Ukraine

Ukraine is the largest country in Europe, just about the size of Texas, with very productive soil, long history, and rich culture. The population is about 47 million people, who are famous for their extreme hospitality.

Ukraine has Carpathian Mountains in the West (popular for skiing in the winter) and is a home to two seas: the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov in the South. The weather is similar to the American Southern Midwest with Mediterranean climate along the Black Sea.

Ukraine has highly developed public transportation system. It is always easy to get around within a city with the use of buses, trolleybuses, tramps, metro (underground train) and taxis. Trains are the most common means of transportation between the cities in Ukraine or neighboring countries; buses and airplanes are also popular.

Quick facts

Area: 603,700 sq km (233,090 sq miles)
Population: 47,318,079 (2008 estimate)
Capital: Kyiv
Currency: 1 Hryvna = 100 Kopiykas
Major cities: Kyiv, Kharkiv, L’viv, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Odessa
Literacy: 99%
Religion: Christian (88%) (Ukrainian Orthodox-85%, Roman Catholic-10%), Protestant (3%), Jewish (1%)
Main exports: metals, pipes, machinery, petroleum products, textiles, agricultural products