Donetsk is the capital of the large industrial region of Donbas as well as the administrative center of the Donetsk Oblast. It is located 95 kilometers north of the Sea of Azov.
Since the middle of the 18th century, the city and the region specializes in coal mining. Now there are more than 125 coal-mining waste banks within the city — these slag heaps can be seen all over Donetsk.
The city area is 385 square kilometers. About 2,500 km (1,600 miles) is the total length of arterial streets, squares, and boulevards. There are approximately 2,200 avenues, streets, and alleys in Donetsk.
From a bird’s-eye view, one can see that the city is completely surrounded by forests, rivers, steppes, and hills.
The largest river within the city limits is Kalmius. In 1967, a concrete dam was built to block the riverbed of the Shirokaya River — this reservoir became known as the “Donetsk Sea”.
The Verkhnekalmiusskoye reservoir is located in the city’s northern part and is surrounded by forests from the east and the expanses of the Kalmius River from the south. The Donetsk Sea is located in the southern part of the city. The “Donetsk Sea” and the Nizhnekalmiusskoye reservoir constitute the main water supply sources of both Donetsk and the region.