Ukraine
Capital
Kyiv
Population
~43.8 million (pre-2022 full invasion)
Currency
Ukrainian Hryvnia (UAH)
Quick Facts
- Languages
- Ukrainian
- Religion
- Predominantly Eastern Orthodox Christianity
- Climate
- Mostly temperate continental; Mediterranean on Crimean coast
Culture & History
Known for: being a major agricultural producer ('breadbasket of Europe'), the ongoing full-scale war with Russia (since Feb 2022, preceded by 2014 conflict), and historic Orthodox churches (Kyiv Pechersk Lavra)
Also famous for: Chernobyl disaster (1986), Carpathian Mountains, Black Sea coast, borscht (often claimed national dish)
Food: Borscht, Varenyky (dumplings), Holubtsi (cabbage rolls)
Brief History
Kyivan Rus', part of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth/Russian Empire/Austria-Hungary, Soviet republic, independence 1991, Orange Revolution (2004), Euromaidan Revolution (2014), Russian annexation of Crimea (2014) and full invasion (2022)