UKRAINE What every foreigner needs to know

UKRAINE: AN INTRODUCTION

Ukraine is a beautiful country with a rich culture, friendly people, and unique landscape.

The National Flag

Symbol of Ukraine: Tryzub (trident [Тризуб])

WHERE IS UKRAINE?

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• Located in Eastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Poland, Romania, and Moldova in the west and Russia in the east

• Ukraine is slightly smaller than the state of Texas

NATIONALITIES AND POPULATION

•Population: 44,573,205 (July 2013)

•People native to Ukraine are known as Ukrainians. The country is also host to a range of minorities including Russian, Belarusian, Moldovan, Crimean Tatar, Romani, and Jewish

Ethnic UkrainiansCrim

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Ukrainian Hasidic Jews

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•The most common religion in Ukraine is Orthodox Christianity

•Interestingly, the majority of the population identifies as atheist or without religion.•This is largely due to the former Soviet Union’s ban on organized religion and policy of teaching atheism in schools.

Saint Andrew's Church of Kiev

PRESIDENTThe current president of Ukraine is Viktor Yanukovych (Янукович Віктор Федорович) who has held this position since February 25, 2010

WEATHER AND CLIMATE•Ukraine has a wide range of weather patterns which occur according to the season: owindy and rainy in spring and fallowinters vary from cool along the Black Sea to cold farther inland (Ukraine is famous for it’s harsh winters)osummers are warm across the greater part of the country, and it is hot in the south.

NOTABLE PLACES Ukraine has a number of breathtaking cities, buildings, and landscapes

CA

PIT

AL• The capitol of Ukraine is Kiev

(sometimes written as Kyiv) (Київ) and is also the country’s largest city.

• The metropolitan features beautiful architecture exemplified through impressive churches such as the Holy Sophia Cathedral and Kiev Pechersk Lavra.

• Museums also make interesting destinations with famous ones including; The Museum of the Great Patriotic War which commemorates Ukraine’s participation in World War II; and for fans of Eastern European art there is The National Art Museum of Ukraine.

• Monuments and landmarks in the country’s capitol include The Gold Gates of Kiev and The M. M. Gryshko National Botanical Garden.

HOLY SOPHIA CATHEDRAL (СОФІЙСЬКИЙ СОБОР)

One of the city’s best known landmarks which serves as a beautiful monument with breathtaking religious artwork inside as well as a museum.

The inside of the expansive cathedral

The Bell Tower

Kiev Pechersk Lavra (Києво-Печерська лавра)

• also known as the Kiev Monastery of the Caves, is a historic Orthodox Christian monastery.

• contains numerous architectural monuments, ranging from bell towers to cathedrals to underground cave systems and strong stone fortification walls

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THE MUSEUM OF THE GREAT PATRIOTIC WAR (НАЦІОНАЛЬНИЙ МУЗЕЙ ІСТОРІЇ ВЕЛИКОЇ ВІТЧИЗНЯНОЇ ВІЙНИ 1941-1945 РОКІВ)• The Ukrainian State Museum of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 was established in commemoration of 30th anniversary of Ukraine's liberation from the Nazi invaders on Pechersk hills in the former Klovsky Palace on 17 October 1974.

• one of the largest museums in Ukraine (over 300 thousand exhibits) centered around the now famous 62-meter tall Motherland statue, which has become one of the best recognized landmarks of Kiev

The National Art Museum of Ukraine (Національний Художній Музей України)

• The current exhibition includes over 20 thousand pieces from Ukrainian, Russian, and international artists

A Chaplet Divination Artist: Ivan Sokolov 1890

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THE GOLD GATES OF KIEV (ЗОЛОТІ ВОРОТА)•a major landmark of Ancient Kiev and historic gateway in the olden city fortress

•serves as a museum and can be found on the corner of Volodymyr street and Yaroslaviv Val Street (Yaroslav's Moat)

THE M. M. GRYSHKO NATIONAL BOTAGARDEN NICAL (НАЦІОНАЛЬНИЙ

БОТАНІЧНИЙ САД ІМ. М.М. ГРИШКА)

• covers 1.3 km² (120 hectares) and contains 13,000 types of trees, shrubs, flowers and other plants from all over the world

• The garden has hothouses, conservatories, greenhouses and rosaries

• It has many coniferous trees and honey locusts, and flowers such as peonies, roses, magnolias, and bushes including lilacs

BEYOND THE CAPITALBeyond Kiev, Ukraine offers a wide range of beautiful places to visit. Visitors are recommended to see the peninsula Crimea located on the Black Sea and the port city of Odessa in the south; The Carpathian Mountains and the city of Lviv in the west.

