Ukraine
| Ukraine | |
|---|---|
Anthem: "Shche ne vmerly Ukrainy ni slava ni volya"
"The glory and the will of Ukraine has not yet died" (also – "Ukraine has not yet perished)"  | |
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| |
| Capital and largest city | Kiev 50°27′N 30°30′E |
| Official languages | Ukrainian |
| Recognised regional languages | Romanian, Belarusian, Bulgarian, Crimean Tatar, Gagauz, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Polish, Russian, Slovak, Yiddish[1][2] |
| Ethnic groups (2001[3]) |
|
| Demonym | Ukrainian |
| Government | Unitary semi-presidential constitutional republic |
| Petro Poroshenko | |
| Volodymyr Groysman | |
| Andriy Parubiy | |
| Legislature | Verkhovna Rada |
| Formation | |
| 882 | |
| 1199 | |
| 17 August 1649 | |
• Independence from Russian Republic; Ukrainian People's Republic
| 7 November 1917 |
| 1 November 1918 | |
| 10 March 1919 | |
| 8 October 1938 | |
| 15 November 1939 | |
| 30 June 1941 | |
| 24 August 1991a | |
| 28 June 1996 | |
| Area | |
• Total
| 603,628 km2 (233,062 sq mi) (45th) |
• Water (%)
| 7 |
| Population | |
• 2017 estimate
| 42,418,235 
[4] (32nd) |
• 2001 census
| 48,457,102[3] |
• Density
| 73.8/km2 (191.1/sq mi) (115th) |
| GDP (PPP) | 2017 estimate |
• Total
| $366 billion[5] (50th) |
• Per capita
| $8,656[5] (114th) |
| GDP (nominal) | 2017 estimate |
• Total
| $104 billion[5] (62nd) |
• Per capita
| $2,459[5] (132nd) |
| Gini (2015) |  25.5[6]low · 18th |
| HDI (2015) | 0.743[7] high · 84th |
| Currency | Ukrainian hryvnia (UAH) |
| Time zone | EET (UTC+2[8]) |
• Summer (DST)
| EEST (UTC+3) |
| Drives on the | right |
| Calling code | +380 |
| ISO 3166 code | UA |
| Internet TLD | |
| |
The territory of modern Ukraine has been inhabited since 32,000 BC. During the Middle Ages, the area was a key centre of East Slavic culture, with the powerful state of Kievan Rus' forming the basis of Ukrainian identity. Following its fragmentation in the 13th century, the territory was contested, ruled and divided by a variety of powers, including Lithuania, Poland, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire and Russia. A Cossack republic emerged and prospered during the 17th and 18th centuries, but its territory was eventually split between Poland and the Russian Empire, and finally merged fully into the Russian-dominated Soviet Union in the late 1940s.
During the 20th century three periods of independence occurred. The first of these periods occurred briefly during and immediately after the German occupation near the end of World War I and the second occurred, also briefly, and also during German occupation, during World War II. However, both of these first two earlier periods would eventually see Ukraine's territories consolidated back into a constituent republic within the Soviet Union. The third period of independence began in 1991, when Ukraine gained its independence from the Soviet Union in the aftermath of its dissolution at the end of the Cold War. Ukraine has maintained its independence as a sovereign state ever since. Before its independence, Ukraine was typically referred to in English as "The Ukraine", but sources since then have moved to drop "the" from the name of Ukraine in all uses.[14]
Following its independence, Ukraine declared itself a neutral state.[15] Nonetheless it formed a limited military partnership with the Russian Federation and other CIS countries and a partnership with NATO in 1994. In the 2000s, the government began leaning towards NATO, and a deeper cooperation with the alliance was set by the NATO-Ukraine Action Plan signed in 2002. It was later agreed that the question of joining NATO should be answered by a national referendum at some point in the future.[16] Former President Viktor Yanukovych considered the current level of co-operation between Ukraine and NATO sufficient,[17] and was against Ukraine joining NATO.[18] In 2013, after the government of President Yanukovych had decided to suspend the Ukraine-European Union Association Agreement and seek closer economic ties with Russia, a several-months-long wave of demonstrations and protests known as the Euromaidan began, which later escalated into the 2014 Ukrainian revolution that led to the overthrow of President Yanukovych and his cabinet and the establishment of a new government. These events formed the background for the annexation of Crimea by Russia in March 2014, and the War in Donbass in April 2014. On 1 January 2016, Ukraine applied the economic part of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area with the European Union.[19]
Ukraine has long been a global breadbasket because of its extensive, fertile farmlands and is one of the world's largest grain exporters.[20][21] The diversified economy of Ukraine includes a large heavy industry sector, particularly in aerospace and industrial equipment.
