a flat plain, slightly inclined to the south, adjacent to the Black Sea and Sea of Azov, between the Danube River delta on the west and the Kal’mius River on the east. Elevations range from 0 to 150 m. The lowland is composed of Paleogene and Neogene marine deposits—limestones, sands, and clays—covered with loesses and loess-like loams. It is crossed by the wide, terraced valleys of the Dnieper, Iuzhnii Bug, and Dnestr rivers. The watersheds are flat, with sink holes and pods, while the coastal area is generally precipitous, with frequent landslides. There are many jutting limans, including the Dnieper and Dnestr, and sandbars. Steppe landscapes with southern chernozems and dark chestnut soils predominate.