev tables. The Russian State
Archive of Ancient Acts (RGADA) stores a large amount of information
about the economic affairs of the Black Earth regions in the lists of
the Belgorod table.
The administrative-territorial division of
the current Chernozem region changed as a result of multiple state
reforms. In 1880, a statistical edition of the book Volosts and the most
important villages of European Russia was published. Issue I. Provinces
of the central agricultural region. The central agricultural region
includes 8 provinces: Ryazan, Tula, Kaluga, Orel, Kursk, Voronezh,
Tambov and Penza.
In 1928, the Central Chernozem Region was
formed from the former Voronezh, Kursk, Orel and Tambov provinces with
the center in Voronezh. In 1934 the region was abolished. The
conditional statistical division and allocation of the region has been
preserved, only the modern Oryol region is not included in it.
The active development of industry and the new localization of the
Chernozem region began only in Soviet times. This was mainly due to
industrialization, the development of iron ore resources of the Kursk
magnetic anomaly and the creation of a number of machine-building
enterprises.
On May 31, 1991, the order of the Chairman of the
Supreme Council of the RSFSR "On the organization of associations for
economic interaction between the regions of the Central Black Earth
region of the RSFSR and measures to create conditions for their
accelerated development" was issued.
From 1991 to 2001, the
Chernozemye Association included 10 regions: Belgorod, Voronezh, Kursk,
Lipetsk, Novgorod, Oryol, Smolensk, Tambov, Tula and Bryansk.
According to the zoning grid of the State Planning Committee of the
USSR and in modern Russia, the CCR includes 5 regions: Belgorod,
Voronezh, Kursk, Lipetsk and Tambov regions.
Area: 167856 km²,
0.98% of the entire territory of Russia;
Population: 7141554 people
(2022), 4.86% of the total population of Russia;
Population density:
43 people/km²;
Level of urbanization: 68% of the population lives in
cities, in rural areas - 32%.
Prehistory and Ancient Times
The Chernozemye region, also known as
the Central Black Earth Region, spans parts of southwestern European
Russia, including modern oblasts such as Belgorod, Kursk, Lipetsk,
Oryol, Tambov, and Voronezh. Its defining feature is the fertile
chernozem soil—a dark, humus-rich black earth formed over millennia
through the interaction of climate, grassland vegetation, and biological
processes like earthworm activity, which contributed to its genesis
during the Late Pleistocene and Holocene eras. Scientific understanding
of this soil advanced in the 19th century, with Russian soil scientist
Vasily Dokuchayev classifying it in 1883 as resulting from steppe
grasses, bedrock, and organic matter, refuting earlier theories of
forest or peat origins. Austrian-born botanist Franz Joseph Ruprecht's
1866 geo-botanical researches further established its steppe grass
origins, influencing geobotany and soil science. Prehistoric agriculture
in the region favored anecic earthworms, enhancing soil fertility and
explaining Chernozem formation alongside human activity.
Human
habitation dates back to ancient times. Archaeological evidence
indicates Slavic settlements from the 8th to 11th centuries, with a vast
town-planning complex spanning 42 km along the Voronezh River, including
13 forts and villages. The area was part of broader Indo-European
migrations, with Cimmerians (Thracian subgroup) as early rulers in
southern Russia around the 8th-7th centuries BCE. Nomadic tribes like
Scythians and Sarmatians dominated the steppes, followed by Severian
Slavs in the Belgorod area by the 8th-10th centuries, whose settlements
were destroyed by Pechenegs in the 10th century and annexed to the
Principality of Pereyaslavl in 965. For centuries, the region remained
largely open steppe grasslands, unsuitable for intensive agriculture due
to dense root systems resisting wooden plows, and vulnerable to nomadic
raids.
Medieval Period
During the medieval era, Chernozemye
was integrated into Kievan Rus', the early East Slavic state. Kursk was
first mentioned in 1032 as a principality seat, facing Polovtsian
(Cuman) raids in the 12th-13th centuries. Voronezh appears in chronicles
from 1177, when Prince Yaropolk of Ryazan fled there after battle,
referring to the river and surrounding territories with black oak
forests. The Mongol invasion under Batu Khan devastated the region:
Kursk was destroyed around 1237, Lipetsk in 1284, and Belgorod possibly
in 1237. Post-Mongol, the area fell under the Golden Horde's successors,
including the Nogai Horde. By the 14th century, Kursk rebuilt by 1283
and came under Lithuanian control (1360-1508) before joining Muscovy in
1508 as a southern border province. The region, known as the "Wild
Fields," was a frontier zone prone to slave raids by Crimean Tatars and
Nogais, limiting settlement.
Early Modern Period and Russian
Empire (16th-19th Centuries)
As Muscovy expanded southward,
Chernozemye became a defensive bulwark. In the 16th century, forts were
built along the Muravsky Trail: Voronezh in 1586 by Tsar Feodor I,
Belgorod in 1596 as part of the Great Zasechnaya Cherta line, and
Kursk's new fortress in 1596. These withstood raids during the Time of
Troubles, though Belgorod was burned in 1612. The 17th century saw
continued threats, leading to the Belgorod Line (1633-1740), an earthen
wall with forts from Vorskla to Don Rivers. Peter the Great used
Voronezh as a dockyard for the Azov Flotilla (1695-1696), building
Russia's first fleet, including the ship Goto Predestinatsia. Lipetsk
was founded in 1703 for ironworks to produce artillery.
By the 18th
century, with borders shifting south, military roles declined. Belgorod
lost fortress status in 1785, transitioning to provincial life in Kursk
Governorate. Cities gained town status: Lipetsk in 1779, Kursk in 1779
(with a post-1781 fire redevelopment plan). Voronezh became Azov
Governorate's seat in 1711, evolving to Voronezh Governorate. Orthodox
dioceses were established, like Voronezh in 1682 with St. Mitrofan as
bishop.
The 19th century marked agricultural and industrial growth,
leveraging chernozem soils. Steel-tipped plows enabled cultivation of
steppes, turning Chernozemye into Russia's breadbasket by the century's
end. Voronezh developed manufacturing (mills, soap, leather) and
railways (1868 to Moscow, 1871 to Rostov). Kursk became a corn trade
center with Ukraine. Lipetsk hosted a Land and Liberty congress in 1879.
Exports funded industrialization under Sergei Witte.
20th
Century: Revolution, Soviet Era, and World War II
The Russian
Revolution transformed the region. Soviets took power in Kursk (1917),
Belgorod (1917), and Voronezh amid Civil War chaos. Belgorod briefly
hosted Ukraine's Provisional Government (1918-1919) before RSFSR
incorporation. Denikin's forces occupied cities in 1919. Lipetsk housed
a secret German-Soviet aviation base (1922-1933).
In 1928, the
Central Black Earth Oblast was formed, uniting Voronezh, Kursk, Oryol,
and Tambov Governorates, with Voronezh as center; it was dissolved in
1934 into modern oblasts. Stalin's collectivization relied on regional
wheat exports, causing famine. The Great Terror saw thousands executed,
with mass graves discovered later.
World War II devastated
Chernozemye, a key battleground. German occupation: Voronezh (1942-1943,
92% destroyed), Kursk (1941-1943), Belgorod (1941-1943), Lipetsk
infiltrated. The Battle of Kursk (1943), including Prokhorovka's massive
tank clash, turned the Eastern Front. Post-war reconstruction by 1950
emphasized industry: Voronezh aviation (Tu-144, Il-86), Kursk iron ore
from Kursk Magnetic Anomaly, Lipetsk steel (Novolipetsk). Belgorod
became oblast center in 1954. Soviets industrialized the agricultural
region using Kursk iron ores.
Post-Soviet Era
After the USSR's
1991 dissolution, Chernozemye adapted to market economics while
retaining agricultural and industrial roles. Voronezh reached one
million residents in 2012, attracting investments; Lipetsk privatized
steel in 1992; Kursk developed nuclear power (Kursk NPP since 1977). The
region accounts for ~3% of Russia's GDP, focusing on ferrous metallurgy,
machinery, and food processing. Cultural preservation includes
anniversaries (Voronezh 425th in 2011, Kursk 980th in 2012) and
memorials like Belgorod Diorama.
Since 2022, amid the Russia-Ukraine
conflict, border areas like Belgorod faced attacks: fuel depot raids,
accidental bombings, drone strikes, and evacuations, highlighting
ongoing tensions. Voronezh experienced drone attacks on distilleries in
2024. Chernozemye remains vital for Russia's agriculture (grain, sugar
beets) and industry, embodying its historical role as a fertile,
strategic heartland.
Chernozemye, also known as the Central Black Earth Region or Central
Chernozem Region, is a prominent geographical and agricultural area in
European Russia. The name derives from the Russian words "chernaya
zemlya," meaning "black earth," referring to its exceptionally fertile
chernozem soils. This region forms part of the broader Eurasian Black
Earth belt, which extends from Moldova and western Ukraine eastward
through Russia, narrowing as it reaches Siberia. However, Chernozemye
specifically encompasses the central Russian portion, situated in the
southern part of the Central Federal District on the East European
Plain. It includes five main administrative oblasts (provinces):
Belgorod, Kursk, Lipetsk, Tambov, and Voronezh, with Oryol sometimes
included in broader definitions. The total area spans approximately
168,000 square kilometers, making it a compact yet vital zone for
Russia's economy and food production.
