Europe

Ukraine

Last reviewed: 23 December 2011

Country information

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Map of Ukraine

Area: 603,700sq km
Population: 45.7 million (2009 est.)
Capital city: Kyiv - population: 2.6 million (Dec 2001 census)
People: Ukrainian 77.8%, Russian 17.3%, other 5% (Dec 2001 census)
Languages: Ukrainian is the official language, but Russian is widely spoken, particularly in the East and South. There are small numbers of Romanian, Polish and Hungarian speakers, and about 250,000 Crimean Tatars.
Religion(s): Ukrainian Orthodox - Kyiv Patriarchate 50.4%, Ukrainian Orthodox - Moscow Patriarchate 26.1%, Ukrainian Greek Catholic 8%, Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox 7.2%, Roman Catholic 2.2%, Protestant 2.2%, Jewish 0.6%, other 3.2% (est. 2006)
Currency: 1 hryvnia=100 kopiykas
Major political groupings: Party of Regions (favours close relations with Russia, but also favours EU integration, most support in the East), Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc, Our Ukraine – People’s Self-Defence (both pro-market economy, pro-reform, pro-EU membership), Lytvyn Bloc (centrist alliance), Communist and various other parties and blocs.
Constitutional form: Presidential Parliamentary Republic
Head of State: President Viktor Yanukovych
Prime Minister/Premier: Mykola Azarov
Foreign Minister: Kostyantyn Gryshchenko