Ukraine is a unitary republic under a semi-presidential system with separate powers: legislative, executive and judicial branches. Its capital and largest city is Kiev. Taking into account reserves and paramilitary personnel,[22] Ukraine maintains the second-largest military in Europe after that of Russia. The country is home to 42.5 million people (excluding Crimea),[13] 77.8 percent of whom are Ukrainians "by ethnicity", followed by a sizeable minority of Russians (17.3 percent) as well as Georgians, Romanians/Moldovans, Belarusians, Crimean Tatars, Bulgarians and Hungarians. Ukrainian is the official language and its alphabet is Cyrillic. The dominant religions in the country are Eastern Orthodoxy and Greek Catholicism, which have strongly influenced Ukrainian architecture, literature and music. It is a member of the United Nations since its founding, the Council of Europe, OSCE, GUAM, and one of the founding states of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
Early history
Modern human settlement in Ukraine and its vicinity dates back to 32,000 BC, with evidence of the Gravettian culture in the Crimean Mountains.[34][35] By 4,500 BC, the Neolithic Cucuteni-Trypillian Culture flourished in a wide area that included parts of modern Ukraine including Trypillia and the entire Dnieper-Dniester region. During the Iron Age, the land was inhabited by Cimmerians, Scythians, and Sarmatians.[36] Between 700 BC and 200 BC it was part of the Scythian Kingdom, or Scythia.[37]
Beginning in the sixth century BC, colonies of Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome and the Byzantine Empire, such as Tyras, Olbia and Chersonesus, were founded on the northeastern shore of the Black Sea. These colonies thrived well into the 6th century AD. The Goths stayed in the area but came under the sway of the Huns from the 370s AD. In the 7th century AD, the territory of eastern Ukraine was the centre of Old Great Bulgaria. At the end of the century, the majority of Bulgar tribes migrated in different directions, and the Khazars took over much of the land.
Independence
Ukrainian President Leonid Kravchuk and President of the Russian Federation Boris Yeltsin signed the Belavezha Accords, dissolving the Soviet Union, on 8 December 1991.
A referendum and the first presidential elections took place on 1 December 1991. More than 90% of the electorate expressed their support for the Act of Independence, and they elected the chairman of the parliament, Leonid Kravchuk as the first President of Ukraine. At the meeting in Brest, Belarus on 8 December, followed by the Alma Ata meeting on 21 December, the leaders of Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine formally dissolved the Soviet Union and formed the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).[119]
Ukraine was initially viewed as having favourable economic conditions in comparison to the other regions of the Soviet Union.[120] However, the country experienced deeper economic slowdown than some of the other former Soviet Republics. During the recession, Ukraine lost 60% of its GDP from 1991 to 1999,[121][122] and suffered five-digit inflation rates.[123] Dissatisfied with the economic conditions, as well as the amounts of crime and corruption in Ukraine, Ukrainians protested and organized strikes.[124]
The Ukrainian economy stabilized by the end of the 1990s. A new currency, the hryvnia, was introduced in 1996. After 2000, the country enjoyed steady real economic growth averaging about seven percent annually.[125][126] A new Constitution of Ukraine was adopted under second President Leonid Kuchma in 1996, which turned Ukraine into a semi-presidential republic and established a stable political system. Kuchma was, however, criticised by opponents for corruption, electoral fraud, discouraging free speech and concentrating too much power in his office.[127] Ukraine also pursued full nuclear disarmament, giving up the third largest nuclear weapons stockpile in the world and dismantling or removing all strategic bombers on its territory in exchange for various assurances (main article: Nuclear weapons and Ukraine).
