Cities of regional significance

Cities of regional significance
Cities are marked with Latin alphabet lettering
Category	Second-level subdivision
Location	Ukraine
Created	1932
Number	182 (as of 2015)
Government	City Council
Subdivisions	Urban districts Councils (municipalities)

City of regional significance is a city municipality that is designated as a separate district within its region (i.e. oblast, Crimea). In Crimea, these cities are referred to as cities of republican significance, while in regular oblasts those municipalities are referred to as cities of oblast significance (Ukrainian: Місто обласного значення, Misto oblasnoho znachennya). The designation of regional significance was created with the introduction of oblasts back in 1932.

Such city municipality is complex and usually combines the city proper as well as the adjacent populated places. The city of regional (oblast) significance is governed by a city council known as mis'krada which is chaired by a mayor. There are instances where a municipality may include only the city alone (city proper), while in others instances a municipality may consists of its own subdivisions such as districts in city, similarly to the cities with special status or even other cities which carry designation of cities of district significance.

Each region has at least one city of regional significance as its administrative center. A city is usually granted the status for being an economical and cultural center that has a developed industry, utilities, a considerable amount of state provided housing, and a population of over 50,000, and if for further economical and social development of a city it is appropriate to establish a direct management by regional organizations. In some cases, a city with a population of less than 50,000 can be a city of regional significance if it has important industrial, social-cultural, and historical significance, or a propensity for further economical and social development and population increase. These exceptions are usually granted on a decision of the Supreme Council of Ukraine – Verkhovna Rada.

The city can be divided into districts at the city's authorities' discretion. Along with raions of a region, the cities of regional significance are the second level of administrative-territorial division of Ukraine. Beside having districts, the city can be divided into various municipal councils (rada, often considered its extended metropolitan area and suburbs) such as smaller city councils, town councils, or rural councils. Additionally, a city of regional significance can simply be composed of one settlement itself.