a town of Russia, in the government of Kherson, occupies a large extent of ground at the confluence of the Ingul and the Bug, 36 miles N.W. of Kherson. It has wide and regular streets, lined with very well built houses, one storey high, which have in general large gardens attached to them. It is surrounded by fortifications; and has a fine boulevard, planted with trees, along the edge of the river. The public buildings are numerous; and among them the most important are—the cathedral, a modern edifice with a richly-decorated interior; the town-hall; the observatory; the admiralty; the naval barracks; and naval hospital. The dockyards are very extensive, and provided with machinery principally of British construction. The town has also numerous schools for naval cadets, pilots, ship-builders, &c. Nikolaiev is the principal station of the Black Sea fleet, and the residence of the admiral of it. It was founded in 1791, and at first made rapid progress; but it is now in a declining state, owing to the want of good water and timber, the competition of Odessa, and other causes. It is now kept up principally by the support of the government. Pop. (1850) 39,358.