The article examines development of agrarian relations in Volhynia province during late 19th - early 20th century and factors that influenced agriculture. Special attention is paid to the study of the factors that have shaped changing land relations in the region. On the eve of the World War I agriculture of the region changed towards enlargement of crop areas and industrialization. As a rule, these areas belonged to landlords and rich peasants. Poor men were not in a position to develop intensive economic land use. Despite the fact that Volhynia was a front-line area after the beginning of World War I, peasants continued to buy and sell lands in the area of military operations. The prices on land, however, were unstable. The agrarian sector in late 19 th - the early 20th century changed gradually, which was related to changes in the production of specific types of industrial crops. At the same time there were changes in the type of ownership as many landlords partitioned and sold out their land parcels. Often, the land was purchased by peasants. And although in the early 20 th century rich peasants bought lots of lands, there was impoverishment of majority of peasant population, which was often forced to sell its own land.