Historically, between 1928 and
1934, these oblasts were unified as the Central Black Earth Oblast
centered in Voronezh, highlighting its unified geographical identity.
The region lies roughly 400–600 kilometers south of Moscow, bordering
Ukraine to the southwest, and serves as a transition zone between
forested northern Russia and the steppes to the south.
The topography of Chernozemye is characterized by gently rolling plains typical of the East European Plain's southern extension. Elevations generally range from 150 to 250 meters above sea level, with the landscape dissected by numerous ravines, gullies, and low hills. Uplands such as the Middle Russian Upland provide some variation, reaching heights of up to 286 meters in places. The terrain is predominantly flat or slightly undulating, which facilitates large-scale agriculture but also contributes to erosion risks on slopes. This relief has been shaped by glacial and fluvial processes over millennia, resulting in a landscape that is broadly homogeneous but punctuated by erosional features. Protected areas like the Central Black Earth Nature Reserve (about 42 square kilometers in Kursk and Belgorod Oblasts) preserve examples of this topography, including virgin steppes and forested hills.
Chernozemye experiences a temperate continental climate, influenced by its inland position and proximity to the Black Sea and Atlantic air masses. Summers are warm to hot, with average July temperatures between 20°C and 22°C, providing ideal conditions for crop growth and vegetation proliferation. Winters are moderately cold, with January averages ranging from -5°C to -9°C, and a stable snow cover that insulates the soil and moderates temperature fluctuations. Annual precipitation is moderate, typically 500–600 millimeters, concentrated in the warmer months, which supports the region's humid grasslands but can lead to occasional droughts or floods. The climate is transitional between the humid forests to the north and the drier steppes to the south, contributing to the forest-steppe biome. This regime has made the area highly suitable for agriculture, though climate change impacts, such as shifting precipitation patterns, pose emerging challenges.
The defining feature of Chernozemye is its chernozem soils, among the most fertile in the world. These black-colored soils contain high levels of humus (4% to 16%), phosphorus, and ammonia compounds, formed under grassland vegetation in a temperate climate with balanced moisture. Soil depth varies from several centimeters to over 1.5 meters, with an average of about 1 meter in many areas, allowing deep root penetration and excellent water retention. Chernozems are rich in carbonates and organic matter, requiring little fertilizer for grain cultivation, which has historically made the region Russia's "breadbasket." Variants include podzolized, leached, and meadow-chernozems, covering vast areas (e.g., 45 million hectares for podzolized types in broader Russia). Intensive farming has led to some humus depletion and erosion, prompting conservation efforts like afforestation.
The region's hydrology is dominated by the Don River basin in the south, including major tributaries like the Voronezh, Khoper, and quieter streams such as the Psel. Northern areas drain into the Dnieper system via the Seym River. In total, Chernozemye features over 27,000 kilometers of watercourses across 941 rivers, forming extensive floodplains that support wetlands and riparian ecosystems. Permanent water bodies are limited, consisting mainly of ponds, reservoirs, and occasional swamps, with base flow contributing to regional water resources. These waterways are crucial for irrigation, though degradation from agricultural runoff necessitates sustainable management.
Chernozemye lies in the forest-steppe zone, a transitional biome blending deciduous forests and open grasslands. Vegetation includes scattered oak groves (Quercus spp.), birch stands, and expansive mixed-grass prairies dominated by species like Stipa pennata, Bromus spp., and forbs such as Pulsatilla patens. Forests cover about 10% of the area, with riparian zones along rivers adding diversity. Historically steppe-dominated, much has been converted to farmland, but preserved patches in reserves showcase virgin tselina (uncultivated land). Biodiversity is rich for a cultivated region, featuring mammals like roe deer, wild boar, and red foxes; birds adapted to mosaic habitats; and flora in wetlands and woodlands. Protective forest belts, totaling around 600,000 hectares of oak, pine, and acacia, combat erosion and enhance habitats.
Beyond its soils, Chernozemye is rich in iron ores from the Kursk Magnetic Anomaly, supporting industrial development. The region's geographical significance lies in its role as Russia's agricultural heartland, producing grains, sugar beets, and sunflowers on a massive scale. Challenges include soil erosion, water management, and rural depopulation, addressed through federal programs. Overall, Chernozemye exemplifies how geography—through soil, climate, and relief—has shaped human activity, from ancient steppes to modern agribusiness.