Iruni Kalupahana JadeTimes Staff
I. Kalupahana is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Europe Region
Geography and Landscape
Ukraine is the second most extensive country in Europe, and it is located in Eastern Europe. It borders seven countries, Belarus to the north, Russia to the east, Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary to the west, and Romania and Moldova to the southwest. The country extends from the Carpathian Mountains of the west to the Crimean Peninsula just south where the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov form its southern borders. The landscape of most of Ukraine consists of great plains or steppes, in general very well adapted for agriculture. The Dnieper River, the longest river in the country and the fourth longest in Europe, flows right through the middle of the country from north to south, furnishing essential water resources for towns, agriculture, and hydroelectric power. The second big river, Dniester, and Southern Buh flow directly into the Black Sea, while the Donets River feeds water to the Donbas in the southeast.
Climate and Natural Environment
The climate in Ukraine is a temperate one, mostly affected by the warm humid air from the Atlantic. The east has colder winters, dropping down to -8°C, whereas the west has generally milder winters. Summers are typically warm, although in the southeast of the country, temperatures can reach about 23°C. In general, it is well known for its vast natural environment containing very productive plains, thick forests, and the Carpathian Mountains. Ukrainian nature is unique. Besides wolves, foxes, martens, deer, and wild boar, there is a great number of bird species for example, storks and partridges. Even the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone became an unwitting haven for several rare animals, lynx and European bison were just a few species that, with human life absent, thrived in the wildlife.
Historical Journey to Independence
Ukrainian history is just a succession of being conquered by empires and nations like Poland Lithuania, Russia, and the Soviet Union. It had achieved a short lived independence during the years of 1918 to 1920 before its event integration into the Soviet Union as the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. The striving for independence took an active turn at the turn of the 20th to 21st centuries, when the Ukrainian SSR declared its sovereignty in 1990 and full independence on August 24, 1991, immediately after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. It had been confirmed later that year by a popular vote, based on which Ukraine became one of the founders of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). The annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014 and continued fighting in Eastern Ukraine underlined the never ending struggle of the country for territorial integrity and self governance.
Cultural Heritage and Demographics
Ukrainian cultural heritage is very rich, literature, music, and art are deeply rooted in this country's traditions. Ukrainian is spoken by roughly the majority of the population, it contains some elements similar to those of Russian and Polish, with a Cyrillic alphabet modification for its script. The Ukrainians make up the largest ethnic group, while the Russians constitute the largest minority. Other minorities include Belarusians, Moldovans, Bulgarians, Poles, Hungarians, and Crimean Tatars, who began to return to Ukraine after being deported during World War II. The majority religion is Eastern Orthodoxy, and the largest denomination is the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The minority religions are Roman Catholicism, Protestantism, Islam, and Judaism. Traditional Ukrainian dishes, such as borscht, varenyky, and holubtsi, demonstrate the country's rich cultural heritage and the great influence of different cultures.
Political Landscape and Economy
Ukraine is a semi presidential republic in which the president and parliament Verkhovna Rada share almost equal powers. The political outlook of Ukraine has been the result of certain milestone events that changed the political scenario of the country, such as the political movement called the Orange Revolution in 2004 and the Euromaidan protests in 2014. Economically, Ukraine is renowned for its immense resources in agriculture, along with enriched reserves of iron ore, coal, and other minerals. The country is one of the biggest exporters of grains in the world and the leading producer of sunflower seeds. While the country has to fight hard against political instability and conflicts, Ukraine still can boast a rich culture, immense natural resources, and a strategic location that continues to shape its role in world affairs.
