Ukraine - A Country Profile - Nations Online Project

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Ukraine in brief

This country is facing a brutal attack by Russia since February 2022. Destination Ukraine, a Nations Online profile of the country in Eastern Europe. The largest country entirely within Europe has a coastline at the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov in the southeast. Ukraine borders Russia in the northeast and east, Belarus in the northwest, Poland, and Slovakia in the west, Hungary, Romania, and Moldova to the southwest. The country covers a territory with an area of 600,000 km²; it is about twice the size of Italy or slightly smaller than the US state of Texas. Ukraine's landscape consists mainly of plains and plateaus, only the Carpathian mountains in the west reach 2,061 m (6,760 ft.) at Mount Hoverla (Hora Hoverla), the highest peak in the country. The country has a population of 38 million people (in 2024), the capital and largest city is Kyiv (Kiev). Spoken languages are Ukrainian; Russian is widely spoken, especially in the eastern and southern parts of the country. Main religion is Orthodox Christianity (65%). What is Ukraine known for? Under attack by Russia The largest country entirely within Europe has been under attack by Russia for several years. The assault on the country has intensified due to the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian army on 24 February 2022, supported by Belarus, which allows Russian troops to invade Ukraine from the northwest. The Kiev Pechersk Lavra Complex, know as the Monastery of the Caves. Image: Moahim Chernozem The very fertile "black earth" of the country, known as Chernozem, is the reason why Ukraine is known as the "Breadbasket of Europe." Chernobyl disaster The Chernobyl disaster was a nuclear accident that occurred on 26 April 1986 at the No. 4 reactor at the Soviet-operated Vladimir Lenin Nuclear Power Plant near the city of Chernobyl. The reactor core explosion released massive amounts of radioactive material into the environment and large parts of Europe were affected by the radioactive cloud. The nuclear accident resulted from a flawed Soviet reactor design coupled with serious mistakes made by the plant operators. [1] Pechersk Lavra The Monastery of the Caves on the Berestov Mount in Kiev was founded in 1051. Since then, it has been a prominent center of Orthodox Christianity in Eastern Europe and one of the most famous and important monasteries in the region's history. Optymistychna The Optymistychna is a gypsum karst cave located near the Ukrainian village of Korolivka, about 50 km north of the city of Chernivtsi in western Ukraine. The Optymistychna Cave (optimistic cave), with a measured length of 262 km (163 mi), is the longest gypsum cave in the world and the longest cave in Europe. The cave system is not yet developed for tourism. Ukraine | Україна Background: Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe and the second-largest country in Europe after Russia. The Crimean Autonomous Republic - encompassing the Crimean Peninsula, or Crimea, in the south was part of Ukraine but is now occupied by Russia. The country is rich in natural resources, Ukraine has been fought over and subjugated for centuries. Its 20th-century struggle for liberty is not yet complete. Short-lived independence from Russia (1917-1920) was followed by brutal Soviet rule that engineered two artificial famines (1921-22 and 1932-33 (Holodomor)) in which over 8 million died.[1] In World War II, German and Soviet armies were responsible for some 7 million more deaths. Although independence was achieved with the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, true freedom remains difficult to grasp as many of the former Soviet elites remain deeply rooted and block efforts at economic reform, privatization, and civil rights. Country Profile Official Name: Ukrayina int'l form: Ukraine formerly: Carpathian Ukraine, Ukrainian Socialists Soviet Republic. ISO Country Code: ua, UKR Time: Local Time = UTC +2h Actual Time: Fri-Feb-6 13:35 Daylight Saving Time (DST) March - October (UTC +3) Country Calling Code: +380 Capital City: Kyiv

