About Ukraine
Country
Ukraine, a country in Eastern Europe, and the second largest country in Europe after Russia. Ukraine is bordered on the West by Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary; on the Southwest by Romania and Moldova; on the South by the Black Sea and Sea of Azov; on the East and Northeast by Russia; and on the North by Belarus. The Crimean Autonomous Republic - encompassing the Crimean Peninsula, or Crimea, in the South ? is included in Ukraine's borders. The capital and largest city is Kyiv (Kiev).
General Information
The total area of Ukraine is 603,700 sq km (233,100 sq mi). The country extends 1,316 km (818 mi) East to West and 893 km (555 mi) North to South. Much of the country is a rolling upland plain, with the highest elevations in the western half of the country and the south-eastern Donets'k region. A lowland region of wooded bogs and swamps, called the Poles'ye, is located in northern Ukraine, although much of this region has been drained and cleared for agriculture. Low-lying plains are found in southern Ukraine in the lower Dnieper (Dnipro) River Basin and the Black Sea coastal region. Ukraine's coastline, including Crimea, extends 2,780 km (1,730 mi). The Carpathian Mountains in the extreme west and the Crimean Mountains in the southern end of Crimea take up about 5 percent of Ukraine's territory. Mount Hoverla in the Carpathians is the country's highest peak at 2,061 m (6,762 ft).
Nature and Climat
Ukraine's relief is mostly flat. 95% of lands are plains and 5% are mountains. Ukraine's flat landscape is divided into three zones - mixed forests, forest-steppe and steppe.
Ukraine is located in two climatic zones: moderate and subtropical (southern shore of Crimea). Mountainous regions have specific climatic conditions due to vertical division, various inclinations, local atmospheric circulations etc. Generally speaking, Ukraine belongs to the countries with moderate climate, and change of seasons can be clearly observed during the year here. The weather and climate of Ukraine's territory positively influence economic activity, tourism and recreation, as well as allow for use of ecologically clean resources of wind and sun.
Bowels of Ukrainian earth are rich with various minerals, including coal, iron ore, oil and gas, gravel, salt etc. Donbass is Ukraine's main coal production base; its deposits are estimated at 109 bln. t. Dnipro lignite basin contains about 6 bln. t of lignite. Oil and natural gas are located in Dnipro-Donetsk (80%) and Black Sea-Crimea regions. Ukraine covers 10-15% of its oil consummation and 25% of gas consummation using its own resources. 3 bln. t of peat and shale oil have been located.
Iron ore is found in Krivoy Rig (18.7 bln. t), Kremenchuck (4.5 bln. t), Bilozersky (2.5 bln. t) and Kerch (1.8 bln. t) basins. Nikopol basin contains the biggest deposits of manganese ore in the world. Nickel, chrome, titanium and mercury (2nd place in the world) deposits are also considerable. Recently more than 15 gold deposits were located.
Ukraine's deposits of rock products place it among top producers of Europe and the world. It has the biggest ozocerite and brimstone deposits in the world. Its deposits of graphite are biggest in the continent. Rock and potassium salt have been mined in Ukraine for ages. Ukraine's nature created rich basis for metallurgy, chemical, porcelain, faience industries, production of ceramics and construction materials. Deposits of precious and semiprecious stone were found in Ukraine. They include beryl, amethyst, amber, jasper, rock crystal, morion etc.). Ukrainian mineral waters are very valuable. The springs are located in Mirgorod, Svalyava, Truskavets and Feodosia. Mud from towns of Evpatoria and Saki has good healing abilities.
Ukraine is a sea power. In the south it is washed by Black and Azov Seas. Black Sea's coastline in Ukraine is 1540 km. The shores of Black Sea have many firths - Dniester, Dnipro, Bug and others. Black Sea is connected to Sea of Azov, Sea of Marmora and Mediterranean. Therefore is has outlet to the world ocean. Southern location, favorable climate, sandy beaches make Black and Azov Seas one of the most important and attractive recreational spots in Ukraine.
Ukraine's territory is covered with dense network of large and small rivers. Their total number is 73,000. Ukraine has about 20,000 lakes. The biggest river systems are Dnipro, Danube, Dnistro, Southern Bug and Northern Donets. Dnipro (Dnepr) is the largest river in Ukraine. It is also third largest and longest river in Europe. A cascade of reservoirs (Kyiv, Kaniv, Kremenchuck, Dniprodzerzhinsk and Kakhovka) has been built on the river, thus increasing the efficiency of use of Dnipro's hydro energy recourses.
Ukrainian flora includes about 30,000 plants. Natural vegetative complexes are widely used as a basis for cattle-breeding, beekeeping, hunting and collection of wild medicinal herbs. Due to economic activity, flora of Ukraine underwent through considerable changes. A network of natural reserve fund establishments has been created to preserve and rehabilitate it.
