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UkraineUkrayina |
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AtlasUkraineThe Country
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Ukraine lies by the Black Sea, between Belarus and Russia in the north and Romania in the south. It consists mainly of vast plains and in the west by the Carpathian mountains, the highest point being Mt. Hoverla at 2061 m.a.s.l. The Western Bug empties in the Baltic Sea while the other major rivers such as the Dnepr, the Southern Bug, the Dnjestr and the Northern Donets flow south to the Black Sea. Fertile black-earth soils (Chernozems) occupy about two thirds of the country. The climate is temperate continental with average monthly temperatures ranging from -8 to 2° C in the winter and 17 to 25° C in summer. Precipitation is unevenly distributed with more than 1200 mm/year in the Carpathians and gradualy decreases towards the south-east to about 300 mm/year at the Black Sea coast. Three natural zones of vegetation are distinguishable: the woodland and marsh zone, the forest-steppe, and the Steppe.
The population is concentrated to the industrialized regions in the south and south-east. Ukrainians constitute 72% and Russians 22%. Urbanization is about 68%. Population growth is slightly negative.
The collapse of the Soviet economy in 1990-91 caused hyper-inflation and recession. In 1994 a comprehensive economic reform program towards free market economy was introduced. As a result the downward trend in economy has been reversed. Heavy industry and agriculture are the major industries. Export goods are iron, steel, heavy machinery, chemicals and processed food. Major imports are oil, gas and machinery. The trade balance is slightly positive. Main trading partners are Russia, Germany, Belarus, China and USA. Unemployment is 1% of the work force which constitutes 45% of the people. Road and railroad networks are extensive but of low standard. Most of the rivers are navigable, the ports at the Black Sea; Odessa, Kherson, and Mykolayiv. Kiev, Kharkiv, Lviv, and Odessa have international airports.
Fossil fuel and nuclear power are the main sources of energy. Oil and natural gas are imported from Russia. Coal accounts for about 1/3 of the total energy production and nuclear power plants for 40% of the electricity production.
The main environmental issues are inadequate supplies of potable water; air and water pollution; deforestation; radiation contamination in the northeast from the 1986 accident at Chornobyl' Nuclear Power Plant. Read more: |
