|
About
Ukraine
HISTORY
Ukrainians are deeply affected by the country's long history
that predates the independent state by some 1,500 years. The
march of successive civilizations from prehistoric times, the
Scythians, Greeks, Varaungian, Slavic, and Turkic peoples have
all left their mark. The birthplace of the Slavic state was
Kyivan-Rus which flourished a thousand years ago.
There is an old legend which tells of three brothers who found
Kyiv (also known as Kiev) at the end of the fifth century. The
brothers Kiy, Khoriv, and Shchek, along with their sister,
Lybid, decided to name this newly founded land "Kyiv," after
their elder brother.
Kyiv
bloomed during the end of the ninth century as a political
center inhabited by Eastern Slavs. Kyiv had an advantageous
trade route in the center of Europe which allowed it to maintain
political and economic ties with the West.
In
988, Kyiv's Prince Volodymyr the Great introduced Christianity
to Kyiv making it the official religion of Kyivan-Rus. This move
played an important role in Kyiv's political development and
cultural relations with the European and Near Eastern countries.
In
1240, Kyiv was invaded by the Tatar-Mongols led by the grandson
of Genghis Khan. The city was captured and its glory fell into
decline during the period of almost century-long rule by the
Tatar-Mongols.
For
many centuries thereafter Ukraine was attacked and ruled by
Poland and Lithuanian in the Rzecz Pospolita Commonwealth,
Russia, Germany and others. During this time Ukrainian Kozack
armies were formed which were led by a Hetman (military leader).
One of the most famous Hetman is Bohdan Khmelnytsky who inspired
one of the greatest Cossack uprisings that led to the liberation
of Kyiv in 1648. He was considered by some a traitor after he
signed the Treaty of Pereyaslav which authorized protection from
the Russian Czar. This treaty joined Ukraine and Russia into one
and led to a long period of domination by the Russian Empire and
ultimately the Soviet Union.
After the revolution of 1917 Vladimir Illyich Lenin and his
Bolshevik Party seized power and expanded their sphere of
control into Ukraine.
Ukraine experienced a brief period of independence when on
January 22, 1918, the Ukrainian Central Rada (Council) formally
issued a proclamation for Ukraine's independence. But shortly
thereafter in 1919, the Ukrainian National Republic was defeated
in a war against Polish expansionists and overrun once again.
Eventually, Bolshevik and Communist forces retook Ukrainian
lands, and as a means to control the population, leader Josef
Stalin caused the Great Famine of 1932-33 by forcibly collecting
grain and deliberately starving to death nearly ten million
people. Nazi Germany then began World War II and entered Kyiv in
September 1941 razing the city. In November 1943, Soviet forces
retook the city in fierce fighting and began their final
domination of Ukraine for almost the next fifty years.
Attention from the West turned to Ukraine after the nuclear
meltdown at the Chornobyl power plant in April 1986. Since then
Ukrainians felt the decreased political power wielded by the
Soviet Union's Communist leaders. After the Ukrainian Soviet
Socialist Republic proclaimed Ukraine's sovereignty in July
1990, Ukrainians fulfilled their dream of independence during
the failed Soviet coup of August 1991. In a referendum held on
December 1, 1991 the people of Ukraine endorsed independence and
voted Leonid Makarovych Kravchuk as Ukraine's first ever
democratically elected President. The United States recognized
Ukraine's independence on December 25, 1991; and the first
American Ambassador, Roman Popadiuk, arrived in Kyiv on June 8,
1992.
GEOGRAPHY
Ukraine's area is 233,088 square miles (603,700 sq. km). It's
slightly larger than France. Ukraine is mainly a vast plain with
no natural boundaries except the Carpathian Mountains in the
southwest and the Black Sea in the south. The Dnipro River with
its many tributaries unifies central Ukraine economically,
connecting the Baltic coast countries with the Black Sea and the
Mediterranean Sea. The mouth of the Danube River provides an
outlet for Ukrainian trade with the Balkans, Austria, and
Germany.
Ukraine has a complex geology with a rich variety of scenery and
impressive contrasts in topography. Central and southern Ukraine
is primarily steppe (prairie), with fertile black soil
exceptionally well-suited for grain farming. In the east is the
industrial heartland containing large reserves of mineral
deposits known as the Greater Donbas or Donetsk Basin.
