| FAMOUS TRANSCARPATHIANS |
Agrarian population predominates - 754,400 (58%), whereas urban population is 522,000 (42%). There are approximately 655,000 women and 621,000 men. Between the years 1959 and 2000 AD, the population of Transcarpathia increased 1.4 times.
The biggest increases in population were in Uzhhorod, Tyachiv, Mukachevo, Khust and Vynohradiv districts. The population of each of them increased by 100,000. The lowest increases in population were in the mountainous area of Velykyy Bereznyy and in Berehovo district, which is situated in a valley.
In the region today, there are 712,000 people of working age. Some 540,000 people work in the region, 80,000 of them as potential seasonal workers. Some 573,000 are not available for work, and 17,000 are unemployed. In addition, 240,000 are retired, 36,000 have large families, 44,000 are handicapped, and 40,000 are elderly or on their own.
In general, 76 various ethnic groups live in the Transcarpathian region. The main groupings are listed below by order of size, percentage, population and main location:
1. UKRAINIANS - 78.4%, i.e. 976,479 people occupy the largest part of Transcarpathia. Transcarpathian Ukrainians belong to 4 specific ethnic groups such as Boyks - Volovets' and Mizhhirya districts; Lemks- Velykyy Bereznyy district; Hutsuls - Rakhiv district; Dolynyanys - valleys and lowland areas.
2. HUNGARIANS - 12.5% (155,711): Berehovo, Vynohradiv, Uzhhorod, Khust districts.
3. RUSSIANS - 4% (49,458): Uzhhorod, Mukachevo. Svalyava, Chop.
4. RUMANIANS - 2.4% (29,485): Solotvyno district.
5. ROMA - 1% (12,131): Uzhhorod, Berehovo, Svalyava, Korolevo, Mukachevo, Vylok.
6. SLOVAKS - 0.6% (7,329): Uzhhorod, Svalyava and Perechyn districts.
7. GERMANS - 0.3% (3,478): Pavshyno, Palanok, Synyak, Ust'-Chorna, Tyachiv, Nimetska Mokra.
8. JEWS - 0.2% (2,639): Uzhhorod, Mukachevo, Khust.
9. BYELARUSSIANS - 0.2% (2,521): Uzhhorod, Mukachevo.
10. CZECH, POLES, ITALIANS, ARMENIANS, AZERBAIJGANI and other ethnic groups - 0.6% (about 2,000): Uzhhorod, Mukachevo, Khust, Rakhiv.
It is worth mentioning the historic tribes and peoples who lived in this land for many centuries. Among them were the Skiffs - VII century BC; the Celts - V-I centuries BC; the Sarmats - I century AD; the Dacs - I century BC-I century AD; the Romans - II century AD; the Goths - II century AD; the Burgunds - III century AD; the Vandals - III century AD; the Goths - IV-VI century AD; the Huns - VI century AD ; the Avars - VI-VII century AD; the Bulgarians - IX century AD; the Moravians - IX century AD.
Over the past two hundred years, more than 400,000 people left Transcarpathia. Nowadays, emigrants from the region and their descendants live in almost every continent. Below are the estimates (taken from foreign reference books) of the number of Ukrainians-Rusins from Transcarpathia who live abroad:
EUROPE: Hungary - 3,000; Slovakia - 30,000; Czech Republic - 12,000; Poland - 60,000; Croatia - 5.000; Serbia - 25.000; Rumania - 20.000. In addition, many who are Transcarpathians by birth now live in other European countries such as Austria, Germany, Moldova, Belarus, Russia. ASIA: a lot of native Transcarpathians live in Israel. AMERICA: the USA - 620,000; Canada - 20,000; many also live in Argentina, Brazil. AUSTRALIA: Australia - 2,500.
The Prince of Great Moravia - Rostislav (846 - 870) - laid the basis of the future state. He asked the Emperor of Byzantium to send him priests who could conduct services in the Slavonic language. The Emperor sent him Cyril and Methodius. In 988 the Grand Duke of Kyiv - Volodymyr - converted to Christianity together with his state, Kyyivska Rus'.
At that time, or even earlier, people in Transcarpathia living between these states might also convert to Christianity. It was the Church which supported significantly the feudal system of the state. The local population kept equal relations with both the East and West.
