Ukraine portal
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Ukraine (/juːˈkreɪn/ yoo-KRAYN; Ukrainian: Україна, romanized: Ukrayina, IPA: [ʊkrɐˈjinɐ] ) is a country in Central and Eastern Europe. Ukraine borders the Russian Federation to the east and northeast, Belarus to the northwest, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary to the west, Romania and Moldova to the southwest, and the Black Sea and Sea of Azov to the south and southeast, respectively. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after the Russian Federation.
From at least the ninth century, the territory of Ukraine was a centre of medieval East Slavic civilization that formed the state that became known as Kievan Rus' and for the following several centuries the territory was divided between a number of regional powers. After a brief period of 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 after the Second World War and finally in 1954 with the Crimea transfer. Ukraine became independent again when the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991.
Ukraine is a unitary state composed of 27 regions: 24 oblasts (provinces), one autonomous republic (Crimea), and two cities with special status: Kiev, its capital and largest city, and Sevastopol, which, along with Crimea, is disputed between Ukraine and Russia. Ukraine is a republic under a semi-presidential system with separate legislative, executive, and judicial branches. Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Ukraine continues to maintain the second largest military in Europe, after that of Russia. The country is home to 46 million people, 77.8 percent of whom are ethnic Ukrainians, with sizable minorities of Russians (17%), Belarusians and Romanians. The Ukrainian language is the official language in Ukraine. Russian is also widely spoken. The dominant religion in the country is Eastern Orthodox Christianity, which has heavily influenced Ukrainian architecture, literature and music.
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Did you know
- ... that although the secular music of Mykola Leontovych was well known in the twentieth century, the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom was little known because of a ban on sacred music in the Soviet Union?
- ... that Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych (pictured), known for the "Carol of the Bells", was nicknamed "Ukrainian Bach" in France?
- ... that journalist Savik Shuster who used to work for Russian TV channels now prefers to work for the Ukrainian TV because he felt the Russian Government was limiting his journalistic freedom?
- ... that the married Western Ukrainian Clergy became a hereditary caste that dominated western Ukrainian society?
- ... that Ukrainian naturalist, lecturer, artist and author John Lhotsky was credited as the first discoverer of gold in New South Wales?
- ...that according to legend, a tunnel leads from the Kamianets-Podilskyi Castle to the Khotyn Fortress which is 20 kilometres (12 mi) away?
![Lviv Opera and Ballet Theater](http://up.wiki.x.io/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f9/Opera-we-Lwowie.jpg/100px-Opera-we-Lwowie.jpg)
![The Potemkin Stairs](http://up.wiki.x.io/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/87/Potemkinstairs.jpg/125px-Potemkinstairs.jpg)
- ...that the Khreschatyk is the main street of Ukrainian capital Kyiv on which Orange Revolution and other historical events mainly took place?
- ...that the neo-classical Verkhovna Rada building in Kyiv features a hundred-tonne glass dome over the chamber where the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine convenes to enact legislation?
- ...that at its first years Kiev Zoo had to move its animals into the food storage of the main Kiev railway station for the winter?
- ...that the longest of the Kiev bridges, the 1,543 metres long Paton Bridge over the Dnieper River, constructed in 1953 was the first fully welded steel construction of such length at that time?
- ...that among many historic landmarks at the Andrew's Descent in Kyiv, there is a medieval Gothic style castle that locals call the "Castle of Richard the Lion Heart" due to the legend the 12th century King of England had visited the building?
- ...that the Kryvbas economic region in Ukraine is one of the largest iron ore and steel industry centers in Europe?
- ...that the Privat Group is one of the few Ukrainian companies that own industries in the United States?
- ...that Vasyl Avramenko is often referred as "The father of the Ukrainian dance"?
Ukraine news
- Spring 2014 - after the 2014 Ukrainian revolution, and the subsequent Russian military intervention in Ukraine, people are urging: Do not buy Russian goods!
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If you just came here for the first time, please read this and be bold... but timid.
- Articles needing major work, Be Bold!: a cleanup listing for this project is available. See also the list by category, the tool's wiki page and the index of WikiProjects.
- To start: Moldavian speaking Ukrainians, Ukrainian speaking Moldavians, Miroslav Skochilyas, Smerichka, Roman Oleksiv, Metropolitan Oleksiy (Hromadsky), Political reform in Ukraine (2004)
- Stubs needing expansion:
- {{Ukraine-stub}} : Mayor of Kyiv, Ukrainian Navy, Ukrainian rock, State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, Berkut (Ukraine), Sport in Ukraine, Supreme Court of Ukraine, Kyiv Bank Union, Ukrzaliznytsia, Shevchenko National Prize
- {{Ukraine-hist-stub}} : Koliyivschyna, Elected Cossacks, Koshovyi Otaman, Ataman, 1st Ukrainian Front
- {{Ukraine-bio-stub}} : Pylyp Orlyk, Ivan Pidkova, Kyrylo Rozumovsky,
- {{Ukraine-geo-stub}} : Ros' River, Yayla Mountains, Yablonitsky Pass, Arcadia Beach, Poshtova Square
- {{East-Slavic-history-stub}} : Battle on the Irpen' River, List of early East Slavic states, Hypatian Codex
- {{Soviet-stub}} : Ukrainian SSR, Flag of the Ukrainian SSR, Coat of arms of the Ukrainian SSR
- Featured portal: Portal:Ukraine
- Featured pictures: Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks (Commons), 1691 map of Kamianets-Podilskyi, Downtown Lviv (C), Nataliya Gotsiy
- Featured articles: St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery, Sviatoslav I of Kiev, Rus' Khaganate, Caspian expeditions of the Rus, House with Chimaerasg
- Former Featured articles: Hero of Ukraine, T-34
- Featured article candidate's status within reach: Ukraine, Yulia Tymoshenko, Kamianets-Podilskyi Castle
- Good articles: Andriyivskyy Descent, Rus'-Byzantine War (860), Kiev Offensive (1920), Onion dome, Oleg of Novgorod, Second Battle of Kharkov, Kiev Expedition (1018), Mezhyhirskyi Monastery, Ukraine, Battle of the Kalka River, Battle of Kostiuchnówka, Yulia Tymoshenko, Kamianets-Podilskyi Castle, Vorontsov Palace (Alupka), Zoloti Vorota
- Former Good articles: Boltysh crater, Chernobyl disaster, Donetsk, Crimean Karaites
- Images wanted:
- Tetyana Yablonska photograph or painting?
- Proposed featured images;
- A picture of the ministry of defense building.