The oblast is rich in mineral resources. Its share in Ukraine's volume of the extraction of manganese ore is 100%, iron ore about 80%, coal - 13.5%. The deposits of uranium, titanium, nickel, zirconium and rutile ilmenite ores, fire clays, limes, granite, building stone, sand are under exploitation. The city is not only famous for its commercial industry, but for its deep history and green parks.
The old fortress settlement has existed since probably the middle of the 16th century.
Dnipropetrovs'k City was founded in 1776 by Russian Prince Potemkin on the order of Yekaterina the Second, Empress of the Russian Empire and was named Yekaterinoslav after her (from 1776 to 1926). Though the city was not founded in the current location, but at the confluence of the River Samara with the River Kil'chen' at Loshakivka, north of the Dnipro River.