Prince Koryatovych of Podillya founded a monastery in Mukachevo, and the Italian counts Druhets brought Jesuits to Transcarpathia. When the Byzantine Empire became weak, links with the western Christian countries became foremost, which influenced significantly the development of the local Christian culture. Owing to its varied ethnic composition, the population of Transcarpathia contains about 30 different religious persuasions, eg:
1. Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchy). 2. Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Kyiv Patriarch). 3. Ukrainian Autocephalic Orthodox Church. 4. Russian Orthodox Church. 5. Community of Orthodox Old-Believers (without priest agreement). 6. Greek Catholic Church of Transcarpathia. 7. Roman Catholic Church of Transcarpathia. 8. Transcarpathian Reformed Church. 9. Church of Seventh Day Adventists. 10. Church of Christians of the Seventh Saturday. 11. Church of Adventists-Reformists. 12. Church of Evangelical Christians - Baptists. 13. Union of Free Christians Evangelical Belief of Ukraine. 14. Methodist Church. 15. Union of Christians of Evangelical Belief of Ukraine ("fiftieths"). 16. Union of Evangelical Christians ("subbotniks"). 17. Jehovah Witnesses. 18. New Apostle Church. 19. Church of "God Alive". 20. Church of "Belief Alive". 21. Church of "Meeting of New Testament". 22. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons). 23. Judaism. 24. Society of Krishna Consciousness. 25. Buddhists. 26. Muslims.
| Who? | What did he/she do? |
| Myhaylo Andrella (1637-1710) | Author of religious polemic compositions |
| Ioanykiy Bazylovych (1742-1821) | Author of the first compositions of the region’s history |
| Myhaylo Boludyanskyy (1769-1847) | First rector of Petersburg University |
| Marko Barabolya (1910-1945) | Writer-satirist |
| Andriy Bachynskyy (1732-1809) | Bishop-enlightener, publisher of 5-volume Bible |
| Yosyp Bokshay (1891-1975) | Founder of Transcarpathian school of painting |
| Yuliy Borshosh-Kumyatskyy (1905-1978) | Poet and pedagogue |
| Yuliy Brashchayko (1879-1955) | First head of Transcarpathian “Prosvita” |
| Avhustyn Voloshyn (1874-1945) | President of Carpathian Ukraine, scientist-pedagogue |
| Vasyl Hadzheha (1864-1938) | Historian, priest, pedagogue |
| Ivan Harayda (1905-1945) | Historian, head of Subcarpathian society of sciences |
| Havrylo Hlyuk (1879-1983) | Famous artist |
| Ihor Hrabar (1871-1960) | Artist, author of “History of Russian art” |
| Emil’ Hrabovskyy (1892-1955) | Well-known painter |
| Vasyl Hrendzha-Donskyy (1897-1974) | Writer, well-known journalist |
| Antoniy Hodynka (1864-1946) | Rector of Bratislava University, historian |
| Yuriy Hutsa-Venelin (1802-1839) | Founder of Slavistic historical school of Bulgarian studies |
| Luka Demyan (1894-1968) | Transcarpathian writer and folklorist |
| Adolf Dobryanskyy (1817-1901) | Enlightener, deputy of Russian district |
| Vasyl Dovhovych (1783-1849) | Philosopher, first Transcarpathian Academician |
| Ivan Dulishkovych (1815-1883) | Well-known Transcarpathian historian, priest |
| Oleksandr Duhnovych (1803-1865) | Enlightener, pedagogue, folklorist and writer |
| Gyöngyösi István (1629–1704) | Well-known Hungarian poet |
| Erdélyi Béla (1891-1955) | Founder of Transcarpathian school of painting |
| Yuriy Zhatkovych (1855-1920) | Historian, ethnographer, translator |
| Dezyderiy Zador (1912-1985) | Well-known Transcarpathian composer and musicologist |
| Ivan Zeykan (1670-1739) | Tutor of Russian Emperor Peter II |
| Ilona Zrini (1643-1703) | Sovereign of Mukachevo, the only woman to receive an |
| award from Turkish sultan for bravery | |
| Andriy Karabelesh (1906-1964) | Well-known Transcarpathian poet |
| Anton Kashshay (1921-1991) | Well-known painter |
| Stepan Klochurak (1895-1980) | Head of Hutsul Republic with the centre in Yasinya |
| Iryney Kondratovych (1878-1957) | Historian, vice-president of Subcarpathian society of sciences |
| Fedir Koryatovych (?-1414) | Duke and sovereign of Mukachevo, founder of Mukachevo cloister |
| Arseniy Kotsak (1737-1800) | Philosopher, linguist and poet |
| Andriy Kotska (1911-1987) | Well-known painter |
| Anatoliy Kralytskyy (1834-1894) | Writer, historian and ethnographer |
| Vasyl Kukolnyk (1765-1821) | Director of gymnasia of Higher Sciences in Nizhyn |
| Tyvodar Lehotskyy (1830-1915) | Scientist-historian, archaeologist and ethnographer, museum worker |