Armed forces
Commander of the Ukrainian contingent in Multi-National Force – Iraq, kisses his country's flag.
Ukraine took consistent steps toward reduction of conventional weapons. It signed the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe, which called for reduction of tanks, artillery, and armoured vehicles (army forces were reduced to 300,000). The country plans to convert the current conscript-based military into a professional volunteer military.[16]
Ukrainian frigate Hetman Sahaydachniy (U130)
Military units of other states participate in multinational military exercises with Ukrainian forces in Ukraine regularly, including U.S. military forces.[230]
Following independence, Ukraine declared itself a neutral state.[15] The country has had a limited military partnership with Russian Federation, other CIS countries and a partnership with NATO since 1994. In the 2000s, the government was leaning towards NATO, and a deeper cooperation with the alliance was set by the NATO-Ukraine Action Plan signed in 2002. It was later agreed that the question of joining NATO should be answered by a national referendum at some point in the future.[16] Recently deposed President Viktor Yanukovych considered the current level of co-operation between Ukraine and NATO sufficient,[17] and was against Ukraine joining NATO.[18] During the 2008 Bucharest summit, NATO declared that Ukraine would eventually become a member of NATO when it meets the criteria for the accession.
Internet
Ukraine has a large and steadily growing Internet sector, mostly uninfluenced by the financial crisis of 2007–08. As of June, 2014, there were 18.2 million desktop Internet users, which is 56% of the adult population. The core of the audience is the 25 to 34-year-old age bracket, representing 29% of the population.[284] Ukraine ranks 8th among the world's top ten countries with the fastest Internet access speed.[285]IT
According to A.T. Kearney Global Services Location Index,[286] Ukraine ranks 24th among the best outsourcing locations, and is among the top 20 offshore services locations in EMEA, according to Gartner.[287] In the first six months of 2017, the volume of export of computer and information services reached $1.256 billion, which is an 18.3% increase compared to the same period in 2016.[288] The IT industry ranks third in the export structure of Ukraine after agro-industry and metallurgy.Ukraine’s IT sector employs close to 100,000 workers, including 50,000 software developers. This number is expected to surpass the 200,000 mark by 2020.[289] There are over 1,000 IT companies in Ukraine.[290] In 2017, 13 of them made it to the list of 100 best outsourcing service providers in the world.[291] More than 100 multinational tech companies have R&D labs in Ukraine.[292]
Ukraine ranks first worldwide in the number of C++ and Unity3D developers, and second in the number of JavaScript, Scala, and Magento engineers.[293] 78% of Ukrainian tech workers report having an intermediate or higher level of English proficiency.[294]
Tourism
In 2007 Ukraine occupied 8th place in Europe by the number of tourists visiting, according to the World Tourism Organisation rankings.[295] Ukraine has numerous tourist attractions: mountain ranges suitable for skiing, hiking and fishing: the Black Sea coastline as a popular summer destination; nature reserves of different ecosystems; churches, castle ruins and other architectural and park landmarks; various outdoor activity points. Kiev, Lviv, Odessa and Kamyanets-Podilskyi are Ukraine's principal tourist centres each offering many historical landmarks as well as formidable hospitality infrastructure. Tourism used to be the mainstay of Crimea's economy but there has been a major fall in visitor numbers following the Russian annexation in 2014.[296]The Seven Wonders of Ukraine and Seven Natural Wonders of Ukraine are the selection of the most important landmarks of Ukraine, chosen by the general public through an Internet-based vote.
