Odesas

Odesas refers to residents of the city of Odesa, a major port on the Black Sea in southwestern Ukraine. The English exonym Odessa is commonly used, while the Ukrainian name is Odesa. In English, residents are typically called Odessans or Odessites; Odesas as a demonym is uncommon.

Odesa is the administrative center of Odesa Oblast and a historic gateway for trade and culture in the region. The city traces its origins to 1794, when it was founded by the Russian Empire and named after the ancient Greek city Odessos. It developed rapidly as a cosmopolitan port, attracting Ukrainians, Russians, Jews, Armenians and others, and it played a prominent role in commerce and culture in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Culturally, Odesa is noted for its architectural diversity, literary traditions and music, including the famous Odesa Opera and Ballet Theater and a long association with maritime humor and art. The city’s historic center features a mix of neoclassical, Renaissance revival and Art Nouveau buildings.

Economically, Odesa remains a major maritime and logistics hub, with its port handling grain, bulk commodities, and container traffic, along with shipbuilding and related industries. The population and urban life have been shaped by migration and exchange across the empire, the Soviet Union, and independent Ukraine.