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Other Cities: Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Lviv, Odesa Government: Type: Presidential-parliamentary. Independence: August 24, 1991. Constitution: First post-Soviet constitution adopted June 28, 1996. Geography: Location: Eastern Europe north of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, bordered by Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Moldova, Russia, and Belarus. Area: 603,000 km² (233,100 sq mi) Terrain: mostly flat; 95% of lands are plains and 5% are mountainous. Climate: two climatic zones: moderate and subtropical at the southern shore of Crimea. People: Nationality: Ukrainian(s) Population: 38 million (2024) Real GDP per capita: $16,200 (2023 est.) The ongoing war in Ukraine has led to a significant humanitarian crisis, resulting in millions of people being displaced both internally and as refugees in neighboring countries. Ethnic Groups: Ukrainians (77.5%), Russians (17%), Belarusians, Moldovans, Hungarians, Bulgarians, Jews, Poles, Crimean Tatars, and other groups. Religions: Ukrainian Orthodoxy, Ukrainian Greek Catholicism, Judaism, Roman Catholicism and Islam Languages: Ukrainian (official), Russian, others Literacy: 98% Transparency: Rank 117 (out of 180 countries); Score 33, on a scale from 100 (very clean) to 0 (highly corrupt). Ukraine is ranked in the Corruption Perceptions Index 2020 between Sierra Leone and Zambia. Agriculture products: grain, sugar beets, sunflower seeds, vegetables, beef, and milk. Natural resources: oil, natural gas, manganese, coal, iron ore, mercury, nickel, kaolin, magnesium, titanium, graphite, sulfur, and salt. Industries: coal, electric power, ferrous and nonferrous metals, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, and food processing. Exports - commodities: ferrous and nonferrous metals, fuel and petroleum products, chemicals, machinery, and transport equipment, foodstuffs. Exports - partners: Poland 14%, Romania 8%, Turkey 6%, China 6%, Germany 5%, Italy 5% (2022) Imports - commodities: energy, machinery and equipment, chemicals. Imports - partners: Poland 17%, China 12%, Germany 9%, Turkey 6%, Hungary 4% (2022) Currency: Ukrainian Hryvnia (UAH) (Source: Embassy of Ukraine and others) Official Sites of Ukraine View of the building that houses the Verkhovna Rada, the Ukrainian national parliament in Kyiv. Image: Vadim Chuprina Political System of Ukraine Ukraine is a semi-presidential republic. The head of state and commander-in-chief is the president. The president is elected by popular vote for a five-year term. Ukraine's legislative branch is its unicameral parliament, the Verkhovna Rada. The head of the government is the prime minister. Due to the ongoing ugly war caused by Russia, many websites in Ukraine are unavailable. Government Note: External links will open in a new browser window. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky's office. Verkhovna Rada - Parliament of Ukraine The Supreme Council of Ukraine (Verkhovna Rada) is Ukraine's unicameral parliament. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine The official website of the ministry. Diplomatic Missions Mission of Ukraine to the UN Ukraine's Permanent Mission to the United Nations. Embassy of Ukraine Ottawa, Canada Embassy of Ukraine Washington D.C. Statistics State Statistic Service of Ukraine Ukraine in numbers. Maps of Ukraine Map of Ukraine (click map to enlarge) Image: © nationsonline.org

Maps

Administrative Map of Ukraine Map showing the administrative divisions of Ukraine. Map of Ukraine Political Map of Ukraine. Google Earth Ukraine Searchable map and satellite view of Ukraine. Map of Crimea Map of the Crimean peninsula. Google Earth Crimea peninsula Searchable map and satellite view of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. Cities: Kiev, Odessa, Sevastopol, Simferopol Map of the Black Sea Political map of the Black Sea. Map of Central and Eastern Europe Map of Europe Political Map of Europe. News of Ukraine

News from Ukraine

National media have adopted a united patriotic agenda following the Russian annexation of Crimea and the armed conflict in the east. Ukraine has banned relays of leading Russian TVs; in turn, areas under Russian or separatist control have seen Pro-Kiev outlets silenced. [BBC] Ukraine crisis media center Ukraine Crisis Media Center provides the world community with up-to-date information on events in Ukraine. KP Kiev based newspaper. (in Russian) Svoboda Svoboda is the oldest existing Ukrainian newspaper. (in Ukrainian) The Day Ukrainian daily newspaper. Kyiv Post National daily newspaper. The Ukrainian Weekly English-language newspaper of the Ukrainian diaspora in the US. UNIAN News from and about Ukraine. Ukrinform Ukrainian National News Agency. Zerkalo Nedeli ZN is a political weekly. (in Ukrainian and Russian) StopFake StopFake.org StopFake is a Ukrainian non-profit media organization founded in March 2014 by Ukrainian professors and students to refute Russian propaganda and fake news. International News sources Al Jazeera Russia-Ukraine war news from Qatar's international radio broadcaster. AP News Russia-Ukraine war news coverage by the Associated Press, an American non-profit news agency. BBC - War in Ukraine News from the British Broadcasting Corporation about the war in Ukraine. The Guardian Ukraine British daily newspaper's coverage of the war in Ukraine. Arts & Culture of Ukraine Ukraine National Palace of Arts in Kiev. Image: Konstantin Burkut

