Simferopol’ is a city in Ukraine; it is the capital of the Autonomous republic of Crimea, the administrative, industrial, scientific and cultural center of the republic. It is located in the center of the Crimean peninsula on the river Salgir. The name Simferopol means in translation from Greek “city of common good”. Crimean Tatar name of Simferopol is Aqmescit it is translated as “a white mosque”.

The project of the present coat of arms of Simferopol has been prepared by author's group in 2006. The French board divided into two fields by a narrow, silver, wavy strip, symbolizing the main waterway of Crimea - the river Salgir. In the top azure field of the board, symbolizing beauty of city, the gold flying bee, as a symbol of advantage is located. In the bottom red field is a gold antique bowl from a legend about foundation of Scythians which is a symbol of a history of the city, started from Naples Scythian. Red color in this case shows courage and valor of the Scythians protecting their capital. The board is topped with a gold tower with colors of flag of the Autonomous republic of Crimea and surrounded the oak branches of natural color twisted with a ribbon of the Order of the Red Banner of Labor a with motto inscription "SIMFEROPOL".

The official flag of Simferopol has been approved in 2006. This panel consisting of three vertical strips: dark-blue, white and red, in the center of the wider white strip the coat of arms of the city is represented.

The official date of the foundation of Simferopol is 1784; however some historians challenge the right of this date to be the date of the foundation of the city.

The first settlements of the human being on the territory of present Simferopol have appeared during a prehistoric epoch, but most known of ancient predecessors of city is Scythian Neapolis – the capital of late Scythian state, that arose about in III century A.D. and presumably was destroyed by Goths in III century A.D. Ruins of Naples are located now in the area of the Peter beam on the left coast of the river Salgir.

During the early Middle Ages a large city settlement on the territory of Simferopol did not exist. During domination kipchaks and Golden Horde there was the small settlement named Kermenchik (a small fortress in Crimean-Tatar).


In the spring and summer time 1944 Cremean-Tatar (194111 persons), Greek (14368 persons), Bulgarian (12465 persons), Armenian (8570 persons), German, Karaites has been deported from Crimea, including Simferopol, and was settled on all territory of the former USSR. In 1945 after liquidation of Autonomous republic of Crimea Simferopol became the center of the Crimean area of RSFSR which in 1954 has been transferred USSR.

After restoration of Autonomous republic of Crimea in the city again has become the capital of Crimea.

During uneasy ninetieth year of XX century Simferopol was one of the centers (other important center Sevastopol was) separative movement which has the main goal to separate Crimea from Ukraine.

As Simferopol is capital of republic the majority of political meetings take place there. Most often these meetings concern the rights of the Crimean Tatars population, protection of Russian language or they complain on working authority (city, republican, state).

The population of Simferopol is 341600 people. Russians make the majority of the population of the city. According to results of Ukrainian population censuses of 2001 in the population of the area were present the following ethnic groups: Russian - 66,7 %; Ukrainians - 21,3 %; Crimean Tatars - 7 %; Byelorussians - 1,1 %; Poles - 0,2 %; Moldavians - 0,1 %.

Simferopol consists of: Kievskiy, Centralniy, and Zheleznodorozhniy districts. The city is located in foothills of Crimea, in a hollow formed by crossing of the valley between External (lowest) and Internal ridges of Crimean Mountains and the valley of the river Salgir. On the river near to the city the Simferopol water basin is created. Due to such arrangement the valley in which the city is located, is blown by winds from mountains.

Simferopol is a large industrial centre. The main branches are the mechanical engineering, the food and light industries. In total there are about 70 sizeable enterprises in the city. At present time the majority of the enterprises is in a condition of idle time or has very few orders.

Simferopol is the major transport unit of Crimea. The majority of connections of the Autonomous republic of Crimea with the world are made through Simferopol. In city a railway station, a bus station, three auto-stations, two airports (one of international class, another - local) are located. Simferopol, Alushta and Yalta the longest trolleybus line in the world (86.5 km). The basic municipal transportation is trolley buses. Also there are a lot of private fixed-route taxis (about 95 routes) and buses.

In Simferopol the majority of high schools of Crimea are located, including the main university of republic, one of 10 classical universities of Ukraine - Taurian National University in the name of V.I.Vernadsky, based in 1918. Among other agrarian, medical, ecological, industrial - pedagogical universities, National academy of nature protection and resort construction, engineering - pedagogical university and the Crimean economic institute of the Kiev National economic university are worth attention.

In Simferopol local lore museum, ethnographic and art museums, some theatres work: Russian academic drama theatre in the name of M.Gorkiy, the Ukrainian drama theatre and a musical comedy, the Crimean-Tatar academic musical - drama theatre, Philharmonic society, a puppet theater, and circus. Besides it in city the enterprises for tourists are located: travelling agency and excursions of company Krymtur, tourists centre "Tauria". In Simferopol there is a central archive in the Autonomous republic of Crimea – “the State archive of the Autonomous republic of Crimea”.

On June, 6, 2009 the Museum of Simferopol history has opened; the exposition covers the period since 1784, that is from the moment of the basis of the city by empress Ekaterina II, to 2009. As exhibits in a museum subjects of a life, documents, photos, pictures, coins are exposed - basically it is gifts of Simferopol inhabitants.

Climate is half-dry, with soft winter. Average temperature of January is +3 °C, of July is +24,2 °C. A mid-annual level of precipitations is about 450 mm; average quantity of hours of solar light is about 2469 in a year. Winter time is with very changeable weather and frequently changing each other thaws and fallings of temperature proceeds from December, 29 till February, 19.