Chernobyl(Chornobyl) is an abandoned city in northern Ukraine, in the Kiev Oblast (province) near the border with Belarus (51°16?N, 30°13?E).



The city was evacuated in 1986 due to the incident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, which is located 14.5 kilometers (9 miles) north-northwest. The power plant was named after the city, and located in Chernobyl Raion (district), but the city was not the residence of the power plant workers. At the time of the power plant's construction, a twin city of Chernobyl, Prypiat was built to be closer to the plant for workers.



Nowadays, even though the city is basically uninhabited, a few people do still live there. The occupied houses are almost indistinguishable from the rest, and there are signs on them stating that the "Owner of this house lives here". Also, workers on watch and administrative personnel of the Zone of Alienation are stationed in the city on a long term basis. Before the accident, the city was inhabited by about 14,000 residents.