Arts & Culture

Art Palace National Palace of Arts "Ukraina". Odessa National Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet Opera and Ballet Theater in Odessa. National Museum of the History of Ukraine The museum showcases Ukraine's history from antiquity to the present day. (in Ukrainian) National Art Museum of Ukraine The museum in Kiev is dedicated to Ukrainian art. Business & Economy of Ukraine View on a part of the harbor of Odessa; it is the largest Ukrainian seaport and one of the largest ports in the Black Sea. Image: Boris Mavlyutov Ukraine economy Besides Russia, the Ukrainian Republic was the most important component of the economy of the former Soviet Union. Today, Ukraine's economy is based on a multi-sectoral industry, agriculture, and services. Ukraine has made significant progress on reforms designed to make the country prosperous, democratic, and transparent, including the creation of a national anti-corruption agency, and an overhaul of the banking sector. National Bank of Ukraine The central bank of Ukraine. Ukrainian Stock Exchange Ukrainian Stock Exchange Kiew. Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry The Ukrainian Chamber is also home to the Industry International Commercial Arbitration Court and the Maritime Arbitration Commission. Kherson Chamber of Commerce and Industry The Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Kherson, a city in southern Ukraine Ukrainian companies Antonov Ukrainian aircraft manufacturing and services company. DTEK One of the energy companies owned by SCM Holdings, a conglomerate of various companies from coal mining to power generation. Metinvest Iron ore raw materials and steel. Naftogaz The national oil and gas company of Ukraine. Ukrnafta A leader in Ukraine’s oil industry. ATB-Market Retail shops. Fozzy Group Retail stores. Kernel Exporter of sunflower oil and a major supplier of agricultural products. Transportation Airlines Ukraine International Airlines Ukraine's flag carrier and the largest airline operates direct flights to most major cities in Europe. Windrose Airlines Ukrainian charter airline. DART Ukrainian Airlines Ukrainian airline based in Kiev ceased operations in April 2018. Airport International State airport Boryspil Ukraine's international airport in Kiev. Port Odessa Sea Port Authority One of the largest seaports at the Black Sea consists of several harbors, a passenger terminal, grain and oil terminals, and container loading quays. Space National Space Agency of Ukraine Development of state policy concepts in the sphere of research and peaceful uses of space, as well as in the interests of national security. Tourism in Ukraine Pechersk Lavra, the Monastery of the Caves in Kiev is a historic Orthodox Christian monastery and a UNESCO World Heritage Site Image: Falin

