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Kerch
City in Crimea / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, see Kerch (disambiguation).
"Bospor" redirects here. For the strait between Europe and Asia, see Bosphorus.
Kerch,[lower-alpha 1] also known as Keriç or Kerich (Crimean Tatar: Keriç, Керич), is a city of regional significance[citation needed] on the Kerch Peninsula in the east of Crimea. It has a population of 147,033 (2014 Census).[1]
![]() | You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in Ukrainian. (July 2022) Click [show] for important translation instructions.
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Quick Facts Country, Autonomous republic ...
Kerch
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City | |
![]() The Obelisk of Glory on Mount Mithridates | |
Coordinates: 45°21′43″N 36°28′16″E | |
Country | Disputed: |
Autonomous republic | Crimea (de jure) |
Raion | Kerch Raion (de jure) |
Federal subject | Crimea (de facto) |
Municipality | Kerch Municipality (de facto) |
Area | |
• Total | 108 km2 (42 sq mi) |
Elevation | 10 m (30 ft) |
Population (2017) | |
• Total | 149,566 |
• Density | 1,464.49/km2 (3,793.0/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC+3 |
Postal code | 298300 – 298399 |
Area code | +7-36561 |
Former name(s) | Panticapaeum, Bosporus, Vosporo, Korchev, Cerchio |
Sister cities | Mogilev, Smolensk, Çanakkale, Oryol, Odintsovo, Sochi |
Climate | Cfa |
Website | горсовет-керчь.рф (de facto) |
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Founded 2,600 years ago as the ancient Greek colony Pantikapaion, Kerch is one of the most ancient cities in Crimea. The city experienced rapid growth starting in the 1920s and was the site of a major battle during World War II.
Today, it is one of the largest cities in Crimea and is among the area's most important industrial, transport and tourist centres. As with the rest of Crimea, it has been occupied by Russian forces since the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014.