Territory

Ukraine is situated between 44"20' and 52"20' north latitude, and 22"5' and 41"15' east longitude. It occupies the southwestern portion of the East European Plain. The total area of Ukraine is about 603,700 sq. km. It extends 1316 km from west to east, and 893 km north to south. Ukraine is the largest country in Europe among those with entire boundaries within the European continent. It borders on Russia, Belarus, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, and Moldova. In the south, it is washed by the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. Ukraine’s total land boundary is 4,558 km, coastline is 2,782 km.

Landscape and terrain

Almost the entire territory of Ukraine is a flatland with elevations generally below 350 m. The Carpathian Mountains intrude in the extreme west, and on the southern coast of the Crimean Peninsula the Crimean Mountains are located. The highest point in Ukraine is Mt. Hoverla in the Carpathians, with an elevation of 2061 m.

Ukraine has extremely fertile chornozem (black soil), primarily in the central and southern regions, totaling more than a half of its territory and comprising 25% of the worlds’ black soils. Arable land is 56%, permanent crops: 2%, meadows and pastures: 12%, forest and woodland: 10%, other: 20%. The area of irrigated land is approximately 26,000 sq. km.

Lakes and rivers

There are over 73,000 rivers and 20,000 lakes and reservoirs in Ukraine. The largest river is the Dnipro, the third largest in Europe. The Dnipro divides the territory of Ukraine from north to south in two, its right and left banks, and flows into the Black Sea. Most major rivers flow south to the Black Sea; they include the Dnipro River in central Ukraine, the Southern Bug and Dnestr rivers in the west, the Donets River in the east, and the Danube in the far south. The Western Bug flows northward through the western part of the country and joins the Vistula, which empties into the Baltic Sea.

Regions

Administrative divisions: 24 oblasts, 1 autonomous - Autonomous Republic of Crimea (Krym), 2 municipalities (Kiev and Sevastopol regions).

National resources

Ukraine possesses an estimated 5% of the world’s total mineral resources. It has deposits of more than 80 types of minerals. The Donetsk Basin contains huge reserves of high-quality coal and the nearby iron-ore deposits of Kryvy Rih are equally rich. Other Ukraine’s mineral resources include manganese, mercury, titanium, chromium, nickel, bauxite, uranium, phosphate, sulfur and peat. Development of the above mentioned mineral resources under concession agreements along with transportation and refining of oil and gas are considered to be the most promising areas for foreign investments.

Climate

The climate of Ukraine is mostly temperate continental. A subtropical Mediterranean climate is prevalent on the southern portions of the Crimean Peninsula. There are no sharp drops in temperature and unexpected precipitation; strong winds are rare, and there are many sunny days.

The Black Sea coast is subject to freezing. Precipitation generally decreases from north to south; it is greatest in the Carpathians, where it exceeds 1500 mm (58.5 in) per year, and least in the coastal lowlands of the Black Sea, where it averages less than 300 mm (11.7 in) per year.

Natural hazards: n/a

Largest cities

Flora and Fauna

Ukraine has over 30,000 plant and about 44,000 animal species. Among them there are exotic species and commercially useful ones. Many representatives of fauna and flora are registered in the Red Book. In order to protect them, preserves have been created and special protective measures taken.

Environment

Environment (current issues):

Inadequate supplies of potable water, air and water pollution, deforestation, radiation contamination in the northeast from 1986 accident at Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant.

Environment (international agreements):

Party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution;

Signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea.