The area was annexed by the Soviet Union and was known as Stanislav Oblast until 1962, when its administrative center was renamed after the Ukrainian writer Ivan Franko.

On November 9, 1962, a decree was issued by the Presidium of the Verkhovna Rada of the UkrSSR, according to which: "Taking into account the wishes of the labor collectives of the city and region, the Presidium of the Verkhovna Rada of the USSR decided to rename the city of Stanislav (Stanislaviv) to Ivano-Frankivsk, and the Stanislav Oblast to Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast."

The renaming was timed to the 300th anniversary of the city's founding and in honor of the outstanding Ukrainian writer Ivan Franko.

As with the rest of Ukraine's oblasts Ivano-Frankivsk may also be known by its matronymical name Ivano-Frankivshchyna (Ukrainian: Івано-Франківщина).

However, that name did not receive general public acceptance and commonly Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast is almost always called Prykarpattia (en.

[6] The Dniester flows mainly through the Halych Raion and along the administrative border between Ivano-Frankivsk and Ternopil Oblasts.

Segments of Dniester and Cheremosh River are used as administrative borders with Ternopil and Chernivtsi oblasts respectfully.

of arms The Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast was administratively subdivided into 14 districts (raions) as well as 6 cities (municipalities) which represented a separate raion and in direct subordination to the regional government, among which are Bolekhiv, Kalush, Kolomyia, Yaremche, and the administrative center of the region, Ivano-Frankivsk.

The formation of the region was established in 1921 in the Second Polish Republic and was in majority preserved during the Soviet times.

The oblast has 15 cities which are (alphabetical order): Bolekhiv, Burshtyn, Dolyna, Halych, Horodenka, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kalush, Kolomyia, Kosiv, Nadvirna, Rohatyn, Sniatyn, Tlumach, Tysmenytsia, and Yaremche.

Towns do not have a mayoral office and their head of the council serves as the main representative of the whole settlement.

There are several villages that are part of city municipalities such as Ivano-Frankivsk, Bolekhiv, and Yaremcha, while all others are spread out across the districts of the region.

When on November 27, 1939, the Soviet regime was established in Stanisławów Voivodeship, the Polish administrative division of it was kept almost the same until January 17, 1940.

During the World War II the region was occupied by the Nazi Germany (see Operation Barbarossa).

Along with Lviv, Drohobych and Tarnopil oblasts, it was reorganized on August 1, 1941, into Distrikt Galizien centered in Lemberg and annexed to the General Government.

The area of the former Stanislav Oblast was divided into three kreis (counties): Kalusz, Stanislau, and Kolomea.

The administrative division of Stanislav Oblast was reinstated and confirmed on January 1, 1947, with the same 36 raions and two municipalities as their existed before the war.

The status of a town obtained Bukachivtsi, Vyhoda, and Yaremcha, while Halych and Horodenka became recognized as cities.

In August 2010 the village of Spas in the Kolomyia Raion hosted a culinary event Smachny Spas in association with "Sheshory", while in July of the same year another eco-cultural event Trypilske kolo in the Rzhyschiv city of Kyiv region.

Every odd year the city hosts the festival national-patriotic music and poetry "Freedom".

Since May 2001 every year the city of Ivano-Frankivsk is the capital of the European blacksmith movement hosting the "Festival of blacksmith" and the art exhibition "Ornamental Forging" that takes place at the Mickewicz Square and neighboring Andrii Sheptytsky Square in city's old town.

[13] Among other important sites in the region is the Church of the Holy Spirit located in the city of Rohatyn as well as the Maniava Skete.

The oblast also accounts for some number of various wooden churches of Boykos and Hutsuls traditional architecture.

In the Kalush Raion (western part of the region) visitors can find the Carpathian Train that still uses a narrow-gauge railway system.

However, due to increased touristic activities in the post-Soviet times the mountain is a subject to a high degree of pollution.

No less interesting destination serve the Dovbush rocks that are located near the city of Bolekhiv in mountains.

In the same Bohorodchany Raion visitors may find the local mud volcano located near the village of Starunia.

Bukovel ski resort, centralized around the village of Polianytsia, on the ridge-lines of the Carpathian Mountain range at an elevation of 900 m (3,000 ft) represents a major all seasons tourist destination in the region.

Through Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast runs one European route E50 which travels through the city of Rohatyn in the north.