Northern and western Ukraine are hilly, forested areas with many
picturesque mountain resorts. Enhancing the topography of
Ukraine are two mountain ranges, the Carpathian on its western
border where winter sports are very popular; and the Crimean
range, which divides the Crimean peninsular, creating a
semitropical area on its southernmost tip. The Crimea is a
favorite destination not only for Ukrainian tourists, but also
for citizens of other states of the former Soviet Union, as well
as the eastern and the western Europe.
CLIMATE
- The climate in Ukraine is similar to the wheat-producing
regions of Canada and is characterized by abundant precipitation
and cloudy skies, especially in fall and winter. The mean
temperature in summer is 67oF (19oC) and
in winter 21oF (-6oC). Although the
summers tend to be short, the temperature can rise into the 90's
making it uncomfortable, since most buildings have no central
cooling systems. The winters are long and cold, with cloudy
skies a norm.
A
list of Web pages providing  weather
forecasts for Ukraine can be found at
"Global Ukraine'.
POPULATION
The
population of Ukraine is approximately 52 million, of which 73%
is Ukrainian and 22% Russian. The remaining population is made
up of many minorities, the largest of which is Jewish (1.35%),
followed by Byelorussians, Moldovans, Poles, Armenians, Greeks,
Bulgarians, and others. Ukrainian population is only 64% urban.
UKRAINIAN POLITICAL SYSTEM
The
Ukrainian Political system has a popularly-elected President, a
450-person single chamber national parliament (Verkhovna Rada),
and a Prime Minister, nominated by the President subject to
approval by the Rada. The new post-Soviet Constitution was
adopted by Verkhovna Rada on June 28, 1996.
PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS
Politically, Ukraine has made tremendous strides toward
establishing a stable, tolerant and open democratic society in
its 3 years of independence. Ukraine achieved independent
statehood when its citizens approved the December 1, 1991
independence referendum and the Soviet Union ceased to exist on
December 31, 1991.
The
years since have been difficult for Ukraine. As the country
begins its fourth year much remains to be done to solidify
democratic reforms and to create a functioning market economy.
After centuries of Soviet and Tsarist repression, Ukraine today
has a largely free press, freedom of religion, and elections
that recently led to the first peaceful, democratic change of
leaders in Ukrainian history. While Ukrainians today are freer
than they have ever been, the public is impatient for a visible
improvement in the standard of living.
Ukraine held its first presidential elections as an independent
country in June and July 1994. In those elections, former Prime
Minister Leonid Kuchma defeated Ukraine's first president,
Leonid Kravchuk. The democratic transfer of power that followed
was the first in Ukraine's history and a crucial milestone for
the entire region. Among the key issues facing President Kuchma
are the rapid implementation of crucial economic reforms, the
resolution of disputes over the status of Crimea and the Russian
naval bases there, language and cultural issues related to
Ukraine's large (approx. 25 percent) ethnic Russian minority,
relations with Moscow in general, including both economic and
political concerns, and relations with the West.
Elections to Ukraine's unicameral, 450-seat Parliament (the
Supreme Council, or Verkhovna Rada) were held in March 1994. A
series of runoff and second-round elections followed throughout
the course of the year. Socialist Party leader Oleksandr Moroz
was elected Chairman of the Parliament on the basis of a strong
showing by leftist parties. The Socialists, Communists, and
Agrarians collectively received about a third of the seats in
the Rada, making their faction the largest single bloc and
giving them substantial operational control. Second round
elections later in the year decreased this proportion somewhat,
as newly elected deputies tended to align themselves more toward
the center. Nationalist parties and factions now have the
support of about 20 percent of the deputies, with about half the
Parliament either nonaligned or grouped in centrist factions.
ARTS, SCIENCE AND EDUCATION
Ukrainians have made a spirited effort to preserve their
cultural traditions and customs. There are several outdoor
museum villages displaying buildings, crafts, and living
conditions of the last century. Folk dancing and music festivals
are often held with traditional, regional music and costumes.
The
theater scene is lively. Performances are usually in Ukrainian
or Russian. The Kyiv Opera House is home to a very good opera
company and a ballet company of considerable talent and
expansive repertoire. Government subsidies make opera and
theater tickets inexpensive.
The
Kyiv Philharmonic concert hall, a 19th century church with a
fine organ, and the opera have a scheduled program of concerts,
including concerts by the Odessa Philharmonic Orchestra.
