Odesa, also spelled Odessa, is a major seaport and transport hub located in the south-west of Ukraine on the northwestern shore of the Black Sea. It serves as the administrative centre for both the Odesa Raion and the Odesa Oblast. As of January 2021, the city had a population of approximately 1,010,537 people.
The city is recognized as a multiethnic cultural centre known for its unique 19th-century urban planning. On 25 January 2023, Odesa's historic city centre was declared a World Heritage Site and added to the List of World Heritage in Danger by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee. This designation was made in response to damage caused by bombings during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.