Ukraine Travel and Tourism Specialists

All About Ukraine

General

Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe bounded on the north by Belarus, on the north and east by the Russian Federation, on the west by Poland and Slovakia, on the southwest by Hungary, Romania and Moldova and on the south by the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.

The total area of Ukraine is 603,700 square kilometers. The country's border is 7,698 kilometers long.

The population is 52,1 million. Eighty percent are Ukrainians. The remaining 20 percent are Russians, Byelorussians, Jews, Crimean Tatars and Moldavians.

The largest religion denomination is Christian. There are two branches of the Orthodox Church - Russian and Greek Orthodox.

Ukraine's main river, the Dnipro, flows through the central part of the country into the Black Sea in the south.

Ukraine has two mountain ranges:

The Carpathians are in the western part of the country. The highest peak in the Ukraine is Mt. Hoverla, at 2,061 meters. The Carpathians have a number of world-class ski resorts.

The Crimeans are on the Crimean peninsula, which is washed by the Black Sea. Crimea is the best summer resort area in Ukraine.

Most of Ukraine is in a temperate climate zone. Average temperatures in winter range from -8 to 2 Centigrade (18 to 36 Fahrenheit) and in summer range from 17 to 25 Centigrade (67 to 77 Fahrenheit).

A small part of the southern Ukraine -- the Crimea and the part of the Black Sea coast -- has a subtropical climate.

Ukraine declared itself an independent state on Aug. 24, 1991, after decades of being part of the Soviet empire.

Despite the problems it faces as a newly independent country, Ukraine may be the most stable and peaceful state of the former Soviet republics.

To try to stimulate economic growth, it has opened its doors to foreign tourists, business people and investors.

As a tourist destination, Ukraine is a gem. To start with, it is a fascinating and reasonably priced country to see. Visitors can explore the richness of the country's history and culture through excursions to churches and architectural monuments that date back a thousand years. They can also relax and recuperate the health resorts throughout the country.

Historical Ukraine

Ukrainians have lived on the territory of the present-day nation of Ukraine for millennia.

The powerful medieval monarchy of Kievan Ruse was established more than 1,100 years ago. It extended to the Gulf of Finland on the north, to the upper reaches of the Volga River in the east, and to the Syan and Western Bugh rivers in the west.

The Kievan Ruse state disintegrated in the 12th and 13th centuries and some of its territory came under the rule of Moskowia and Byelorussia.

After a lengthy struggle for its independence from Lithuania and Poland, Ukraine reappeared on the political map of Europe with the emergence of the medieval republic of Zaporozhyan Kozak Sich in the 17th century.

The Ukrainian getman Bogdan Khmelnitskiy directed the successful war of national liberation from 1648 -1654.

Ukrainian sovereignty was short-lived, however, with Poland and the Russian empire annexing the country. In 1772, the Polish state disintegrated, and the lands it held in Ukraine came under Austrian rule.

Communication and Transportation

Airports. Almost all international flights to Kiev arrive at Borispil International Airport, about 30 kilometers from the city center. Transfer from the airport. The city's other main airport, Zhuliany-Kiev, which is about 7 kilometers from the city center, handles domestic flights.

Mail. All Ukrainian towns have post offices. The main post office in a city is usually in the downtown area.

The Kiev Central Post Office is at 22 Kreschatik Street. It is open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. Here you can buy stamps, post cards, mail letters or packages, use fax machines, even make international phone calls.

Internet. There are lots of Internet cafes open 24 hours a day in Kiev.

International calls. International calls from hotels are expensive. The cheapest way to make an international call is to buy a phone card for that purpose.

Cell phones. Before leaving your country, ask your mobile phone provider for the name of its Ukrainian partner. That way, you can use your mobile phone when you arrive.

Safety

Crime. The crime rate in Ukraine is low, compared with rates in a number of Western countries.

Water. Bottled water is easy to find in supermarkets. If you have to use tap water, boil it for at least 10 minutes.

Radiation. Radiation levels in Kiev and most of the rest of the Ukraine are safe, according to U.S. government and other experts.

Holidays

January 1 - New Year's Day
January 7 - Christmas Day
March 8 - International Women's Day
May 1 & 2 - International Workers' Solidarity Days
May 9 - Victory Day
August 24 - Independence Day
Easter - a Sunday
Holy Trinity Day -- a Sunday

Ukrainian Cuisine

Ukrainian cuisine reflects the richness and variety of the country's traditions.

Many dishes are noted for their complexity and for the variety of approaches to cooking them.

Borsch, an aromatic and appetizing beet-based soup, is the most popular and widely known Ukrainian dish. Besides meat, a typical Ukrainian borsch contains at least 20 other ingredients. Different versions of borsch are prepared in different regions of Ukraine.

Also popular is sauerkraut soup. There are a number of versions. Some are made with buckwheat, some with groats, mushrooms, beans, potato soup or green pea soup.

Many Ukrainian dishes involve meat stuffed in vegetables. An example is cabbage rolls (holubtsi), stuffed peppers and stuffed tomatoes. Skewered roasted meats are also popular.

A popular flour-based dish is vareniky. It is a boiled dumpling stuffed with meat, liver, cheese, potatoes, cabbage, cherries, plums, a combination of potatoes and mushrooms, or a combination of cabbage and mushrooms.

Ukrainian cuisine also includes many dairy and cheese dishes: soups, sweet breads, puddings, cheesecakes, and fruit soups.

Etiquette

To make points with your Ukrainian hosts, try following a few simple rules of etiquette.

• If invited to a home, bring a gift with you. A bottle of wine, a cake or a bouquet of flowers is customary. If there is a child in the house, it is appropriate to provide him/her a small gift as well.
• If you bring a bouquet, make sure it is an odd number of flowers.
• Do not shake hands across the threshold of a door. It is considered bad luck.
• When shaking hands, take off your gloves.
• Be prepared to remove your shoes upon entering a house. To keep apartments clean, most hostesses want shoes kept at the door. They will provide you with a pair of slippers.
• If you can, have business cards printed in Ukrainian on one side and English on the other.
• When eating at someone's home, casual dress is acceptable.
• Be ready to give toasts at dinner. Guests are often asked to do so.
• If you smoke, offer to share cigarettes with those around you.
• On business occasions, clothes should be conservative. Men should not take off their jackets unless asked.
• In Orthodox churches, women wear scarves or hats, and men take off their hats.
• Do not put your thumb between your first two fingers - this is a very rude gesture.
  

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