Ukraine
| Ukriane | |
|---|---|
| File:Up-flag.gif
Flag of Ukraine | |
| Capital | Kyiv |
| Government | Parliamentary Democracy |
| Official Language | Ukrainian |
| President | Viktor Yushchenko |
| Prime Minister | Viktor Yanukovych |
| Area | 233,090 sq mi |
Ukraine is an Eastern European country which was part of the Soviet Union until its collapse in 1991. To the north and east it shares a border with Russia; it shares a border with Belarus to the north and Poland, Slovakia and Hungary to the west. The counties of Romania and Moldova are to the south-west. The Black Sea is to the south and this offers access to the Mediterranean. The Capital city is Kyiv and the main religion is Eastern Orthodox Christianity.
Geography
The total area of Ukraine is 603,700 sq. km (233,090 sq. mi). It is the second largest country in Europe. This is comparable to slightly smaller than Texas. Its coastline is 2,782 Km.
The land of Ukraine is mostly steppes and platues. There are mountains in the west of the country, the Carpathians, and in the Crimean peninsula in the south. The main rivers in Ukraine are the Dnieper and the Dniester.
The Ukrainian climate is considered temperate continental, but in the Crimea it is Mediterranean. The levels of precipitation are highest in the west and north, and lower in east and southeast. The winters vary from cool along the Black Sea to cold farther inland, and the summers are warm across the greater part of the country, and hot in the south.
Government
Ukraine is a parliamentary democracy. It has three branches: the legislative, the executive, and the judicial. The president is elected by popular vote, as is the parliament, Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian: ÐеÑÑ Ð¾Ð²Ð½Ð° Рада). The Prime Minister is appointed by the parliament. Ukrainian politics are divided mostly along pro-Western and pro-Russian lines. The current President is Viktor Yushchenko, and the current Prime Minister is Viktor Yanukovych.