Ukraine Guide

Ukraine Guide

Ukraine – country information

Country name Ukraine
Official name Ukrainian Republic
Capital Kyiv
Continent Europe
Area 603,700 km2
Population 45,426,200 (2014)
Foundation of a state 8/24/1991
The highest mountains Hoverla (Goverla) 2061 m
Longest rivers Dnieper 2280 km (in the country 1500 km)
State system a presidential-type pluralistic republic with a unicameral parliament
The biggest cities Kyiv (capital) 2,610,000, Kharkiv 1,600,000, Dnipropetrovsk 1,180,000
Official language Ukrainian
Ethnicity/National Composition Ukrainians 73.5%, Russians 21%, Belarusians 0.8%, Jews 0.7%, others 4%
Religious affiliation predominantly Orthodox, minorities of Roman and Greek Catholics
Currency 1 meatball
gross domestic product (GDP) US$7,295 (2012)
Average life expectancy of the population 69.98 years (2006)
Structure of GDP agriculture and fishing 19%, mining and industry 38%, construction 6%, services 37%

Ukraine – neighboring states

State Capital Area Population
Belarus Minsk 207,600 km2 9,468,100
Hungary Budapest 93,032 km2 9,906,000
Moldova Chisinau 33,851 km2 3,559,500
Poland Warsaw 312,685 km2 38,502,396
Romania Bucharest 238,391 km2 20,121,641
Russia Moscow 17,098,200 km2 143,700,000
Slovakia Bratislava 49,033 km2 5,415,949

Country overview

According to Abbreviationfinder, the Eastern European Republic of Ukraine is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, bordering Russia to the east and northeast, Belarus to the north, Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary to the west, and Romania and Moldova to the southwest. It is the second most powerful republic of the former Soviet Union after Russia in terms of population and scale of production. In addition to the current major economic and domestic political problems, the environment and the health of the population are threatened for a long time by the consequences of the destruction of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant block in the north of the country.

Country data

Location: Eastern Europe

Time zone: CET + 2 (during European summer time, CET + 1)

Total area: 603,550 km²

Land area: 579,330 km²

Water area: 24,220 km²

Length of the state border: 4,566 km

Bordering countries:
Moldova / Moldova: 940 km
Poland: 428 km
Romania: 538 km
Russian Federation: 1,576 km
Slovakia: 90 km
Hungary: 103 km
Belarus / Belarus: 891 km

Coastline: 2,782 km

Capital: Kiev

Regions: 27
Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Chernivtsi, Dnipropetrovs’k, Donets’k, Ivano-Frankivs’k, Kharkiv, Kherson, Khmel’nyts’kyy, Kirovohrad, Kyyiv, Kiev, Luhans’k, L’viv, Mykolayiv, Odesa, Poltava, Autonomous Republic of Krym, Rivne, Sevastopol, Sumy, Ternopil, Vinnytsya, Luts’k, Uzhhorod, Zaporizhzhya, Zhytomyr

Electric current: 220 V / 50 Hz

Telephone code: 00 380 (Source: Allcitycodes)

Highest point: Hora Hoverla 2,061 m

Population

Population: approx. 44.3 million residents (Countryaah, 2021)

Population growth: -0.6% per year

Population density (residents per km²): 73

Life expectancy: 64 (male), 75 (female)

Official language: Ukrainian

Religions: Ukrainian Orthodox, Protestants

Climate

Ukraine has mostly a temperate continental climate. Only in the coastal area to the Black Sea does it get a little more Mediterranean.

Ukraine

The summer months are warm with average temperatures around 22 ° C.

In winter it can get very cold (often below 0 ° C) and there is a lot of snow compared to Europe.

Currency / finance

Currency unit: Hryvnia (UAH)

Classification: 1 hryvnia = 100 Kopijok

ATMs: are available in some major cities.

International credit cards: These are accepted in larger hotels and shops.

Regulations: There is no limit to the amount of foreign currencies that can be imported. From an equivalent value of 10,000 EUR, a proof of origin is occasionally required. The export is permitted in the amount of the declared import.

The national currency can be imported up to a maximum of 3,000 UAH. In order to be able to import larger amounts, a permit from the National Bank of Ukraine must be presented. The export is limited to 10,000 UAH and must be declared in writing.

Money should only be exchanged in recognized exchange offices or banks, as cheating is common on the black market. All exchange receipts should be kept until departure.

Before using an ATM you should look at it carefully. The devices are often manipulated by fraudsters.

Customs regulations

The following may be carried duty-free:

  • 200 g tobacco products
  • 1 liter of alcoholic beverages

(Information applies to people aged 20 and over)

Tourists and people in transit can bring items of personal use with them duty-free.

Valuable jewelry and other expensive items brought along must be declared upon entry.

A customs permit is required for the export of antiques and works of art.

Travel advice

Since the beginning of 2014 there has been fighting in eastern Ukraine (Donetsk Oblast and Luhansk). We urgently warn against traveling to the conflict areas!

Travel to the Crimean peninsula is also not recommended.

Since the sea ports of Crimea are closed to third countries, there are also restrictions here.

All large crowds and demonstrations should be avoided.

Consular protection cannot be guaranteed given the current situation.

Economy

Ukraine’s industry is active in almost all existing areas.

Due to the large quantities of available mineral resources, the processing industry was also able to establish itself well around mining.

The main exports are chemical goods, machines, metal products, food, textiles and sugar.

Industries: building materials, mining, chemistry, power generation, food manufacturing, mechanical engineering, metal processing

Natural resources: iron ore, natural gas, petroleum, graphite, wood, coal, magnesium, manganese, nickel, agricultural land, salt, titanium, uranium

Land use:

  • Land: 58%
  • Grain cultivation: 2%
  • Pasture area: 13%
  • Forests: 18%
  • other: 9%

Plants

The forest areas are mainly in the north and west of the country. Beech oak, spruce and pine are the most common.

In the south of the country there are many steppe landscapes in which only a few types of grass and bush grow.

Large parts of the fertile land were converted into arable land for agriculture.

Animals

The population of wild animals has been severely decimated in recent decades.

The main reason for this is the targeted hunting of animals and the destruction of the habitat in order to gain agricultural land.

National parks and protected areas should now offer the threatened animal species a safe habitat.

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