About Ukraine & Kyiv

About Ukraine

Ukraine is devided into 24 provinces (called oblasts) and Crimea, which is an autonomous republic. Kyiv is the capital of Ukraine and the largest city, followed by Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Odessa.

The national currency is the Hryvna. Ukraine is a very popular destination for North American, European and Asian travelers with its world-class resorts that dot the Black Sea. Tourists from the United States and most of Western Europe, including the European Union and Japan, do not require visas and can stay up to 90 days without a special document that is required if you wish to stay longer.

About Kyiv

According to an ancient legend, Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, was founded by three brothers, Kyi, Schek and Khoryv, and their sister Lybed, at the end of the 5th or the beginning of the 6th century. The city was named after the eldest brother Kyi. Kyiv means the City of Kyi.

By the 11th century Kyiv was one of the largest centers of civilization in the Eastern christian world. At that time, there were about 400 churches, 8 markets and more than 50,000 inhabitants in Kyiv. For comparison, at the same time the population of London, Hamburg and Gdansk was about 20,000 people. Kyiv was among the most prospering craft and shopping centers of Europe.

In January 1918, shortly after the fall of Russian Empire, the independence of Ukraine was proclaimed and the Ukrainian National Republic was established.

Kyiv suffered severely during the World War II, when many unique architectural and artistic treasures were destroyed. Extensive restoration of the after-war days has revived much of Kyiv's historical and cultural heritage.

On the 24th of August, 1991, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Ukraine proclaimed its independence. Nowadays, Kyiv is a home for 2,8 million people and a blooming city in Eastern Europe.

Facts & Figures

• Ukraine is the largest country in Europe among those with entire boundaries within the European continent. The total area of Ukraine is about 603,700 square kilometers. It extends 1,316 kilometers from west to east, and 893 kilometers north to south
• Almost the entire country of Ukraine is a flat plain, with elevations generally below 350 m. The Carpathian Mountains intrude at the extreme west, and on the southern coast of the Crimean Peninsula the Crimean Mountains are located. The highest point in Ukraine is Mt. Hoverla in the Carpathians, with an elevation of 2,061 meters
• The population of Ukraine is 46,179,22, making it the world's 27th largest country
• Kyiv is Ukraine's biggest city with 2,8 million people living there
• The Host Broadcaster for this year's Junior Eurovision Song Contest in NTU, the National Television Company of Ukraine
• The arena Kyiv Palace of Sports can hold up to 6,000 people