| Mykola Lelekach (1907-1975) | Scientist-historian, bibliographer |
| Petro Lintur (1909-1969) | Well-known Transcarpathian scientist-folklorist |
| Petro Lodiy (1764-1829) | Dean of Law Department of Petersburg University |
| Myhaylo Luchkay (1789-1843) | Author of “History of Carpathian Russyns” |
| Fedir Manaylo (1910-1978) | Well-known painter |
| Oleksandr Markush (1891-1971) | Writer, pedagogue, journalist |
| Ishtvan Marton (1923-1996) | Well-known Transcarpathian composer |
| Kostyantyn Matezonskyy (1794-1858) | Founder of first chorus in Transcarpathia |
| Myhaylo Mashkin (1926-1971) | Composer, author of the song “Mountainous country, my mother” |
| Oleksandr Mytrak (1837-1913) | Writer, lexicographer and ethnographer |
| Munkácsy Mihály (1844-1900) | World-known Hungarian painter |
| Ivan Orlay (1771-1829) | Director of Gymnasia of Higher Sciences in Nizhyn |
| Oleksandr Pavlovych (1819-1900) | Enlightener, writer |
| Ivan Pankevych (1887-1958) | Linguist, founder of “Pedagogic society of Pidkarpatska Rus’” |
| Ivan Pasteliy (1741-1799) | Historian and pedagogue |
| Vasyl Pachovskyy (1878-1942) | Poet and historian, author of the name “Sribna zemlya” (Silver land) |
| Mariyka Pidhiryanka (1881-1963) | Well-known Transcarpathian poetess |
| Fedir Potushnyak (1910-1960) | Poet, short-story writer, archaeologist and ethnographer |
| Ivan Rakovskyy (1815-1855) | Writer-publicist |
| Hnat Roshkovych (1854-1915) | Well-known painter |
| Yevmeniy Sabov (1858-1931) | Literary man, compiler of textbooks, pedagogue |
| Vasyl’ Svyda (1913-1989) | Sculptor-carver |
| Ivan Sil’vay (1838-1904) | Enlightener, writer and poet |
| Petro Sova (1894-1984) | Specialist on regional geography, scientist-historian |
| Yuriy Stavrovskyy-Popradov (1850-1899) | Well-known poet and publicist |
| Hiyador Strypskyy (1875-1946) | Ethnographer, scientist-historian |
| Myhailo Tomchaniy (1914-1975) | Well-known Transcarpathian writer |
| Yevhen Fentsyk (1844-1903) | Well-known writer-publicist |
| Vasyl Chopey (1856-1934) | Philosopher, author of “Russian-Hungarian dictionary” |
| Ivan Churhovych (1791-1862) | Well-known Transcarpathian pedagogue |
| Soltész Zoltán (1909-1990) | Well-known painter |
| Stefán Ágoston (1893-1986) | Head of Soym (parliament) of Carpathian Ukraine, pedagogue |
World-famous personalities have been on the territory of our region at different periods, including the following: Bartok Bela - a world-famous Hungarian composer, Herman Biderman - an Austrian scientist-historian, Jokai Mor - a Hungarian writer-Romanist, Oleksandr Ipsilanti- a Greek revolutionary, Kazinczy Ferenc - a Hungarian poet-revolutionary, Kossuth Lajos- a leader of Hungarian revolution, 1848; Ivan Olbracht - a Czech writer, Petofi Sandor - a world-known Hungarian poet, Heverdle Ferenc and Hollosy Simon - Hungarian painters, Mykola Sadovskyy- a Ukrainian theatre producer, Robert Maxwell- a well-known media magnate, Olha Kobylyanska- a Ukrainian writer, hesed Shpira- one of the leaders of world Hasidism, Roquel Kent- an American painter.
A considerable part of Transcarpathia's history was associated in centuries past with well-known feudal families of Europe: XIVc.- Rozhoni ( owners of village of Dovhe), Hunt-Pazman' (Vyshkovo), Pereni (Sevlyush and 117 villages), Dovhays (Dovhe, Soymy, Kyshnytsya, Volove, Siltse, Irshava, 20 villages in all), Drahush (Solotvyno and 5 villages), brothers Balka and Draha (Korolevo, Khust, Tyachiv, Iza and 32 villages along Tereblya river), Urmezeyi (Maramoroshchyna, 27 villages in total), Bilkeys-Iloshvays (Maramoroshchyna, 24 villages in total), Pohan' (villages in the lower reaches of the rivers Tereblya and Teresva), Karachyn (Bilky, Lypcha, Horinchevo, Imstychevo, Rakovets'), Druhets (Uzhanskyy comitat), Dovhays-Petrovays (they had 35 villages on the bank of the river Borzhava), Hunyadi (32 villages and 2 towns on the South of Transcarpathia). Other feudal families of XII-XV c. were the following: Teleki, Rakoczi, Bochkays, Starays, Forgaches, Barkovtsi, Omodey, Aldarius, Stoyays, Vitsmandi, Bashti, Apafi. The well-known feudal families of Transcarpathia of XVI-XIX cc. were as folloows: in Uh zhupa- Aponi, Starays, Barkotsi, Petrovays, Vitsmandi, Ploteni, Ponhrats; in Maramarosh zhupa- Karoli, Teleki, Toldi, Kornish, Stoyko, Fisher, Reyti, Soplontsays, Pohan'; in Uhocha zhupa- Pereni, Lovnyays; in Bereh zhupa- Schonborn.