Location: Eastern Europe
Population: 48 Million
Area: 603.000 km² (largest European country)
Capital: Kiev
Language: Ukrainian and Russian
Climate: temperate continental
Currency: Hryvnia
Government structure: Republic
Date of independence: 24 August 1991
Economy: Principal exports are metals, minerals, electronics, chemicals, and vegetables
Ukraine is situated in the south-eastern part of Central Europe and has its own territory, government, national emblem, flag and anthem. It borders on Russia, Byelorussia, Moldova, Slovakia, Roumania, Hungary and Poland on land and Russia, Georgia, Bulgaria, Roumania and Turkey on sea.
Population: 48 Million
Area: 603.000 km² (largest European country)
Capital: Kiev
Language: Ukrainian and Russian
Climate: temperate continental
Currency: Hryvnia
Government structure: Republic
Date of independence: 24 August 1991
Economy: Principal exports are metals, minerals, electronics, chemicals, and vegetables
Ukraine is situated in the south-eastern part of Central Europe and has its own territory, government, national emblem, flag and anthem. It borders on Russia, Byelorussia, Moldova, Slovakia, Roumania, Hungary and Poland on land and Russia, Georgia, Bulgaria, Roumania and Turkey on sea.
The territory of Ukraine is mostly a level, treeless plain, calls "steppe". There are the Crimean Mountains in the Crimean peninsula and the Carpathians in the west, but they are not very high. Mixed forests of pine and fir-trees, beeches, limes, oaks and elms cover the mountains, but the thickest woods can still be found in the northern part of the country.
The main Ukrainian river is the Dnieper. It is one of the longest European rivers and one of the republic's main source of hydroelectric power. The Dnieper and its tributary the Ross had been the cradle of the Ukrainian and Russian people in time immemorial.
Language
The main Ukrainian river is the Dnieper. It is one of the longest European rivers and one of the republic's main source of hydroelectric power. The Dnieper and its tributary the Ross had been the cradle of the Ukrainian and Russian people in time immemorial.
Language
Ukraine and Russian are used roughly equally across Ukraine. While the official state language of Ukraine is Ukrainian, the preferred spoken language in most cities of southern, eastern, and northern Ukraine is Russian.
Ukraine's population
Ukraine has five cities with one million habitants or more: Kiev (2.6 million), Kharkiv (1.5 million), Donetsk (1.1 million), Dnipropetrovsk (1.1 million), and Odessa (1.0 million). Western Ukraine has more densely populated rural areas, but its largest city, Lviv, has only 790 thousand habitants. Life expectancy for men is around 60-65 years, and for women 70-75 years. Low male life expectancy is tied mainly to alcohol and drug abuse and work accidents. Ukraine has one of the highest women-to-men ratios in the world. The population has dropped a few million since 1990 due to emigration and low birth rates, both due to economic instability.
Religion
The dominant religion in Ukraine is Eastern Orthodox Christianity, which is currently split between three Church bodies.
The distant second is the Eastern Rite Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, which practices the same liturgical and spiritual tradition as Eastern Orthodoxy, but is in communion with the See of Peter and recognizes the primacy of the Pope of Rome.
There are also smaller Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish and Muslim communities.
Ukraine's population
Ukraine has five cities with one million habitants or more: Kiev (2.6 million), Kharkiv (1.5 million), Donetsk (1.1 million), Dnipropetrovsk (1.1 million), and Odessa (1.0 million). Western Ukraine has more densely populated rural areas, but its largest city, Lviv, has only 790 thousand habitants. Life expectancy for men is around 60-65 years, and for women 70-75 years. Low male life expectancy is tied mainly to alcohol and drug abuse and work accidents. Ukraine has one of the highest women-to-men ratios in the world. The population has dropped a few million since 1990 due to emigration and low birth rates, both due to economic instability.
Religion
The dominant religion in Ukraine is Eastern Orthodox Christianity, which is currently split between three Church bodies.
The distant second is the Eastern Rite Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, which practices the same liturgical and spiritual tradition as Eastern Orthodoxy, but is in communion with the See of Peter and recognizes the primacy of the Pope of Rome.
There are also smaller Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish and Muslim communities.
Timezone
Ukraine is situated between 44 and 52 degrees latitude in the continental temperate zone in Eastern Europe and has an area of 603,000 km2. It borders Belarus on the north, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Moldova on the west, and Russia on the East. Ukraine's time zone is 2 hours ahead of London, 7 hours ahead of New York City, 10 hours ahead of Los Angeles, and 3 hours 40 minutes behind Kathmandu.
GMT + 1.00
Money and Currency Exchange
Above is a sample of Ukraine's currency, the "hryvnia" (abbreviation: UAH). Bills come in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, and 200 hryvnias (higher values exist but are impractical as cash money), and coins exist in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 kopecks, as well as 1 hryvnia, where 100 kopecks = 1 hryvnia. Bills show historical figures on the front and famous buildings on the back. In late 2004 new bills were emitted, causing a bit of confusion among both natives and foreigners.
