Ukraine's Facts

Ukraine is a Eastern European country that emerged as an independent state following the disintegration of the Soviet Union. It borders Russia to the east, Belarus to the north, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary to the west, Romania and Moldova to the southwest, and the Black Sea and Sea of Azov to the south. The historic city of Kiev (Kyiv) is the country's capital.

From at least the 9th century, the territory of present-day Ukraine was a center of the medieval East Slavic civilization forming the state of Kievan Rus', and for the following several centuries the territory was divided among a number of regional powers. By the nineteenth century the largest part of Ukraine was integrated into the Russian Empire. After a chaotic period of incessant warfare and several attempts at independence (1917–1921) following the Russian Revolution of 1917, Ukraine became one of the founding Soviet Republics in 1922. The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic's territory was enlarged westward shortly before and after the Second World War, and again in 1954 with the Crimea transfer. In 1945, the Ukrainian SSR became one of the co-founding members of the United Nations. It became independent again after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. This began a transition period to a market economy, in which Ukraine was initially stricken with eight straight years of economic decline. But since approximately the turn of the century, the economy has been experiencing a stable increase, with a real GDP growth averaging approximately 7% annually.

Ukraine is a unitary state composed of 24 oblasts (provinces), one autonomous republic (Crimea), and two cities with special status (Kiev, its capital, and Sevastopol, which houses the Russian Black Sea Fleet under a leasing agreement). Ukraine is a republic under a semi-presidential system with separate legislative, executive, and judicial branches. At the end of 2004, the country underwent an extensive constitutional reform that has changed the balance of power between the Prime Minister, the Cabinet and their relationship vis-a-vis the president.

At the 2010 President elections Viktor Yanukovich has been elected as President of Ukraine.

The President of Ukraine is Victor Yanukovich

The Prime Minister of Ukraine is Nikolay Azarov