About Ukraine

Location, population, languages, and religions

Many people don't know much about Ukraine. Ukraine is a quite large country in Eastern Europe (about the size of Texas or France) with a fairly large population (48 million). It is a Slavic country with two dominant languages — Ukrainian and Russian — that are spoken about equally (though only Ukrainian is the official state language). Most Ukrainians today consider themselves Christians, with major religions being Orthodoxy and Catholicism.

Cities

The capital of Ukraine — Kiev (or Kyiv) — has over 3 million people. Other large cities are Kharkov (or Kharkiv), Donetsk, Dnepropetrovsk (or Dnipropetrovsk), Odessa (or Odesa), and Lviv. The spelling of these cities in English can differ depending on whether the names have been transliterated from Ukrainian or Russian.

History and borders

Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union, or USSR, until its breakup in 1991. Parts of Ukraine have been independent countries in the past, and modern-day Ukraine has been independent since August 24, 1991. Ukraine maintains close economic, political, cultural, and linguistic ties to Russia, but is a separate country with its own political system and geopolitical strategy. Other countries that border Ukraine are: Belarus, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Moldova.

Economic situation

Ukraine is poorer than most countries in Europe, but its market economy has been growing fast since 2000 after years of depression following the collapse of the Soviet Union's command economy. During this collapse, industrial production dropped more than during the Great Depression in the United States. This caused millions of Ukrainians to emigrate to western countries in search of work and a better life. Now things are getting better — especially in the big cities — and some Ukrainian emigrants have been moving back. Today there are quite a few rich people, but most of the country remains poor, and there is a small but growing middle class. Ukraine's currency is the Hryvnia. U.S. dollars and Euros are also widely used. Ukraine is not part of the European Union, but many Ukrainians hope to join it some day.

Political situation

Ukraine is a democratic country with a parliament (Verkhovna Rada) and a president (currently President Viktor Yuschenko). In late 2004, the Orange Revolution brought Yuschenko to power after election results were falsified in favor of Viktor Yanukovich, who is now the Prime Minister of Ukraine. There is much competition for power and control of large industries in Ukraine. Voters themselves are split between those who favor a European political course (mostly in the west and north) and those who favor closer ties with Russia (mostly in the east and south). These two halves of Ukraine also have cultural and linguistic differences.

Geography and climate

Ukraine is a mostly flat or rolling country with fertile plains which are heavily farmed and some forests in the north. There are large rivers such as the Dnipro, which flows south into the Black Sea. There are low mountain ranges in Crimea — in the extreme south of Ukraine — and in the far west (the Carpathians). The highest peak is Hoverla at 2061 meters above sea level ( 6762 feet). Most of Ukraine is quite cold and often snowy in the winter, but warm or hot in the summer. The weather is similar to the northern Great Plains and Upper Midwest (i.e. North and South Dakota, Minnesota, and Iowa).

Travel and tourism

Ukraine is not a common destination for international tourists, but it is slowly growing in popularity. Travelers from the United States, Canada, Australia, Europe, Japan, and some other countries do not need a visa to visit. The most visited cities are Kiev, Lviv, and Odessa. The peninsula of Crimea is also popular as a summer destination because of its many beaches and resorts (such as Yalta) along the Black Sea coast. There is also skiing in the Carpathian Mountains of western Ukraine. Visitors to Ukraine usually visit Orthodox and Catholic churches, Jewish sites, and ancient monasteries and fortresses. Ukrainian souvenirs are also popular among tourists and include woodwork, painted eggs, and embroidery. Ukraine's crime rate is quite low — especially violent crime — and the country is safe for tourists. English is spoken well by just a few young and middle-aged people.

Culture

Ukrainians are known for their hospitality and enjoyment of conversations, eating, and drinking. It is quite easy to make friends in Ukraine. Many foreigners come to Ukraine for romance as well. In the cities you will see a lot of people with a European mentality side by side with Soviet influences. Much of Ukraine is agrarian, and people in villages often live in old-fashioned houses and ride horse carts around. Cell phones and electronic devices have become very popular in Ukraine, and people are buying automobiles right and left, which has created traffic problems in the cities.

Ukrainian Parliament

The Ukrainian Parliament or Verkhovna Rada, as it is referred to in Ukrainian, is responsible for administering the Constitution of Ukraine.

Ukraine Fact Sheet

Location: Eastern Europe*;

Neighbors are Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Moldova, Russia, and Belarus

*Ukraine is part of former Soviet Union or USSR, one of the NIS states ("Newly Independent States"), and member of CIS ("Commonwealth of Independent States", a subdivision of the NIS)

Population: 48 million (down from peak of 51 million in 1980s)

Area: 603,000 km2 (slightly larger than France and slightly smaller than Texas)

Capital: Kyiv (or Kiev) 

Major cities: official populations

Kyiv - 2,635,300 (realistically approaching 4 million)

Kharkiv - 1,575,900

Dnipropetrovsk - 1,161,200

Donetsk - 1,101,800

Odesa - 1,059,500

Zaporizhya - 887,400

Lviv - 805,900

Kryvyy Rih - 703,000

Mykolayiv - 519,000

Mariupol - 490,000

Luhansk - 493,300

Languages: Ukrainian and Russian, Ukrainian is Ukraine's single official government language

Geography: 95% of Ukraine is flat or nearly flat, with small rolling hills. In the west the Carpathians rise to 2061 m (Hoverla), and in the south the Crimean Mountains reach 1545 m.

Climate: temperate continental, except for a small strip of Crimea's southern coast, which has a mediterranean climate

Major religions:

Ukrainian Orthodoxy, Moscow Patriarchate

Ukrainian Orthodoxy, Kyiv Patriarchate

Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodoxy

Ukrainian Catholicism (Uniate)

Protestantism, Jewish Orthodoxy, Greek Catholicism

Currency: Hryvnia (or grivna, if transliterated from Russian), abbreviation = UAH (sometimes "hr"). Exchange rate since spring 2005 hovers around 5 UAH to 1 USD.

Government structure: Republic

Powerful executive branch with five-year presidential term and Cabinet of Ministers with a Prime Minister appointed by the President. Legislative branch consists of unicameral 450-seat Verkhovna Rada (Supreme Council). People's deputies serve four-year terms. Judicial branch: Supreme Court, Constitutional Court. Ukraine's government structure is still in a developmental stage. During President Kuchma's terms (1994-2004) the executive branch became the only real center of power, but this is likely to be changed in 2005-2006 by a series of administrative and constitutional reforms. Ukraine consists of 27 administrative regions: 24 oblasts, the Crimea Autonomous Republic, and the cities of Kyiv and Sevastopol.

National holidays:

January 1 - New Year's Day

January 7 - Christmas (Orthodox calendar)

March 8 - International Women's Day

May 1 and 2 - International Workers' Solidarity Day

May 9 - Victory Day

June 28 - Constitution Day

August 24 - Independence Day

Economy:
Principal exports are metals, minerals, electronics, chemicals, and vegetables.

Demographic structure:
Gradually aging population. The birth rate plummeted in the 1990s but is slowly recovering as the economic situation improves. One of the highest women-to-men ratios in the world.

Life expectancy: men - 62 years, women - 73 years