Soft and Safe Service

Ukraine




This is for sure one of the most important countries that are facing the Black Sea. Ukraine is famous as the center of the first Slavic state, Kyivan Rus, which during the 10th and 11th centuries was the largest and most powerful state in Europe. After Russia, the Ukrainian republic was far and away the most important economic component of the former Soviet Union, producing about four times the output of the next-ranking republic. It has the second largest landmass in Europe and a population of about 46 million people. The country's administrative structure comprises 24 regions (oblasts) and one autonomous republic, Crimea, which became part of Soviet Ukraine in 1954. An estimated 68 percent of Ukrainians live in urban areas with Kyiv, the capital, the largest city with 5 million population, including everyday suburb migration.

Although final independence for Ukraine was achieved in 1991 with the dissolution of the USSR, democracy remained elusive as the legacy of state control and endemic corruption stalled efforts at economic reform, privatization, and civil liberties. A peaceful mass protest "Orange Revolution" in the closing months of 2004 forced the authorities to overturn a rigged presidential election and to allow a new internationally monitored vote that swept into power a reformist slate under Viktor Yushchenko. The new government presents its citizens with hope that the country may at last attain true freedom and prosperity.

Government type: presidential republic
Population: 46,179,226 (July 2008)
Capital city: Kyiv
Legal system: based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts
Chief of state: President Viktor A. Yushchenko (since 23 January 2005)
Natural resources: iron ore, coal, manganese, natural gas, oil, salt, sulfur, graphite, titanium, magnesium, kaolin, nickel, mercury, timber, arable land
GDP - real growth rate: 2.1% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP): $7,800 (2008 est.)
Industries: coal, electric power, ferrous and nonferrous metals, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food processing (especially sugar)
Exports: $64.89 billion (2008 est.)
Exports - commodities: ferrous and nonferrous metals, fuel and petroleum products, chemicals, machinery and transport equipment, food products
Exports - partners: Russia 23.3%, Turkey 7.9%, Italy 5.8% (2007)
Imports: $82.52 billion (2008 est.)
Imports - commodities: energy, machinery and equipment, chemicals
Imports - partners: Russia 23.9%, Germany 11.8%, China 8.5%, Poland 8.1%, Turkmenistan 5.4% (2007)
The most important ports: Odessa
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