Ukraine information Travel guide

The Ukraine is the largest country in Europe (total area is 603.000 square kilometers, the geographic center of Europe is located close to Rakhiv (small town in Western Ukraine), which appeared on the world map in 1991 as independent state. The international community recognized Ukraine. More then 100 countries started diplomatic relations with Ukraine.

Poland, Hungary, Belarus, Russia, Moldova, Slovakia, and Romania are the countries which Neighboring Ukraine.Population is 46 millions, density is approximately 90 people per square kilometer. The capital of Ukraine is Kiev. The largest cities are Kiev, Kharkov, Odessa (1.200.000), Zaporozhye, Dnepropetrovsk, Lviv, Nickolayev. Urban population is 66%. The largest denomination is Orthodox Christianity. Main resorts: Odessa, Crimea. National language is Ukrainian.

There are more than 70.000 large streams and rivers in Ukraine; the most significant are the Dnepr River, the Dnestr River and the Southern Bug River. The Dnepr River is the third longest river in Europe with its total length of 2285 kilometers. The Danube River, one of the famous European Rivers also flows through Ukraine and links the country with 7 European countries. From the South the territory of the Ukraine is washed by The Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.

Dozens of tourist routes pass through The Carpathian and Crimean mountains. Goverla (2061 meters) is the highest peak of the Ukrainian Carpathians.
The climate in Ukraine is moderately continental, except Crimea Peninsula, which has subtropical climate and Mediterranean-like. Spring comes early; summer is sunny and green; winter is mild and white except the South of Ukraine where average temperature in winter is about 0 - +5 Celsius.

Ukraine has an ancient history. The ancestors of Ukrainians started to settle the region of modern Ukraine during the Trypilian period, several thousand years ago. Present-day Ukraine was inhabited by the ancestors of the Eastern Slavs: Anteans and Ros.

One of the most powerful states of Europe was founded in the 9th century on the territory of modern Ukraine. This was Kyivan-Rus (Kievan Rus, Kievskaya Rus), which included the cities of Kyiv (Kiev), Moscow, Halych (Galich), Polotsk, Smolensk, Rostov, Suzdal, Novgorod and Chernihiv (Chernigov).

Kyivan-Rus (Kievan Rus, Kievskaya Rus) State was expanded on the territory from the Black Sea to The Baltic Sea; and from the Volga and the Kuban Rivers to Transcarpathia. The famous Dnepr River trade route so called "from Varangians to Greeks" passed through Kyiv (Kiev), which was the capital of Kievan Rus and now is the capital of Ukraine. This was a period of glory and great power of Slavic tribes. In 988 Prince Vladimir the Saint introduced Christianity as the official state religion. Kievan Rus was christened on the banks of the Dnepr River in Kiev

Till the middle of the 11th century, Kiev was one of the most powerful, the richest and the most developed cities of Europe. The refined skills of Kiev’s medieval craftsmen are demonstrated by the large founds of buried treasures discovered within the territory of the ancient Kiev city, and by Kiev many architectural monuments which are still in glory: Saint Sofia Cathedral, the Golden Gate, Kiev Pechersk Orthodox Monastery etc.

Kievan Rus existed till1240. The Tatar-Mongols captured Kiev in 1240. Thousands of Kiev population was killed and almost all the city was destroyed. Kiev fell into a prolonged period of default. Kievan Rus stopped its existence and was ruled by The Tatar-Mongols for almost three centuries. Some of Kievan Rus territory came under the power of Belarus and Moscow.

The end of the 15th century was the next time the world heard about Ukraine. The road to independence of Ukraine by the Ukrainian people began with Cossack military campaigns against Polish and The Tatars. In 1648-1654 Cossack armies, headed by Ukrainian leader Bogdan Khmelnytsky, were fighting to make Ukraine independent. Unfortunately power of Ukrainian apprised army was not so strong as Polish and Lithuanian. To avoid influence of Polish and Lithuanian lords Bohdan Khmelnytsky asked the protection of the Russian Tsar. As a result, Poland and Lithuania lost its influence in Ukraine and Ukraine became a part of Russian Empire. Odessa city was founded during this Russian reign as a major Black sea port.

The Russian Empire fell in January 1918 and Ukraine got its independence. Ukrainian National Republic was proclaimed. Mikhail Grushevskiy became the first President of Ukraine. Ukrainian National Republic did not exist long. After that Ukraine was captured by Germany, then by Soviet Russia. From 1922 till 1991 Ukraine was The Soviet Union Republic and got its independence only 1991 after USSR stopped its existence.

Independent modern Ukraine is democratic country, headed by the president (executive power) and the parliament of Ukraine (legislative power). Judicial power is the third branch of power in Ukraine. The constitution of the Ukraine guarantees equal rights for all citizens, free medicine and education, independent media.