Kherson Oblast (Ukrainian: Херсонська область, translit. Khersons’ka oblast’; also referred to as Khersonshchyna – Ukrainian: Херсонщина) is an oblast (province) in southern Ukraine, just north of Crimea. Its administrative center is Kherson. The area of the region is 29000 km², its population (as of 1 May 2004) is 1.12 million.