Variety of Ukraine's natural conditions led to variety of species of animal world. About 44,800 animal species are found in Ukraine.
The State
For ages Ukraine has assumed many names. Among these names are Oriana, Roxolania, Scythia, Sarmatia, and the State of Anths. In the 9th century AD, the name "Rus" first appeared in Kyiv chronicle where it referred to the King and his men. According to Arab and Byzantian written sources, in the 12th century AD Rus was on the Taman Peninsula (Tmutorokan). Thereafter, Chervona (Red) Rus (or Halychyna), Bila (White) Rus (the territory of present-day Bielorus), and Western Rus Lands (Volyn) were referred to as Rus Provinces. Generally, the name "Rus" had been applied to all the lands of Kyiv Rus since the 6th century AD.
In 1334, Mala (Small) Rus was the name first used in referring to the Halytsko-Volyn Principality as a successor of the Great Kyiv Rus, which survived after the Mongol-Tatar invasion. Later, the name spread to the entire Ukrainian territory.
At the same time, the name "Ukraina" (Ukraine) was used widely as an unofficial version of "Rus". This name was first come upon in the Kyiv Manuscript (Ipatiev's version) where it was used to describe Pereyaslav, Kyiv and Chernihiv. Halych Ukraine is mentioned in the Halych-Volyn Manuscript in 1187 and 1213. In 1650, a French engineer and traveler, G.L. de Beauplan, published a book titled, "Description d'Ukraine" where he used the word "Ukraine" to describe Halychyna and Podilia (low lands). During Cossack times, since the 16th century, Cossack lands which included the lands along the Dnieper (Naddniprianshchyna) were called Ukraine. The Cossacks' State headed by Bohdan Khmelnytski was also called Ukraine. This is corroborated in the documents of many hetmans (Cossack leaders, or headmen) - from Khmelnytski to Ivan Mazepa and P. Orlyk. Ukraine became popular in Western Europe after 1661 owing to publications by G.L. de Beauplan.
Beginning in the 19th century, the name Ukraine was used to denote the entire territory where Ukrainians lived. Thus, all other names irrespective of their origin and length of use were removed.
After the declaration of the Ukrainian National Republic (1917), the Ukrainian Hetman State (1918), the Western Ukrainian People's Republic (1918), and Carpathian Ukraine (1939), "Ukraine" became the official name of the country. In 1919, Ukraine was called the Ukrainian Socialists Soviet Republic, and from 1937-1991 it was referred to as the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic.
Finally, the historical name "Ukraine" was given back to the country after it declared its independence in 1991. On June 28, 1996, this official name was corroborated into the Constitution of Ukraine.
Territory
The territory of Ukraine is 603,700 square km, 5.7% of the European territory or 0.44% of world's territory. Ukraine is a transit country for passengers and cargo from many countries due to its advantageous location in the center of Europe and wide network of air, railroad, sea and automobile transport.
Population
In 2001, Ukraine had 49.5 million residents. In terms of population, Ukraine ranks 5th in Europe (after Germany, Italy, Great Britain and France) and 21st in the world. It has 7.3% of Europe's and 1% of the global population. 68% of Ukrainians live in urban areas while 32% live in countryside.
The official language of the country is Ukrainian. A majority of the population adheres to Eastern Orthodox Christianity. Other denominations include Roman Catholics, Jews, Muslims, and Baptists.
Economy
Ukraine is an industrial and agricultural country. It is rich in natural resources such as coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel and uranium. Highly developed industries include metallurgy, mining, power and fuel, machine-building, food production and textile.
Ukraine is important to world energy markets as it is a critical transit center for exports of Russian oil and natural gas to Eastern and Western Europe. It is a major energy producer (including nuclear power) and consumer.
The national economy includes heavy machine building, ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, shipbuilding, automotive industry, manufacturing of agriculture machinery, production of power plants, oil extraction and equipment. Ukraine produces planes and ships, trucks and buses, motorcars and trains, computer and electronic equipment, precision instruments and agricultural machines, TVs and radios, and chemicals. Odessa, Sebastopol, Nikolaev, Kherson and Kerch are the main Ukrainian sea ports.
Ukraine's biggest trade partners are Russia, Germany, USA, Turkey, Italy, Belarus, Poland, China, Bulgaria and France.
Ukrainian Holidays
January 1 - New Year
January 7 - Orthodox Christmas
March 8 - Women's Day
May 1, 2 - Labor Day
May 5 - Easter
May 9 - Victory Day
June 28 - Constitution Day
August 24 - Independence Day