Demographics
Main ethnic groups of Ukrainian raions (2001)
Ukraine has one of the most equal income distribution as measured by Gini index and Palma ratio.[298]
Population decline
Ukraine's population (excluding Crimea) in 2017 was estimated at 42,418,235.[299] The country's population has been declining since the 1990s because of a high emigration rate, coupled with high death rates and low birth rates. The population has been shrinking by over 150,000 annually since 1993. The birth rate has recovered in recent years from a low level around 2000, and is now comparable to the European average. It would need to increase by another 50% or so to stabilize the population and offset the high mortality rate.[citation needed]In 2007, the country's rate of population decline was the fourth highest in the world.[300]
Life expectancy is falling, and Ukraine suffers a high mortality rate from environmental pollution, poor diets, widespread smoking, extensive alcoholism and deteriorating medical care.[301][302]
During the years 2008 to 2010, more than 1.5 million children were born in Ukraine, compared to fewer than 1.2 million during 1999–2001. In 2008 Ukraine posted record-breaking birth rates since its 1991 independence. Infant mortality rates have also dropped from 10.4 deaths to 8.3 per 1,000 children under one year of age. This is lower than in 153 countries of the world.[303]
Fertility and natalist policies
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The phenomenon of lowest-low fertility, defined as total fertility below 1.3, is emerging throughout Europe and is attributed by many to postponement of the initiation of childbearing. Ukraine, where total fertility (a very low 1.1 in 2001), was one of the world's lowest, shows that there is more than one pathway to lowest-low fertility. Although Ukraine has undergone immense political and economic transformations during 1991–2004, it has maintained a young age at first birth and nearly universal childbearing. Analysis of official national statistics and the Ukrainian Reproductive Health Survey show that fertility declined to very low levels without a transition to a later pattern of childbearing. Findings from focus group interviews suggest explanations of the early fertility pattern. These findings include the persistence of traditional norms for childbearing and the roles of men and women, concerns about medical complications and infertility at a later age, and the link between early fertility and early marriage.[306]
To help mitigate the declining population, the government continues to increase child support payments. Thus it provides one-time payments of 12,250 hryvnias for the first child, 25,000 Hryvnias for the second and 50,000 Hryvnias for the third and fourth, along with monthly payments of 154 hryvnias per child.[239][307] The demographic trend is showing signs of improvement, as the birth rate has been steadily growing since 2001.[308] Net population growth over the first nine months of 2007 was registered in five provinces of the country (out of 24), and population shrinkage was showing signs of stabilising nationwide. In 2007 the highest birth rates were in the western oblasts.[309] In 2008, Ukraine emerged from lowest-low fertility, and the upward trend has continued since, except for a slight dip in 2010 because of the economic crisis of 2009 (see demographic tables).
Urbanisation
In total, Ukraine has 457 cities, 176 of them are labelled oblast-class, 279 smaller raion-class cities, and two special legal status cities. These are followed by 886 urban-type settlements and 28,552 villages.[224]| Rank | Name | Region | Pop. | Rank | Name | Region | Pop. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Kiev  Kharkiv |
1 | Kiev | Kiev (city) | 2,900,920 | 11 | Luhansk | Luhansk | 431,109 |  Odessa .jpg) Dnipro |
| 2 | Kharkiv | Kharkiv | 1,439,036 | 12 | Vinnytsia | Vinnytsia | 370,800 | ||
| 3 | Odessa | Odessa | 1,016,515 | 13 | Makiivka | Donetsk | 358,156 | ||
| 4 | Dnipro | Dnipropetrovsk | 979,046 | 14 | Sevastopol | Sevastopol (city) | 340,297 | ||
| 5 | Donetsk | Donetsk | 929,063 | 15 | Simferopol | Crimea | 336,330 | ||
| 6 | Zaporizhia | Zaporizhia | 757,650 | 16 | Kherson | Kherson | 302,526 | ||
| 7 | Lviv | Lviv | 727 968 | 17 | Poltava | Poltava | 298,652 | ||
| 8 | Kryvyi Rih | Dnipropetrovsk | 654,900 | 18 | Chernihiv | Chernihiv | 296,836 | ||
| 9 | Mykolaiv | Mykolaiv | 498,518 | 19 | Cherkasy | Cherkasy | 286,037 | ||