CRIMEA (КРИМ) & THE BLACK SEA (ЧОРНЕ МОРЕ)

• possesses significant historical and natural resources and is a region where it is possible to find practically any type of landscape; mountain range, plateau, grassland, and caves

• serves as a destination full of restaurants, resorts, and fishing

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• a major seaport and transportation hub located on the northwestern shore of the Black Sea

• famous as being the unofficial “party city” of Ukraine, Odessa has an energetic night life scene

CARPATHIAN MOUNTAINS (КАРПАТИ)

•consist of a chain of mountain ranges that stretch in an arc from the Czech Republic (3%) in the northwest through Slovakia (17%), Poland (10%), Hungary (4%) and Ukraine (11%) to Romania (53%) in the east and on to the Iron Gates on the River Danube between Romania and Serbia (2%) in the south•The highest range within the Carpathians is the Tatras, on the border of Poland and Slovakia, where the highest peaks exceed 2,600 m (8,530 ft).•Ukraine contains the central portion of the mountains•popular destination for ski loversa small but growing

population of bears, wolves, and lynx

exist on the mountains

Lviv (Львів): The "Little Paris of Ukraine"

• regarded as one of the main cultural centres of Ukraine

• evidence of the city’s cultural richness include a large number of theaters, concert halls, creative

unions, and also high number of many artistic activities (more than 100 festivals annually, 60

museums, 10 theaters)

• it’s old buildings and cobblestone roads have survived Soviet and Nazi occupations during

World War II largely unscathed Features Western European style architecture

The city is famous for it’s

coffee and chocolate

• a creation of the longest chocolate cake

• master classes on cooking of chocolate

• tasting of chocolate• factory masterpieces

«sculptures with chocolate»• “Chocolate Market Square” with

real chocolate fountains• children games and

competitions• performances of orchestra

“Halytski Surmy”• musical groups • theatrical groups

The city celebrates a

special chocolate

holiday on the 8th of March.

The festivities include:

THE CULTURE AND PEOPLE OF UKRAINE

With it’s rich and extensive history, Ukraine has developed a unique flavor across all spheres of life

UKRAINIAN DANCE (УКРАЇНСЬКИЙ ТAНEЦЬ)• Ukrainian Dance

is often described as energetic, fast-paced, and entertaining

• it is a characteristic example of Ukrainian culture instantly recognized and highly appreciated throughout the world

• Hopak (Гопа�к): the national dance of Ukraine

• The name hopak is derived from the verb hopaty (Ukrainian: гопати) which means "to jump," as well as the corresponding exclamation, “hop!” (Ukrainian: гоп) which can be uttered during a jump as an expression of surprise or amazement

• Kolomyjka (кoлoмийкa): folk dance• danced as a tradition on certain

holidays, during festivities, or simply for fun

• In Ukraine's rural west, it is a popular dance for weddings

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• The food of Ukraine is a hallmark of the culture.

• There are a wide array of dishes with the most famous being Borsch (борщ), a soup made from beets, potatoes, cabbage, and other ingredients.

Olivye (Олів'є) Varenyky (варе�ники) Holubtsi (голубці)

Kholodets (Холодець) Syrniki (сирники) Paska (Паска)

UKRAINIAN LITERATURE: TARAS SHEVCHENKO (ТАРА�С ГРИГО� РОВИЧ ШЕВЧЕ�НКО)

a Ukrainian poet and artist

Ukrainians are extremely proud of this historical figure, often naming buildings, streets, and other structures after him

There is a Shevchenko National Prize, also known as the Ukrainian State literary and artistic award

His writings formed the foundation for the modern Ukrainian literature to a degree that he is also considered the founder of the modern written Ukrainian language

Testament (Zapovit) (first stanza)When I am dead, bury meIn my beloved Ukraine,My tomb upon a grave mound highAmid the spreading plain,So that the fields, the boundless steppes,The Dnieper's plunging shoreMy eyes could see, my ears could hearThe mighty river roar.

Заповіт

Як умру, то поховайтеМене на могилі,Серед степу широкого,На Вкраїні милій,Щоб лани широкополі,І Дніпро, і кручіБуло видно, було чути,Як реве ревучий.

UKRAINIAN EMBROIDERY (ВИШИВКА)

•has a rich history in Ukraine, and has long appeared in Ukrainian folk dress as well as playing a part in traditional Ukrainian weddings and other celebrations

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FOOTBALL: IT’S A BIG DEAL HERE

• Football (футбол) is the most popular sport in Ukraine• Major cities have their own football teams or clubs, as they’re more

commonly known• The most famous city rivalry exists between Kiev’s Dynamo Kiev team

(left) and Donetsk’s Shakhtar Donetsk (right)• The national team has participated in UEFA competitions for several years

and the country hosted the 2012 UEFA European Championship, which took place in the cities of Kiev, Kharkiv, Donestk, and Lviv

Huge crowds swarm to football stadiums to root for their favorite teams

UNIQUE HOLIDAYS (СВЯТО) IN UKRAINE

Other than the typical holidays that are celebrated globally (Christmas, New Year’s, etc.), Ukraine features some uniquely regional celebrations

• Epiphany Day (Хрещення День) is celebrated on the 19th of January

• Ukrainians cut a cross in the ice, put wooden cross vertically and pour beet drink upon it so that it turns red, and decorates it with flowers and pine branches

• Epiphany water was considered to be universal medicine from all the diseases

• If a person dunks themselves in the water, it is believed that they will be healthy for the rest of the year

• Ivan Kupala Day (Іван Купала) takes place on the night between 6 and 7 July

• An interesting feature of this holiday involves Ukrainians believing that as they jumped over a fire, they get rid of illnesses, evil and barrenness

• Ukrainian men and women may also jump over the fire holding each other hands if they are in love, a practice which is believed to lead to a happy marriage

THAT’S ALL, FOLKS! Please come and visit this fascinating country! Ukraine welcomes

you.