From Wikipedia, a free encyclopedia written in simple English for easy reading.
Ukraine (Україна [ukrajina]) is a country in Europe. Russia is East of Ukraine, Belarus is in the North, Poland and Slovakia are in the West, Hungary, Romania, Moldova and self-proclaimed Transnistria are to the South West and the Black Sea is to the South.
Ukraine is a republic. It is part of the Commonwealth of Independent States. The capital of Ukraine is Kiev (Киев by Russian [Kijef] or Київ - Kyiv [Kyjif] by Ukrainian).
[edit] Official language
of Ukraine is Ukrainian (українська мова [ukrajin's'ka mova] by ukrainian), but ca. 40-60% used Russian in every day life.
[edit] Ukraine divided
into 24 oblasts, Autonomous Republic of Crimea (Автономная Республика Крым [avtonomnaja respublika krym] by russian) and two cities with special status - Kiev and Sevastopol in Crimea.
[edit] The largest cities of Ukraine
Kiev (the capital from 1934), Kharkov (the capital of Soviet Ukraine in 1917-1934), Dnepropetrovsk, Donetsk, Odessa, Zaporozhye, Lvov (last one before 1939 - the polish territory).
[edit] Presidents of Ukraine:
Kravchuk Leonid Makarovich (1991-1994), Kuchma Leonid Danilovich (1994-2005), Yuschenko Victor Andreyevich (from 2005).
[edit] Modern History
In the Soviet epoch Ukraine was a Soviet Socialist Republic in Soviet Union. Independence day - 24 August 1991. President elections: 01 Dec. 1991, July 1994, Oct.-Nov. 1999, Oct.-Dec. 2004. Parliament elections: Mar. 1994, Mar. 1998, Mar. 2002, Mar. 2006. Constitution of Ukraine was adopted by Parliament (Verkhovnaya Rada) 28 Juny 1996 with changes 08 Dec. 2004.
[edit] Orange "Revolution"
The political festival in the time of president election in autumn-winter 2004 supported candidate Victor Yuschenko.