Vilkovo

Vilkovo (Ukrainian: Вілкове; Russian: Вилково) is a town located in Ukrainian part of Danube Delta, at utmost South-West of Ukraine, in Kiliya raion of Odes'ka oblast'. Year of foundation - 1746.
It is the last settlement on shore of Danube before the Black Sea. This town also known as “Ukrainian Venice” thanks to a number of channels excavated inside its territory – that’s why a boat here is more common vehicle than a car. The population is about 11,000. About 70% of population - Russians, ~25% - Ukrainians, the rest – Moldovians, Romanians, Gagauzians, Bulgarians ets. Main confession is Christian Old Believers (about 70%, mainly Russians), rest are the members of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. There are three churches in Vilkovo: two belong to Old Believers and one to Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
Since Vilkovo located inside the Danube Delta marshlands, grain growing here is impossible, and main occupation of local people is fishery in Danube, delta lakes and in Black Sea. Besides its fishery business Vilkovo is famous for its viticulture and cultivation of strawberries at islands in the river delta.
In Vilkovo placed an administration of the Ukrainian Danube Biosphere Reserve (participant of UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites), which territory includes islands up-stream and downstream of Danube, reedbeds to north from Danube, delta water bodies and adjacent area of the sea (2 kilometers from the coast).