In the heart of Europe is situated the second largest European country named Ukraine, the second largest of the continent after Russia, and one of the most populous in Europe.

The geographical position of Ukraine is very favourable: outlets to Black and Azov Seas, Crimean and Carpathian Mountains, many rivers and lakes, plains rich on productive black earth, forests and rich in minerals regions. Due to the mild climate and geographical position Ukraine is agricultural country.

The territory of Ukraine extends 900 km from north to south and 1,300 km from east to west. The total area is 603,700 sq.km. There are 24 administrative regions and the Cremean autonomous republic in Ukraine, 2 municipalities: Kyiv (the capital of Ukraine) and Sevastopol' (the main military port of Crimea).

Although Ukraine became independent only in 1991 the history and culture of Ukrainian people extends on centuries. Ukraine is a young state, possessing both the material resources and the political will to enter into the world market as a valuable trading partner.

History

Ukrainians are deeply affected by the country's long history that predates the independent state by some 1,500 years. The march of successive civilizations from prehistoric times, the Scythians, Greeks, Varaungian, Slavic, and Turkic peoples have all left their mark. The birthplace of the Slavic state was Kyivan-Rus which flourished a thousand years ago.

There is an old legend which tells of three brothers who found Kyiv (also known as Kiev) at the end of the fifth century. The brothers Kiy, Khoriv, and Shchek, along with their sister, Lybid, decided to name this newly founded land "Kyiv," after their elder brother.

Kyiv bloomed during the end of the ninth century as a political center inhabited by Eastern Slavs. Kyiv had an advantageous trade route in the center of Europe which allowed it to maintain political and economic ties with the West.

In 988, Kyiv's Prince Volodymyr the Great introduced Christianity to Kyiv making it the official religion of Kyivan-Rus. This move played an important role in Kyiv's political development and cultural relations with the European and Near Eastern countries.

In 1240, Kyiv was invaded by the Tatar-Mongols led by the grandson of Genghis Khan. The city was captured and its glory fell into decline during the period of almost century-long rule by the Tatar-Mongols.

For many centuries thereafter Ukraine was attacked and ruled by Poland and Lithuanian in the Rzecz Pospolita Commonwealth, Russia, Germany and others. During this time Ukrainian Kozack armies were formed which were led by a Hetman (military leader). One of the most famous Hetman is Bohdan Khmelnytsky who inspired one of the greatest Cossack uprisings that led to the liberation of Kyiv in 1648. He was considered by some a traitor after he signed the Treaty of Pereyaslav which authorized protection from the Russian Czar. This treaty joined Ukraine and Russia into one and led to a long period of domination by the Russian Empire and ultimately the Soviet Union.

After the revolution of 1917 Vladimir Illyich Lenin and his Bolshevik Party seized power and expanded their sphere of control into Ukraine.

Ukraine experienced a brief period of independence when on January 22, 1918, the Ukrainian Central Rada (Council) formally issued a proclamation for Ukraine's independence. But shortly thereafter in 1919, the Ukrainian National Republic was defeated in a war against Polish expansionists and overrun once again.

Eventually, Bolshevik and Communist forces retook Ukrainian lands, and as a means to control the population, leader Josef Stalin caused the Great Famine of 1932-33 by forcibly collecting grain and deliberately starving to death nearly ten million people. Nazi Germany then began World War II and entered Kyiv in September 1941 razing the city. In November 1943, Soviet forces retook the city in fierce fighting and began their final domination of Ukraine for almost the next fifty years.

Attention from the West turned to Ukraine after the nuclear meltdown at the Chornobyl power plant in April 1986. Since then Ukrainians felt the decreased political power wielded by the Soviet Union's Communist leaders. After the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic proclaimed Ukraine's sovereignty in July 1990, Ukrainians fulfilled their dream of independence during the failed Soviet coup of August 1991. In a referendum held on December 1, 1991 the people of Ukraine endorsed independence and voted Leonid Makarovych Kravchuk as Ukraine's first ever democratically elected President. The United States recognized Ukraine's independence on December 25, 1991; and the first American Ambassador, Roman Popadiuk, arrived in Kyiv on June 8, 1992.

GEOGRAPHY

Ukraine's area is 233,088 square miles (603,700 sq. km). It's slightly larger than France. Ukraine is mainly a vast plain with no natural boundaries except the Carpathian Mountains in the southwest and the Black Sea in the south. The Dnipro River with its many tributaries unifies central Ukraine economically, connecting the Baltic coast countries with the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. The mouth of the Danube River provides an outlet for Ukrainian trade with the Balkans, Austria, and Germany.

Ukraine has a complex geology with a rich variety of scenery and impressive contrasts in topography. Central and southern Ukraine is primarily steppe (prairie), with fertile black soil exceptionally well-suited for grain farming. In the east is the industrial heartland containing large reserves of mineral deposits known as the Greater Donbas or Donetsk Basin.

Northern and western Ukraine are hilly, forested areas with many picturesque mountain resorts. Enhancing the topography of Ukraine are two mountain ranges, the Carpathian on its western border where winter sports are very popular; and the Crimean range, which divides the Crimean peninsular, creating a semitropical area on its southernmost tip. The Crimea is a favorite destination not only for Ukrainian tourists, but also for citizens of other states of the former Soviet Union, as well as the eastern and the western Europe.

CLIMATE

The climate in Ukraine is similar to the wheat-producing regions of Canada and is characterized by abundant precipitation and cloudy skies, especially in fall and winter. The mean temperature in summer is 67^oF (19^oC) and in winter 21^oF (-6^oC). Although the summers tend to be short, the temperature can rise into the 90's making it uncomfortable, since most buildings have no central cooling systems. The winters are long and cold, with cloudy skies a norm.

POPULATION

The population of Ukraine is approximately 52 million, of which 73% is Ukrainian and 22% Russian. The remaining population is made up of many minorities, the largest of which is Jewish (1.35%), followed by Byelorussians, Moldovans, Poles, Armenians, Greeks, Bulgarians, and others. Ukrainian population is only 64% urban.

UKRAINIAN POLITICAL SYSTEM

The Ukrainian Political system has a popularly-elected President, a 450-person single chamber national parliament (Verkhovna Rada), and a Prime Minister, nominated by the President subject to approval by the Rada. The new post-Soviet Constitution was adopted by Verkhovna Rada on June 28, 1996.