Exchange rates
1 US dollar = 8,2 UAH
1 Euro = 10,8 UAH
Exchanging money in Ukraine
Because of the amount of US dollars and euros in circulation in Ukraine, exchange booths can be found all over any busy section of town. Rates are generally as good or better than in banks, and the service is quicker. Take note of the different exchange rates offered; beware of things like a faded "0" slipped between digits on exchange rate signs in touristy areas. No documents are necessary to exchange money at exchange booths, but passports are required in many banks, where the procedure can take a bit longer. Count the money at the window in plain sight of the money changer before walking away. More central areas tend to have better exchange rates unless their main clients are tourists. If you enter Ukraine through Kyiv's Boryspil airport, bring some smaller dollar or euro bills if you will need to pay for a taxi; the exchange point in the airport has poor exchange rates.
Temperatures and best time to visit Ukraine
Average temperatures in January range from 0 degrees Celsius (32° F) on Crimea's South Shore to -8° C (17.6° F) on the northeast border with Russia and between 18 (64.4° F) and 23° C (73.4° F) in July. Ideal sunny months to visit are mid-April through June when everything is in bloom and the sun isn't too hot and September and early October when the temperatures are ideal and the leaves are changing. Throughout most of Ukraine be prepared for heat with thunderstorms and brief downpours in July and August, frequent rain in late October and November, and snow December through March.
Ukrainian Cuisine
· Ukrainian cuisine shows a sophisticated simplicity based on combinations of fresh, pickled, and smoked ingredients
· Food is neither highly spiced nor bland, but skillfully seasoned to perfection
· Bread is, of course, the mainstay of the Ukrainian diet The country’s reputation as of the “breadbasket of Europe”is well deserved (77 ways of preparing bread)
The most popular Ukrainian meals:
· “Borshch” – Ukrainian beet soup
· “Varenyky” – dough pockets filled with potato,or sauerkraut, or cottage cheese, or blueberries, or cherries
· “Holubtsi” – Ukrainian cabbage rolls
· “Nalysnyky” – super thin pancakes stuffed with cottage cheese, or poppy, or apples, or honey and walnut
Ukraine is situated between 44 and 52 degrees latitude in the continental temperate zone in Eastern Europe and has an area of 603,000 km2. It borders Belarus on the north, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Moldova on the west, and Russia on the East. Ukraine's time zone is 2 hours ahead of London, 7 hours ahead of New York City, 10 hours ahead of Los Angeles, and 3 hours 40 minutes behind Kathmandu.
GMT + 1.00
Money and Currency Exchange
Above is a sample of Ukraine's currency, the "hryvnia" (abbreviation: UAH). Bills come in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, and 200 hryvnias (higher values exist but are impractical as cash money), and coins exist in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 kopecks, as well as 1 hryvnia, where 100 kopecks = 1 hryvnia. Bills show historical figures on the front and famous buildings on the back. In late 2004 new bills were emitted, causing a bit of confusion among both natives and foreigners.
Exchange rates
1 US dollar = 8,2 UAH
1 Euro = 10,8 UAH
Exchanging money in Ukraine
Because of the amount of US dollars and euros in circulation in Ukraine, exchange booths can be found all over any busy section of town. Rates are generally as good or better than in banks, and the service is quicker. Take note of the different exchange rates offered; beware of things like a faded "0" slipped between digits on exchange rate signs in touristy areas. No documents are necessary to exchange money at exchange booths, but passports are required in many banks, where the procedure can take a bit longer. Count the money at the window in plain sight of the money changer before walking away. More central areas tend to have better exchange rates unless their main clients are tourists. If you enter Ukraine through Kyiv's Boryspil airport, bring some smaller dollar or euro bills if you will need to pay for a taxi; the exchange point in the airport has poor exchange rates.
Temperatures and best time to visit Ukraine
Average temperatures in January range from 0 degrees Celsius (32° F) on Crimea's South Shore to -8° C (17.6° F) on the northeast border with Russia and between 18 (64.4° F) and 23° C (73.4° F) in July. Ideal sunny months to visit are mid-April through June when everything is in bloom and the sun isn't too hot and September and early October when the temperatures are ideal and the leaves are changing. Throughout most of Ukraine be prepared for heat with thunderstorms and brief downpours in July and August, frequent rain in late October and November, and snow December through March.
Ukrainian Cuisine
· Ukrainian cuisine shows a sophisticated simplicity based on combinations of fresh, pickled, and smoked ingredients
· Food is neither highly spiced nor bland, but skillfully seasoned to perfection
· Bread is, of course, the mainstay of the Ukrainian diet The country’s reputation as of the “breadbasket of Europe”is well deserved (77 ways of preparing bread)
The most popular Ukrainian meals:
· “Borshch” – Ukrainian beet soup
· “Varenyky” – dough pockets filled with potato,or sauerkraut, or cottage cheese, or blueberries, or cherries
· “Holubtsi” – Ukrainian cabbage rolls
· “Nalysnyky” – super thin pancakes stuffed with cottage cheese, or poppy, or apples, or honey and walnut
No comments:
Post a Comment