UKRAINE

It is Europe’s second biggest country after Russia and previously known as the bread basket of the USSR. The national flag’s colour emphasises the characteristics of the country. Blue for endless sky and yellow for huge fields of golden wheat.

It borders with Belarus, Russian Federation, Moldova, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland. Only on the south it has a coast line along the Black Sea.

Most of the country is flat with some hills, partially wooded steppe. There are only two big mountain ranges; one is the Carpathian in the far west and Ukraine’s highest mountain Hoverlia 2000m and the Crimean Mountains in the far south. There 3000 rivers including the longest of 2200km, the Dnieper, flowing from north to south-east and b before it flow into the Black Sea it makes an incredible 90o turn.

CARPATHIAN MOUNTAIN

The other big rivers the Dneister in the west and Bug in the south also flow into the Black Sea but the Donets in the east are flowing into the Don and then into the Sea of Azov.

The climate of the country is moderate. The capital Kiev has on average 20o in the summer and in comparison a mild winter. It only freezes for up to two to three months while Moscow has very heavy winter up to four or five months frost and snow.  On the Black Sea coast there is sub-tropical climate wit sunshine all year round.

THE CAPITAL KIEV

The rainfall of 40cm with a third for the rest of the country.

Ukraine’s flora is oak, linden, maple and ash trees, the willows and aspen grow along the river’s valleys. In the mountainous region are alpine meadows, pine and Jupiter at high altitude. Along the Crimea’s southern coast grows Mediterranean vegetation.

the country has hundreds of mammals and they include wolves, wild bear, gazelles, mountain goats and Carpathian wildcats plus 350 species of birds and 200 species of fish,

POPULATION

It is assumed that over a hundred different ethnic groups live in Ukraine. The majority is 75 percent Ukrainian and 22 percent Russian.  Most of the people live in urban areas. The capital alone has 2.6million. The education is compulsory for eight years and after that they can move on to learning a trade or go on to higher education. They have a 99 percent literacy.

Ukraine has a great literature and music history which shows in their folk tradition. The byliny are a collection of medieval epic poems and folk songs telling about princes and heroes of the Ukraine’s golden age. From the 16^th century are the lyrical epics describing the Cossack’s victories and was followed by great celebration created Ukraine’s famous folk dances.  They were both chanted by minstrel (kobzars) and the music is played on a flute-like instrument called kobza.  

TARAS CHEVCHENKO

Ukraine’s celebrity Taras Shevchenko (1814-61) called his first volume of poetry kobzars. The great Russian playwright Anton Chekhov wrote Three Sisters (1901) and The Cherry Orchard (1904) when he lived in Crimea.  Yalta’s beautiful Swallow’s Nest Castle was used for the film set of Agatha Christie’s Ten Little Indians (1966). Ukraine’s most famous composer, Sergei Prokofiev, wrote Peter and the Wolf (1938) and the beautiful ballet score for Romeo and Juliet (1944-46).

SWALLOW NEST CASTLE

ECONOMY

Almost two-third of Ukrainian living on the land. The country is covered with black, humus-rich soil.  The fertile soil produces wheat, other grains, potatoes, sunflowers, flax, fruit and beetroot.

The country is rich in mineral such as iron ore, manganese and natural gas. The heavy industry using these natural resources is mainly in the Donbass region, around the city of Donetsk.  They produce farm machinery, fertilizers, chemicals, cement, plastics, cars, aircraft and computers. At the moment the country is trying hard to develop the tourist industry. The main attraction is the coast of the Black Seas but also the wealth of historical and cultural sightseeing and the beautiful Carpathian Mountains.

KIEV -- ST MICHAEL

HISTORY

The capital Kiev is one of the oldest cities of Eastern Europe. In the 6^th century AD it was already a great trading centre. After 400 years it became the capital of the powerful state Kiev Rus.  In the 13^th century the grandson of Genghis Kan conquered Kiev and the Ukraine and ruled if for a long tine.  After that the Ukraine was ruled by Lithuania in the 14^th century; then Poland in the 16^th century and then the Russian Empire.

From 1922 to 1991 the Ukraine was part of the USSR. In the 1930 the dictator Stalin created an artificial famine in the Ukraine. He confiscated the food for other parts of the country and for some unknown reason wanted to persecute the people of the Ukraine. International organization wanted to deliver food to the Ukraine but Stalin refused.  The end effect was five to seven million people starved to death.  During 1940s five million Ukrainians died due to Nazi occupation.

In December 1991 the people voted as a majority for independence and chosen Leonid Kravchuk as president. In July, 1994 he was replaced by Leonid Kuchma. The Ukraine is now building a good economy and moving towards a republic structured on western principles. The new Constitution written in 1996 includes democracy, human rights and law and order.

UKRAINE MADE --  
THE LARGEST AIRCRAFT
EVER BUILT

HOLIDAYS IN THE UKRAINE

Since we are heading for winter and skiing holidays the Ukraine is a great place and only to be recommended. The ski resort a numerous and if you would like to have more information click on Ukrain Ski. All their places are no very known but nevertheless more than well equipped with more than enough ski lifts which cuts the queuing time and gives more time to ski down the mountain.

The ski resort are either in the Carpathian Mountains or Crimea Mountain. The snow condition is a perfect powdery snow and plentyful. Already it is snowing in the Carpathian Mountain, heavily and will continue till the end of May. The Crimea Mountains will have snow within a week or two and till the end of May. The prices are more than effortable. Therefore it will be a reasonable priced holiday. In the summer these areas offer guided tours in an almost untouched nature, water sport of any kind and mountaineering.

These are just a few picture of a glorious area with many ski resorts.

SKI RESORT IN THE CRIMEA

YABLUNYTSA SKI RESORT