Sevastopol (Севастополь - formerly known as Sebastopol, in Turkish Akyar) is a city in the Ukraine, located on the Crimean peninsula, on the Black Sea. It has a population of 360,000. Home of the former Soviet Black Sea Fleet, the city is still a Russian naval base. It is also a popular seaside resort and tourist destination, mainly for visitors from the CIS countries.
History
Sevastopol was founded in 1783, when Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula. It became an important naval base and later a commercial port. It was besieged by the British and French during the Crimean War, falling after 11 months.
During WWII Sevastopol withstood an Axis siege for almost one year. It was awarded the title of Hero City in 1945.
While part of the Soviet Union, the city wasn't incorporated in the Crimean Oblast of the Ukrainian SSR, but was directly subordinate to Kiev.
In 1957, the city of Balaklava was incorporated into Sevastopol.