Voronezh

Voronezh (Russian: Воро́неж; IPA: [vɐˈronʲɪʂ]) is a city and the administrative center of Voronezh Oblast, Russia, Eastern Europe, located on both sides of the Voronezh River, 12 kilometers (7.5 mi) from where it flows into the Don. It is an operating center of the Southeastern Railway which connects European Russia with the Urals and Siberia, as well as the Caucasus and Ukraine. It is also the center of the M4 highway (Moscow–Voronezh–Rostov-on-Don-Novorossiysk). Its population in 2014 was estimated to be 1,014,610; up from 889,680 recorded in the 2010 Census.

History

Foundation and name

Voronezh originates as a settlement of the Kievan Rus in about the 12th century, first mentioned in the Hypatian Codex (dated 1177). The Voronezh River is likely named for the settlement, then in the Principality of Chernigov. The toponym is usually derived from a Slavic personal name Voroneg, apparently a derivation from voron "raven", The comparative analysis of the name "Voronezh" was carried out by the Khovansky Foundation in 2009.