What are the Key Facts of Ukraine?

Where is Ukraine?

Ukraine is an Eastern European country that is bordered by the Black Sea between Poland and Romania. While Russia is located to the east of Ukraine, Moldova is situated in the west.

What is the Geography of Ukraine?

Ukraine has a total area of 603,628 sq. km (233,062 sq. mi), out of which 579,330 sq. km (223,681 sq. mi) is land area and 24,220 sq. km (9,351 sq. mi) is water area. Around 43,133 sq. km (16,654 sq. mi) area (which accounts for 7.1% of the total area of Ukraine) is currently occupied by Russia. The occupied regions are Crimea and 1/3rd of Luhans’k and Donets’k oblasts.

It shares its 5,618 km (3,491 mi) long land boundary with 7 other countries. Ukraine shares land boundary with Russia (1,944 km or 751 mi), Moldova (1,202 km or 464 mi), Belarus (1,111 km or 429 mi), Romania (601 km or 232 mi), Poland (535 km or 207 mi), Hungary (128 km or 49 mi), and Slovakia (97 km or 337 mi). The total length of the coastline is 2,782 km (1,729 mi).

Generally, the landform of Ukraine includes fertile lands called steppes as well as plateaus. Many rivers including Dnieper, Southern Bug, Dniester, and Seversky Donets cross these landscapes to the south into the Black Sea as well as the Sea of Azov. The Danube River’s delta is located to the southwest of the country and stretches along the Romanian border.

In the western parts of Ukraine, the Carpathian Mountains are located. The highest elevation point of Ukraine is Hora Hoverla at 2,061 m (6,762 ft). The lowest elevation point is sea level at Black Sea. The mean elevation of the country is 175 m (574 ft).

In addition, highland regions are also present in Ukraine. In the west of the country, Volyn-Podillia Upland is situated. On the Dnieper’s right bank Near-Dnipro Upland is located. The Central Russian Upland’s south-western spurs extend along the Russian Federation’s border. The Near Azov Upland as well as the Donets Ridge is there near the Sea of Azov.

Temperate continental climate can be found in most parts of Ukraine. In the northern parts of the country, the average yearly temperature remains within 5.5 °C to 7 °C (41.9 °F to 44.6 °F). In the southern parts of Ukraine, the average yearly temperature remains within 11 °C to 13 °C (51.8 °F to 55.4 °F).

Moreover, the distribution of rainfall is not proportionate. The highest amount of rainfall takes place in the western and northern parts of the country. In the eastern and southeastern parts of the country, the lowest precipitation is recorded. The Carpathian Mountains in the west receive 1,200 mm (47.2 in) of rainfall annually. The coastal areas receive an annual rainfall amount of around 400 mm (15.7 in).

What is the Economy of Ukraine?

To begin with, the Ukrainian economy is an emerging free-market economy, which increased rapidly during 2000-2008. It suffered from the 2008-2009 Ukrainian financial crisis but started recovering in 2010. The recovery sustained for a couple of years but again entered a severe downturn that lasted from 2013 to 2016. The economic growth resumed in 2016. In 2018, the economy of Ukraine grew at a rate of 3.335% and the nominal GDP in the same year reached US$130.832 billion.

Besides, the estimated trade deficit of the economy is around US$4 billion. The main export items are ferrous and nonferrous metals, chemicals, fuel & petroleum products, food products, machinery, and transport equipment. The main imported goods are natural gas, machinery, equipment, and chemicals.

Further, Ukraine’s multi-sectoral economy is heavily dependent upon services, which account for 60% of the GDP. Industrial production contributes around 28%, followed by agriculture (accounting for 12% of the GDP). Out of the total labor force of 20.25 million, 68% work in services, 27% in industry, and 6% in agriculture.

In 2017, the rate of unemployment was 9.5%. The rate of poverty was 5.7% in the same year. The strongest aspects of the Ukrainian economy are good education-system, highly trained labor force, and a well-developed industrial base.

What is the Transportation System of Ukraine?

The transportation system in Ukraine is dependent mainly on roadways. The total roadways present in the country are 169,694 km (105,443 mi) and almost all of them are paved (166,095 km or 103,207 mi). However, just 17 km (11 mi) of roadways are expressways. The total number of airports present in Ukraine is 187, out of which 108 have paved runways and 79 have unpaved runways. Around 9 heliports are also available in the country.

The waterways amount to around 1,672 km (1,039 mi) and most of them are concentrated on the Dnieper River. There are 6 major seaports: Feodosiya (Theodosia), Yuzhnyy, Odessa, Mykolayiv, Mariupol, and Illichivsk. In all, 417 merchant marine ships are there in Ukraine.

What International Organizations is Ukraine part of?

UN, Australia Group, IMF, UNFICYP, BSEC, Interpol, UNESCO, CD, IAEA, CE, UNIDO, CEI, EAPC, NSG, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, GUAM, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMO, IMSO, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU MIGA, MONUSCO, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UNCTAD, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC, CIS (participating member, has not signed the 1993 CIS charter), ICC (national committees), CBSS (observer), CICA (observer), ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), SELEC (observer), NAM (observer), EAEC (observer), OAS (observer), OIF (observer), UN Security Council (temporary), WFTU (NGOs)