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History
Ukrainians value and celebrate their countrys long and colorful history. Over the centuries, successive civilizations have
left their mark on Ukraine;the Scythian, Greek, Scandinavian, Slavic, and Turkic peoples have all had aninfluence on the culture.
Ukraine gained its political independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
The history of the establishment of the Slavic state is rootedin a legend of three brothers and a sister who founded a
city along the Dnipro River at the end of the fifth century. Named after one of the brothers, the city Kyiv became the center
of the city-state of Kyivan-Rus'. Kyiv flourished as a center of trade and culture a thousand years ago and is the well spring
of the eastern Slavic states that exist today.
The strength of Kyivan-Rus' was undermined by infighting between the city-state's princes, by the sacking of Constantinople
by Crusaders, and by changes in regional trading patterns. In 1240 the Mongols, led by the grandson of Genghis Khan, attacked
Kyiv and subsequently controlled the region for nearly two centuries.
In the wake of Mongol domination, Ukraine was invaded and ruled by Poland, Lithuania, Russia, and others. Cossack armies
were formed in response, each led by a hetman (military leader). One of the most famous hetmans in Ukraine's history was Bohdan
Khmelnytsky, who inspired an uprising that led to the liberation of Ukraine from Poland in 1648. But he was considered a traitor
by some after he signed the Treaty of Pereyaslav in 1654, which joined Ukraine and Russia and led to Ukraine's subjugation
by the Russian empire and ultimately the Soviet Union.
Joseph Stalin, in an effort to weaken Ukraine further, induced a famine in 1932-33 by forcibly collecting grain and deliberately
starving to death as many as 10 million Ukrainians. In September 1941 Ukraine became one of the theaters of World War II when
Nazi forces entered Kyiv. In November 1943, Soviet forces recaptured the city, retaining control of the Ukraine republic for
almost 50 years.
The world's attention turned to Ukraine in the wake of the Chernobyl nuclear accident in April 1986. This incident, coupled
with changes in the political philosophy of Soviet leaders, spurred Ukraine to proclaim its sovereignty in July 1990. Ukrainians
formally realized their dream of independence following the failed coup of August 1991 in Moscow. In a national referendum
held on December 1, 1991, Ukrainians endorsed independence and chose Leonid Kravchuk as the country's first democratically
elected president.
Government
Ukraine is governed by a constitution adopted in 1996. Under this constitution, executive power is vested in the president
and the prime minister, while legislative power is the prerogative of the Verkhovna Rada (Supreme Council). The president
is elected by direct, popular vote for a four-year term. The president appoints the prime minister and the members of the
Cabinet of Ministers, and all appointments must be approved by the Verkhovna Rada. The Verkhovna Rada is a unicameral body
of 450 members, half of whom are elected directly by the people from single-mandate districts and half from national party
lists. Suffrage is granted to all citizens 18 years and older.
Ukraine is divided into 24 oblasts (provinces), one autonomous republic (Crimea) and 2 cities with special administrative
status (Kyiv and Sevastopol). The oblasts, in turn, are divided into 479 raions (divisions) and 415 cities. The Autonomous
Republic of Crimea is governed by a prime minister, who heads a Cabinet of Ministers with considerable autonomy in its internal
affairs.
Economy
At 603,700 square kilometers (241,480 square miles), Ukraine is one of the largest European countries in land area. While
its population of nearly 50 million ranks fifth in size in Europe, Ukraine's per capita gross domestic product (GDP) places
it among the lower-to middle-income countries. Yet the country has a highly trained, professional labor force, fertile agricultural
land, and a wealth of raw materials, metals, and natural resources.
Long known as the "bread basket of Europe," Ukraine continues to rely on agriculture as a mainstay of its economy.
Nearly two-thirds of agricultural produce is grown on small, privately owned farms. In 2001, agricultural output increased
by 5.8 percent, the first time since independence that agricultural enterprises managed to increase production.
The industrial sector has been undergoing significant structural changes since 1993, characterized by an increase in industrial
output in the share of base industries (power, fuels, and steel) and a decline in manufacturing industries (machine building
and light industry). The food industry has also increased its share of total industrial output.
People and Culture
The richness of Ukraine's culture reflects its history as a crossing point and meeting ground for European and Asian cultures
and peoples. While 75 percent of the population is Ukrainian, more than 110 other ethnic groups are represented in the country.
Among the numerous faiths practiced in Ukraine are Ukrainian Orthodoxy, Ukrainian Catholicism, Protestantism, Judaism, and
Islam.
Ukrainian was declared the official language at independence in 1991, though Russian and Ukrainian are also official languages
in Crimea. While Ukrainian is most often heard in western Ukraine and in smaller towns and villages, Russian is the primary
language spoken by many people in large cities particularly in the eastern and southern part of the country. In recent years
there have been tensions between the Ukrainian and Russian-speaking segments of the population. Reflecting the diversity of
the population, some Ukrainians also speak Romanian, Hungarian, or Polish.
Ukraine has wonderful folk arts, including embroidery, weaving, pottery, pysanky (painted eggs), and woodcarving. Its
music has evolved with influences from a variety of cultures. Folk traditions are preserved in ritual songs, dances, and games.
Environment
Ukraine is a beautiful country with a rich variety of natural resources, including about 70,000 species of flora and fauna(some
of which are endangered). In addition, nearly 8,000 deposits of 94 minerals of commercial value are extracted in Ukraine.
A small part of the country is mountainous, with the highest peaks being Hoverla (2,061 meters) in the Carpathian Mountains
and Roman-Kosh (1,542 meters) in the Crimean Mountains. Mixed forests cover the north. The middle of the country consists
of a mosaic of forests and steppe, and the south consists of steppe, restricted forests, and wetlands. The north and northwest
have an abundant water supply, including the Dnipro, Europe's third largest river, and smaller rivers. The southern part of
the country has fewer water resources. The coasts of the Black and Azov seas make up a significant portion of Ukraine's southern
border. With the biggest specific watershed in the world, the Black Sea receives some of the pollution generated by more than
1.7billion people, of whom only 6.5 million live on Ukraine's coast.
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