Donbas
Also called: Donets Basin · Topic: Secondary Activities: Manufacturing and Industrial Location · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
The Donbas, or Donets Basin, is a coal and steel region in eastern Ukraine. It grew into one of the Soviet Union's main industrial centres because it had large coal deposits for heavy industry. Like other old coal-and-steel belts, it later suffered from ageing mines and plants. War began there in 2014, and much of the region has been occupied by Russia since 2014 and 2022 (verify current).
Example
The cities of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine, near the Russian border, are the heart of the Donbas. They were built around coal mines, steelworks and heavy engineering. The war has badly damaged this industry.
Don't confuse with
- Ruhr: the Ruhr is an old coal-and-steel region in Germany, on the Rhine. It has been regenerated through services, universities and heritage sites. The Donbas is in eastern Ukraine and has been hit by war instead.