Ukraine General Information
Capital: Kiev
Government: Republic
Currency: Hryvnia (UAH)
Area total: 603,700 sq km ( Water: 0 sq km / Land:
603,700 sq km )
Population: 47.5 million (approx)
Language: Ukrainian (official), Russian, Romanian,
Polish, Hungarian, Crimean Tatar
Religion: Ukrainian Orthodox - Moscow Patriarchate,
Ukrainian Orthodox - Kiev Patriarchate, Ukrainian Autocephalous
Orthodox, Ukrainian Catholic (Uniate), Protestant, Jewish,
Muslim
Dialing Code: +380
Internet TLD: .ua
Time Zone: GMT +2
Visa's: NOT
required for citizens of the EU, Switzerland, USA or Canada
Ukraine is in Eastern Europe. It lies at the northwest end of
the Black Sea, with Russia to the east, Belarus to the north,
Poland to the northwest, Slovakia and Hungary to the west, and
Romania to the south west and south, with Moldova in between.
Most of the country (the central and eastern portions) was
formerly a part of Russian Empire; after the October Revolution
and the Civil War, the entire country, known as the Ukrainian
Soviet Socialist Republic, was a part of the Soviet Union.
Ukraine is the second-largest country in Europe, albeit with a
slightly declining population.
History
Ukrainian history is
long and proud, with the inception of Kievan Rus as the most
powerful state in Medieval Europe. While this state fell prey
to Mongol conquest, the western part of Ukraine became part of
the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from the 14th until the 18th
century, even modern Ukraine owes it a debt of sorts. A
subsequent Ukrainian state was able, in the face of pressure
from the ascendant Muscovy, to remain autonomous for more than a
century, but the Russian Empire absorbed much of Ukraine in the
18th century to the detriment of their culture and identity.
Despite a brief, but uncertain, flash of independence at the end
of the czarist regime, Ukraine was incorporated into the new
USSR after the Russian Civil War in 1922 and subject to two
disastrous famines (1932-33 and 1946) as well as brutal fighting
during World War II. As a Soviet republic, the Ukrainian
language was often 'sidelined' when compared to Russian to
varying degrees; Stalinist repressions during the 1930s,
attempts at decentralisation during the Khrushchev
administration and the retightening of controls during the
Brezhnev-Kosygin era of the 1970s and early 1980s. In any case,
the traditionally bilingual province had signs in both Russian
and Ukrainian in virtually all cities, including Lviv, where
Ukrainian is most prevalent. The 1986 Chernobyl accident was a
further catastrophe to the republic but also widely considered
as an event which, in the long run, galvanized the population in
regional sentiment and led to increasing pressure on the central
government to promote autonomy.
Ukraine declared its sovereignty within the Soviet Union in July
1990 as a prelude to unfolding events in the year to come. The
Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine's Parliament) again declared its
independence in early December 1991 following the results of
referendum in November 1991 which indicated overwhelming popular
support (90% in favour of independence). This declaration became
a concrete reality as the Soviet Union formally ceased to exist
on December 25, 1991. Initially, there were severe economic
difficulties, hyperinflation, and oligarchal rule prevailed in
the early years following independence. The issues of cronyism,
corruption and alleged voting irregularities came to a head
during the heavily-disputed 2004 Presidential election, where
allegations of vote-rigging sparked what became known as the
"Orange Revolution". This revolution resulted in the subsequent
election of opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko as President.
During ongoing five years the "Orange coalition" broke up and
Viktor Yushchenko lost support of majority of Ukranians.
Ironically, his former adversary Viktor Yanukovich was elected
the President.
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