Geographical Position of Ukraine

Our Motherland, which is called Ukraine, is situated in South - Eastern Europe and is the second largest country in Europe next to Russia. It covers an area of about 604 thousand square kilometres. Ukraine stretches for almost 900 kilometers from North to South and for over 1300 km. from East to West. 95 % of Ukraine area is flat, rest of it is mountainous. The territory of Ukraine is mostly a level, treeless plain, called a 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 republic, in Volyn. The population of Ukraine is about 48 million people. 7 countries bound Ukraine on land; they are Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Moldova, Russia and Byelorussia. It borders on Belarus in the North, Russia in the East, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary in the West and Moldova and Romania in the South West. The highest mountain of Ukraine is Goverla in the Carpathian Mountains. The Dnieper is one of the longest European rivers and one of the country's main sources of hydroelectric power. The Dnieper and its tributary the Ross had been the cradle of the Ukrainian and Russian people in time immemorial. Other longest Ukrainian rivers are the Yuzhniy Bug and the Seversky Donets. The coasts of the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea are good for ports. We have quite a lot of big seaports, for example Odessa, Kherson, Nikolayev, Izmail, Mariupol and Kerch. They are very important. The geographical position of Ukraine is very favourable because the country lies on the crossroads of the ways from Asia to Europe. Since the times of Kyivan Rus Ukrainian roads have been used for trade contacts. Due to favourable climatic conditions, Ukraine is traditionally an agricultural country. Wheat, maize and other corns, buckwheat, all kinds of fruit, red and green vegetables, melons and berries are grown here. Ukraine is one of the world's main centres of sugar production. It produces sugar both for its own needs and for export. Traditionally crop-growing and cattle-breeding are being developed. Ukraine is rich in mineral resources. Ukraine has industrial raw materials. Ukraine has rich deposits of iron, lead, salts, marble and building materials, metals, coal, manga­nese, colour metals, mineral salts, clay, different ores, potential water power and other natural resources. But it lacks oil and gas.

The country has metallurgical and heavy industries. The leading industries are power engineering, coal and ore mining, iron and steel engineer­ing, machine and ship building and chemical production. It has developed a varied industry, concentrated mostly in and around big cities, such as Kyiv, Zaporizhya, Dnipropetrovsk, Odessa, Kharkiv & others. It produces planes & ships, tractors & lorries, buses & agricultural machines, motor-cars & locomotives, chemicals & textiles, clothes, various consumer goods, food, & other goods. Odessa, Sebastopol and Nickolayev, are the republic's main ports.

Now the national economy of Ukraine is going through a very hard crisis, but the potential of the country is one of the highest in Europe and with the implementation of the economic reform it can catch up with the most developed countries of the world. Ukraine can rightly boast its achievements in science. Ukraine has an ancient history. It has its own original culture and arts.

Over recent years people of Ukraine display a keen interest in the Ukrainian history and cultural heritage. Nowadays Ukraine has established new relations with the countries throughout the world.

Ukraine is one of the members of the United Nations Organization and participates in the work of many international organizations. Contribution of Ukrainian scientists to space exploration, electronics, physics and other branches is great. Ukrainian universities and institutes train excellent mathematicians, chemists and other specialists. Scientists of Ukraine make a great contribution in our science. The Academy of Sciences of Ukraine includes many outstanding scientists and research workers famous for their important discoveries and inventions. Great success has been achieved by Eugene Paton Research institute of Electric Welding, the Research Institute of Cybernetics, Super hard Materials and others. Ukraine has an ancient history. It has its own original culture and arts. Ukraine has many professional theatres and Philharmonic societies. The State Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine, the Hrihory Veryovka Ukrainian People's Choir, the Transcarpathian People's Choir, the Honored Bandore Players Choir, and the Dance Company of Ukraine are known not only in the country, but all over the world. The climate of the republic is moderate. Winter is rather mild, with no severe frosts but with regular snowfalls everywhere except the south. The rivers and lakes freeze in winter. The average winter temperature varies from — 20° Centigrade in the north to — 3 ° in the south. Summer is quite hot and dry, with occasional showers and thunderstorms. The fertile black soil is well watered in spring and autumn and gets plenty of sunshine in summer.

1. When was the independence of Ukraine proclaimed?

2. What branches is the power divided into?

3. What are the presidential duties?

4. Whom does the judiciary power belong to?

5. What are the state symbols of Ukraine?

6. What does our flag symbolize?

7. How many administrative districts are there in Ukraine?

8. What are the largest parties of Ukraine?

Дата добавления: 2015-11-14