About Ukraine
| Independence Day | August 24, 1991 (from the USSR) |
| Official language | Ukrainian, Russian in the Crimea as well |
| Capital | Kyiv |
| The largest cities | Kyiv, Kharkov, Dnepropetrovsk, Donetsk, Odessa, Zaporozhe, Lvov, Krivoy Rog, Nikolayev |
| Government | Parliamentary-presidential Republic |
| President | Viktor Yushchenko |
| Prime-minister | Yulia Tymoshenko |
| Territory | 43th in the world |
| Total | 603 700 km² |
| Population | 25th in the world |
| Total (01.08.07) | 46 294 180 |
| Density | 76,9/km² |
| GDP | 27th in the world |
| Total (2007) | 131,197 bn $ |
| Per capital | 2,829 or 8624 (PPP) $ |
| Currency | Ukrainian hryvnia (UAH, code 149) |
| Internet TLD | .ua |
| Calling code | +380 |
| Time zone | UTC +2 |
Ukraine (in Ukrai - Ukrayina) - is the state in the Eastern Europe, washed by the Black and Azov seas in the south. In the east, north-east and north it borders on Russia, in the north- Belorussia, in the west- Poland, Slovakia and Hungary, in the south-west – Romania and Moldavia.
Geographical position
The territory of Ukraine occupies 1316 km from west to east and 893 km from north to south and is approximately between 52°20’ and 44°20’N and 22°5' and 41°15'E. The most northerly point — village Petrovka of Chernigov region, southerly —promontory Sarych (Republic of Crimea), westerly — village Solomonovo near the city of Chop in Zakarpattia region, easterly — village Krasnaya zvezda in Luhansk region. Geographical centre of Ukraine is in the city of Shpola of Cherkassy region.
The total area of Ukraine occupies 689 628 square kilometers that is 5.7% of the territory of Europe and 0.44% of the world. Ukraine is the largest country area of which is fully located in the territory of Europe. It is the second country in Europe by the territory. The length of maritime boundary: 1355 km (on the Black sea- 1056.5 km; on the Azov sea- 249.5 km; Kerch Strait- 49 km).
The geographical centre of Europe is situated in the territory of Ukraine, not far from the city of Rakhiv in Zakarpattia region.
Name origin of Ukraine
The name Ukraine was met in Ipatiyev chronicles in 1187 for the first time.
There are several theories of the name origin “Ukrayina”. According to one of them the name originates from the Slavic “oukrayina”, that means “boundary region”, which for the first time was used to the boundary territories of Kievan Rus- the Duchy of Pereyaslov and consequently spread in the neighboring territories. In the following the name “Ukrayina” was used to call the boundary lands of Rzeczpospolita. Some of Ukrainian scientists nowadays try to argue about this etymology claiming that the base for the name “Ukrayina” in fact was word “krai” (edge) but in the meaning of “edging” by the Slavic tribes of the land to live on. The leads were set out that the name of Ukraine originates from the word “krai” (edge), “krayina” (country- land populated by its peoples) and “ukrayinets” (the Ukrainian) meant compatriot.
In modern Russian the correct word use of prepositions “íà” (on) and “â” (in) before the name of Ukraine sometimes is considered to be a point at issue. Professor Lopatin V.V. points out that historical standard is use of “in Ukraine” (in Russian with preposition “íà”), “from Ukraine” (in Russian with preposition “ñ”) and “in the state of Ukraine” (in Russian with preposition “â”). In information files by Rozental D.E. was said that it is appropriate to write “in Ukraine” (in Russian with preposition “â”) and “from Ukraine” (in Russian with preposition “èç”) at that the amendment had been made after death of Rozental D.
As information service gramota.ru points out, “in 1993 by demand of the government of Ukraine the standard should be “in Ukraine” (in Russian with preposition “â”) and consequently “from Ukraine” (in Russian with preposition “èç”)”. This way, in opinion of Ukrainian Government, the etymology connection between “in Ukraine” (in Russian with preposition “íà”) and “on the edge” “in Ukraine” (in Russian with preposition “íà”) has been broken. The information service gramota.ru always recommends using variants “in Ukraine” exceptionally with preposition “íà” (in any context). President of Ukraine Putin V.V. has given a lead that it is more preferable to say “in Ukraine” (in Russian with preposition “â”).
Earlier (before proclamation of independence of Ukraine) the form “in Ukraine” (in Russian with preposition “íà”) has been almost exceptionally used, in belles-lettres of XIX century – for stylistics purposes the form “in Ukraina” (in Russian with preposition “â”) as well.
Population
Population 48.457 m of people (2001):
The Ukrainians (77.8%),
The Russians (17,3 %),
The Byelorussians (0.6%),
The Crimean Tatars (0.5%),
The Moldavians (0.5%),
The Bulgarians (0.4%),
The Hungarians (0.3%),
The Romanians (0.3%),
The Polacks (0.3%),
The Jewry (0.2%),
The Greeks (0.2%),
The Armenians (0.2%),
The Tatars (0.2%) and others
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