Ukrainian contemporary art includes painting and sculpture in a
wide range of experimental and traditional styles. Icons and
folk art are displayed in museums, and contemporary versions are
skillfully done and can be purchased in galleries and shops.
There are several art museums with collections of Ukrainian and
European art. There are house museums in Kyiv as well as a
museum of the history of Kyiv. The former Lenin Museum, now
called The Ukrainian National House, uses its exhibition space
to display numerous small exhibits of current Ukrainian art. In
addition, there are museums with good collections of archeology,
geology, botany, zoology, and aerospace.
Educational policy favors the study of science and technology.
At present, education is compulsory for ages 7-16.
University-level education is open to anyone who can pass an
admission test.
Kyiv
is rich in universities and institutes of higher learning. Chief
among the universities is Taras
Schevchenko. Higher levels of
technology are taught at Kyiv Polytechnic Institute. Mohylo
Academy is a private liberal arts university recently chartered
on the site of Ukraine's first university founded in the 17th
century. Among the new facilities is a School of Law with
courses that are taught both in Ukrainian and English. There are
many Americans at the graduate student level conducting research
in Ukraine using grants administered by the International
Research and Exchange Board (IREX) program. American professors
conduct courses at universities in American literature and other
subjects under the Fulbright program. Other American students in
Ukraine pursue academic work under the auspices of other
foundations and privately funded programs.
COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Once
called the "Breadbasket of Europe," Ukraine is rich in natural
resources. This includes excellent agricultural land and a
substantial industrial base consisting of coal and mineral
resources, and aerospace and chemical industries. Despite this
wealth of resources, the Ukrainian economy has suffered badly
since the nation's independence in 1991. All sectors of industry
have experienced major production declines. Despite fuel
shortages and shortages of fertilizers and pesticides, the 1993
harvest was significantly better than the previous few years,
but a hard winter and severe droughts have cut the harvest for
1994 by about 20 percent. Fuel supplies continue to be limited.
Small-scale privatization has begun in several cities, including
Lviv, Khmelnitsky, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhyia, and State housing
privatization has begun in every oblast of the country. However,
there has been little medium- or large-scale privatization in
Ukraine.
Market-oriented reforms were introduced in 1992 and 1993 in a
tentative manner. Ukrainian officials appear determined to move
toward a more efficient economy without creating social
upheaval, even if this includes temporary reliance on
administrative planning, of the "third way." This policy has
caused a decrease in industrial production in most sectors,
spiraling inflation, little privatization, and overall gridlock
in the economy. The former government attempted to stabilize the
economy in late 1992 and early 1993. However, these attempts met
with only initial success, and were soon overwhelmed by the
weight of collapsing production, ruptured trade links with the
former Soviet Union, and, above all, lack of the necessary
political will within then-President Kravchuk's administration,
the Parliament, and Cabinet of Ministers.
In
September 1993 President Kravchuk directed the economic
activities of the government and set privatization and combating
inflation as its priorities. The newly created Economic Reform
Committee contained few reformers, but President Kravchuk
initiated a few reform measures, including a presidential decree
on privatization of uncompleted construction sites, including
the land beneath them.
The
Foreign Commercial Service (FCS) provides assistance and
information to U.S. companies seeking trade and investment
opportunities in Ukraine. FCS has opened an American Business
Center, which offers a range of practical services, including
phone, fax, and photocopying services. FCS also hosts
delegations of U.S. business interests in Ukraine, and travels
throughout the country cataloging investment opportunities for
U.S. business. The Commerce Office provides information to
Ukrainian enterprises and helps them contact U.S. companies.
KYIV (Kiev) -- THE CAPITAL OF
UKRAINE
Kiev
(Kyiv, in Ukrainian), the capital of Ukraine, has a
population of nearly 3 million inhabitants and covers over 43 km
from east to west and 42 km from north to south. Approximately
85% of the Ukrainian population are Orthodox Christians; 10% are
Catholics of the Byzantine rite; 3% are Protestant (mainly
Baptists); 1.3% are of the Jewish faith. Kyiv has much to offer
in the cultural and architectural arenas with its wide
tree-lined boulevards and historical buildings reflecting
various styles and periods of the ancient Kyivan-Rus Empire.
Kyiv
is a major industrial center that includes companies
specializing in electronics, engineering, aviation, food and
chemical production, etc. Kyiv's economic development has been
enriched by its advantageous location along the Dnipro River,
which links Kyiv to the Black Sea. |