Ukraine, the largest state in Europe appeared on the map of the world in 1991. It was recognised by the international community and maintains diplomatic relationships with more than a hundred countries of the world.

   Ukraine has a total area of over 375.000 sq. miles. From east to west Ukraine stretches for more than 877 miles and from north to south for almost 600 miles. The geographical centre of Europe is located near the little Ukrainian town of Rakhiv. Ukraine borders with Belarus and Russia on the north and on the east. In the south it is bounded by the Black sea and the Sea of Azov.

   On the west Ukraine borders with Moldova, Hungary, Slovakia, and Poland. The population of the country is 50 million people and consists of a variety of nationalities. Ukrainians, Russians, Belarussians, Moldovans, Tatars, Poles, Romanians and Greeks are the groups that are predominantly represented. The population comprises 66 % of the total population.

   Administratively Ukraine is divided into 24 regions called «oblasti» and one autonomous (self governing) republic of Crimea. The national emblem of Ukraine is Golden Tryzub (trident) on a blue shield.   

   The natural flag of Ukraine is a rectangular cloth with two horizontal stripes of equal width, the upper coloured blue and the lower golden yellow.

   Ukraine is a rich farming, industrial and mining region in south-eastern Europe. Ukraine is in ideal geographical position for the development of its resources, lying between 44o and 52o latitude north on the same latitude as the USA, Britain, China and Japan.
Ukraine’s black soil (chernozem) makes agriculture a worthwhile business. Ukraine has for many years been known as the Breadbasket of Europe. This is mainly due to its ability to produce vast amounts of grain. Central and southern Ukraine is almost all steppe or prairie land, loaded with very fertile black soil perfect for farming grain. In the east the industrial capital of Ukraine, containing large reserves of mineral deposits known as the Greater Donbas or Donetsk Basin.

   There are 71 thousand rivers and streams in Ukraine. Their total length being 155 thousand miles. The most important of them are the Dnipro, the Dnister, the Southern Bug, the Prypyat, the Desna. The Dnipro river is the major river in the country and the third longest in Europe. Its total length is 890 miles, 475 miles over the territory of Ukraine. The Dnipro river connects Ukraine with 7 European countries. The capital of Ukraine Kiev, Zaporizhzhya, Dnipropetrovsk, Cherkasy and Kherson are situated on the banks of this river. The waters of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov wash Ukraine’s coast line.

   The climate is pleasantly mild without extremes of cold of heat. It is continental with the exception of the Crimea where the climate is close to the one that can be called «Mediterranean» or even subtropical.

   Spring in Ukraine comes early, summer is sunny and lusciously green; fall shines with autumn colours and winter is mild and white. The early spring has very changeable weather. The weather may be cold and windy and rainy and sunny on the same day. But in late spring it is mostly warm and sunny, with occasional rains.

   In summer the weather is usually warm, sometimes hot and dry. The warmest months are July and August. The average temperature is 25-35 C. Autumn is rather warm at the beginning, but in the course of time it gets colder, the sky is usually overcast and it often rains.

   There is a wonderful spell in autumn, the so-called Indian Summer when the weather is warm and sunny and everything looks golden, brown and red.
Winter sets in December, with its cold and heavy snowfalls, bitter winds. The coldest month is January.Average January temperatures range from 28 F in the south-west to 18 F in the north-west. Throughout most of the country snow covers the ground for about 3 months every year during winter.

   Ukraine is a land of gorgeous nature, which is much the same as it was during ancient times. Fields, meadows, hills dotted with green forests, mountains and valleys full of beautiful flowers create the unique landscape of our country. The real Ukraine is a land of natural beauty still untouched by the modern world.

   Most of Ukraine is flat land but in the west the Carpathians with the highest peak Hoverla (2061 m above sea level) and in the south the Crimean mountains with the highest mountain Roma-Kosh (1545 m above sea level) take up to 5 % of the territory of the country.

   The Crimea has long been a favourite holiday destination for tourists. If you like sea and mountains, if you love sun and fresh salubrious air come to the Crimea.

   You will find gentle seas and good beaches, mountain lakes and waterfalls, ruins of ancient Roman, Byrantike and Genoese fortresses.You will drink excellent wine. The beauty of the Crimea is bound to affect you. Many a poet who visited Crimea write verses expressing fascination with this land.The mountains are covered with forests that are full of wildlife. The warm, sunny climate, mountains and sea attract hundreds of thousands of holiday-makers and tourists. There are about 700 rest homes, tourist centres,sanatoriums.

   The Crimea is a marvellous treasure, a natural storehouse of the secrets of millenniums. There are more than 175 officially registered monuments of nature. It is famous for Nikitsky Botanical garden, the Alupka palace, Swallow’s nest and other historical creations.
It is not only nature that Ukraine can be proud of. Magic voices of Ukrainian singers, ballet performances, works of our painters and sculptors are known everywhere in the world.

   Ukraine is extremely rich in natural resources and has an enormous scientific potential. But, perhaps, the greatest value of Ukraine is its people who are benevolent, merry, hospitable and generous.