| 10 | Mariupol | Donetsk | 486,856 | 20 | Horlivka | Donetsk | 279,637 | ||
Language
Percentage of ethnic Ukrainians by subdivision according to the 2001 census (by oblast)
Percentage of native Russian speakers by subdivision according to the 2001 census (by oblast)[f]
Ukrainian is mainly spoken in western and central Ukraine.[310] In western Ukraine, Ukrainian is also the dominant language in cities (such as Lviv). In central Ukraine, Ukrainian and Russian are both equally used in cities, with Russian being more common in Kiev,[f] while Ukrainian is the dominant language in rural communities. In eastern and southern Ukraine, Russian is primarily used in cities, and Ukrainian is used in rural areas. These details result in a significant difference across different survey results, as even a small restating of a question switches responses of a significant group of people.[f]
For a large part of the Soviet era, the number of Ukrainian speakers declined from generation to generation, and by the mid-1980s, the usage of the Ukrainian language in public life had decreased significantly.[320] Following independence, the government of Ukraine began restoring the image and usage of Ukrainian language through a policy of Ukrainisation.[321] Today, most foreign films and TV programs, including Russian ones, are subtitled or dubbed in Ukrainian.
According to the Constitution of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Ukrainian is the only state language of the republic. However, the republic's constitution specifically recognises Russian as the language of the majority of its population and guarantees its usage 'in all spheres of public life'. Similarly, the Crimean Tatar language (the language of 12 percent of population of Crimea)[322] is guaranteed a special state protection as well as the 'languages of other ethnicities'. Russian speakers constitute an overwhelming majority of the Crimean population (77 percent), with Crimean Tatar speakers 11.4 percent and Ukrainian speakers comprising just 10.1 percent.[323] But in everyday life the majority of Crimean Tatars and Ukrainians in Crimea use Russian.[324]
Religion
The Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kiev, a UNESCO World Heritage Site[326] is one of the main Christian cathedrals in Ukraine
| [show]Changes over time and region in the proportions of people in Ukraine identifying themselves as believers, etc.[327] |
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A 2006 survey of the same Razumkov Centre, found that: 62.5% of all respondents were not religious, not believers or not affiliated to any religious body, 33.6% were Christians (26.8% Orthodox, 5.9% Catholics, and 0.9% Protestants), 0.1% were Jewish, and 3.8% were members of other religions.[328]
Among those Ukrainians who declared to believe in Orthodoxy, 38.1% declared to be members of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kievan Patriarchate (a body that is not canonically recognized by the Eastern Orthodox Church), while 23.0% declared to be members of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscovian Patriarchate (which is an autonomous Orthodox church under the Russian Orthodox Church). A further 2.7% were members of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, which, like the Kievan Patriarchate, is not recognized by the Eastern Orthodox Church.[329] Among the remaining Orthodox Ukrainians, 32.3% declared to be "simply Orthodox", without affiliation to any patriarchate, while a further 3.1% declared that they "did not know" which patriarchate or Orthodox church they belonged to.[330]
The second largest Christian group in Ukraine, Catholicism, is predominantly represented by the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, an Eastern Catholic Church in communion with the Holy See of the Roman Catholic Church. It recognizes the primacy of the Pope as head of the Church while still maintaining a similar liturgical and spiritual tradition as Eastern Orthodoxy.[331] Additionally, there are a small number of Latin Rite Catholic communities (1.0%).[325] The church consists mainly of ethnic Poles and Hungarians, who live predominantly in the western regions of the country.[citation needed] Protestants in Ukraine make up 1.9% of the population as of 2016.[325] A further 7.1% of the population declares to be simply Christian
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