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 near the little Ukrainian town of Rakhiv, 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 71 thousand rivers and streams in Ukraine; the most significant are the Dnepr, the Dnestr, and the Southern Bug Rivers. The Dnepr River is the third longest river in Europe with its total length of 2285 kilometers. The Danube River links Ukraine with 7 European countries. From the South 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 began settling in the region 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 medieval 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 Baltic to the Black 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. “The Iron trade route” led to the Sea of Azov as well. This was a period of great power and glory. In 988 Prince Vladimir the Saint introduced Christianity as the official state religion. The christening of Kievan Rus took place in Kiev on the banks of the Dnepr River.

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

Kievan Rus existed till1240. The Tatar-Mongols captured Kiev in 1240. Thousands of people were killed and much of 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 rule of Moscow and Belarus.

The end of the 15th century was the next time the world heard about Ukraine. The long road to independence 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 King. 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.