Destination Ukraine - Travel and Tour Guides

Advertisement Discover Ukraine: Lviv, the cultural capital of Ukraine; Odessa, the port on the Black Sea; Kiev and the Kyiv region; Volyn region, Zakarpattya region, Ivano-Frankivsk region, Poltava region, Kharkiv region, Optymistychna Cave, the longest cave in Europe. Travel to Ukraine Tourism information by the US Ukraine Foundation. Ukraine: 11 best places to visit CNN travel article. Wikivoyage: Ukraine The free worldwide travel guide, a sister site of Wikipedia for sightseeing, activities, cuisine, and accommodation around the world. Chornobyl Exclusion Zone Businessinsider article about tourism to Ukraine's worst nuclear disaster. Full-Day Tour of Chernobyl and Prypiat from Kyiv Tripadvisor's tour to Chernobyl and Prypiat from Kyiv. Ukraine General facts about Ukraine. UNESCO World Heritage Sites Ukraine The wooden Holy Trinity Church was built in a suburb of Zhovkva, Ukraine, in 1720. The church is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Wooden Tserkvas of the Carpathian Region in Poland and Ukraine. Image: Haidamac UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Ukraine There are seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Ukraine and seventeen sites on the Tentative List (see the List) Ancient City of Tauric Chersonese and its Chora The remains of an ancient Greek colony, also known as Chersonesus. The city was founded in the 5th century BC by Dorian Greeks on the Heraclean Peninsula in south-west Crimea on the shores of the Black Sea. L'viv – the Ensemble of the Historic Centre The city of L'viv (Lviv) was founded in the late Middle Ages; it was a flourishing administrative, religious, and commercial center for several centuries. The historical heart of the city, with its old buildings and cobblestone streets, survived Soviet and German occupations during World War II largely unscathed. Today it is the largest city in western Ukraine. Residence of Bukovinian and Dalmatian Metropolitans The Residence of Bukovinian and Dalmatian Metropolitans (archbishops) in Chernivtsi (formerly Czernowitz), represents 19th-century historicist architecture styles built by Czech architect Josef Hlavka. The building complex is now part of Chernivtsi University. Wooden Tserkvas of the Carpathian Region in Poland and Ukraine The World Heritage Site includes sixteen wooden tserkvas (Orthodox and some Eastern Catholic churches) within the Polish and Ukrainian Carpathian mountain region of Central Europe. Education in Ukraine The UNESCO World Heritage Site Residence of Bukovinian and Dalmatian Metropolitans (archbishops) in the city of Chernivtsi is now part of Chernivtsi University. Image: Posterrr Ivan Franko National University of L'viv Oldest continuously operating university in Ukraine, founded in 1661. Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute The Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, KPI, is a leading university in the country. Kharkiv National University A major university in the city of Kharkiv, Ukraine. Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv KNU is an institution of higher education in the capital of Ukraine Kiev. Sumy State University Sumy State University (SSU) is situated in Sumy city in North-East of Ukraine and is a leading higher education establishment of the region. University of Chernivtsi The public university in the City of Chernivtsi in western Ukraine is one of the leading Ukrainian institutions for higher education; it was founded in 1875. Uzhgorod National University Uzhhorod university was founded on 18 October 1945. Environment & Nature A rapeseed field in Odessa oblast in Ukraine. The Ukrainian flag is based on views like this. Image: Heulwolf Chernobyl disaster Wikipedia article about the catastrophic nuclear accident that occurred on 26 April 1986. National Parks of Ukraine Wikipedia list of national parks in Ukraine. Environment. People. Law EPL is a public interest environmental law organization. Green Energy Portal: Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) Portal with links to operational environmental NGOs in Ukraine. The National Ecological Centre of Ukraine NECU brings together individuals for joint actions to protect the environment. NGO Working Group on climate change A network of 16 non-governmental and non-profits environmental organizations. (in Ukrainian) Ukraine Nature Conservation Society The primary purpose of Ukrpryroda, the Ukrainian Society for Nature Conservation, is to promote the formation of civil eco-society. Ukraine's grasslands landscape of the Pontic–Caspian steppe. Image: Uncle Sasha Ukraine History Kamianets Podilskyi Castle in the historic city of Kamianets-Podilskyi on the Smotrych River in western Ukraine. Image: Håkan Henriksson History of Ukraine Page about Ukraine's history from the oldest period of Ukrainian history to independence. History of Ukraine - Internet Encyclopedia of Ukraine Comprehensive article from Ukraine's earliest history to independence. Ukraine profile - Timeline Ukraine history timeline of key events by the BBC. History of Ukraine Wikipedia pages related to the history of Ukraine. Trypillia culture (Trypil'ska kultura) Ukraine's Neolithic culture. Additional Information Selected country profiles of Ukraine published by international organizations. Advertisement Amnesty International: Ukraine Amnesty International is a non-governmental organization focused on human rights. BBC Country Profile: Ukraine Country profiles by the British public service broadcaster. BTI Transformation Index Ukraine Ukraine Country Report 2020 by Bertelsmann Stiftung. Freedom House: Ukraine The U.S. government-funded non-profit organization whose goal is to promote liberal democracies worldwide. GlobalEDGE: Ukraine Ukraine ranking by the Global business knowledge portal. The Heritage Foundation: Ukraine Index of Economic Freedom by The Heritage Foundation, an American conservative think tank. Human Rights Watch: Ukraine HRW conducts research and advocacy on human rights. OEC: Ukraine The Observatory of Economic Complexity provides the latest international trade data. Reporters Without Borders: Ukraine RSF (Reporters sans frontières) is an international NGO that defends and promotes media freedom. Wikipedia: Ukraine Wikipedia's Ukraine page in many languages. The CIA World Factbook -- Ukraine The CIA World Factbook Ukraine Page. Other Countries of Eastern Europe: Belarus | Bulgaria | Czech Republic | Hungary | Moldova Poland | Romania | Russian Federation | Slovakia One World - Nations Online More Signal - Less Noise Site Map | Information Sources | Disclaimer | Copyright © 1998-2026 :: nationsonline.org