Originally I am from the Ukraine, and I am thrilled about having an opportunity to share the information about this beautiful country. 

It’s a great and exciting place to visit, if you are into traveling and  exploring other countries and cultures.

Here are some interesting facts and information about my native country.  

ABOUT UKRAINE

In this article you will learn interesting facts about Ukraine’s history, geography, religion, cities, famous travel destinations and also about Ukrainian cultural norms.

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Ukraine is the hidden jewel of Europe.

It is the second-largest country of the European Continent.

Ukraine offers visitors a wide variety of amazing places of interest, ancient history, beautiful landscapes, varied climates, tasty traditional food, and many other enjoyable attractions. 

The Carpathian Mountains, the Crimean Peninsula, the Dnepr River, the Black Sea, and the Sea of Azov help to create the unique landscape of the country.

The climate in Ukraine is quite pleasant; it is relatively temperate continental (quite cold in the winter and warm in the summer) excepting Crimea where it is Mediterranean-like.

Ukraine is the birthplace of the first great Slavic state – Kyivian Rus, and during the 10th and 11th centuries Kyivian Rus was among the most influential nation-states in Europe.

For much of its existence, Ukraine has been divided because different regions of the country have been ruled by foreign powers including Poland, Russia, Austria-Hungary, Germany, and Lithuania.

Despite heavy Russian influence in the east and often oppressive Soviet occupation, Ukraine has remained faithful to its own traditions.

This land bears the mark of ancient mystery and the memory of its people still preserves old customs of remote ages.

With the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, Ukraine regained its independence.

Now you can explore the cultural richness of the Ukrainian steppes, which helped the country become known as the Breadbasket of Europe, the rugged landscapes of the Carpathian Mountains, or health resorts on the Black Sea.

Ukraine is one of the most stable and peaceful countries among the former Republics of the USSR in Eastern Europe.

Many locales are still unknown to foreign visitors.

Take an opportunity to become privy to the ancient history, to feel the pulsing heart of this land under a thin stratum of time.

Set foot on the land that still remembers the epoch of the Great Mother Goddess.

Geography of Ukraine 

The geography of Ukraine will help tourists to get acquainted with the land features, the climate and other geographical features of the country which is an important tourist destination in Eastern Europe.

Ukraine is an important country of Eastern Europe which has carved out after the fall of the Communist regime.

The geography of Ukraine reveals some diverse topographical features that make it quite an interesting place for the tourist to visit in the eastern part of Europe.

Ukraine is the second largest country in Europe enjoying a very strategic location sharing its border with Poland Slovakia and Hungary in the west.

It is bordered by the Black sea in the south.

To the north of Europe is Belarus and Russia in the east.

Moldova and Romania borders the country in the south-west.

The capital of Ukraine is Kiev and some other important cities of the country include Dnipropetrovs’k, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Lviv and Odessa.

The geographical landmass of Ukraine consists of Steppes and Plateaus.

Dneiper is the main river that runs through the regions of Ukraine.

The best time to visit is the summer season when the weather condition is pleasantly warm.

Winters can be extremely cold and those with an adventurous bent of mind can visit the country to enjoy skiing in the Carpathian Mountains.   

Religion of Ukraine   

As with most European countries, Ukrainians were originally a pagan nation of idol worshippers.

In 988 AD, Prince Vladimir the Great of Kiev accepted Orthodox Christianity and brought the entire country under the influence of the Byzantine Empire.

The period was characterized by mass baptisms, when many of the Prince’s subjects converted to Christianity.

Despite changes over the past 1000 years, Ukrainian Orthodox Christianity remains the main religion of Ukraine today, with some 70% of Ukrainians still claiming to belong to this faith.

However, there are a number of other religions in Ukraine.

The introduction of Orthodox Christianity to Ukraine came at a time when understanding of the scriptures was limited.

People were and still are guarded.

They accepted the god of Christianity but still clung too many of their pagan traditions.

As a result, there was a sort of merging of the two – as is seen with the Easter celebrations still practiced today.

One of the most outstanding accomplishments of Ukrainian Orthodox Christians was that they converted scripture and the liturgy into Slavonic which made it more accessible to the people.

Today many Ukrainians own a Bible which they may have read from time to time, but many still struggle to understand it since few have taken the time to explain what is written in its pages.

In addition to the lack of understanding, Communist atheism has had a strong effect of the people of Ukraine – causing them to feel that though there is a god, he is more readily found in other religious circles than their own.

For this reason, many have taken it upon themselves to attempt to teach their own religious wonderings to the people of Ukraine.

Besides Ukrainian Orthodox Christians, there are Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Christians, Ukrainian Catholics, Protestants and Jews as well as a number of minority religious groups.

The Orthodox Church does not see as much dominance as it may see in other countries in Europe, such as Russia.

As a result, there is religious stability and minor religious groups seldom experience persecution.

This means that adherents of Ukrainian religions enjoy a favorable religious climate.

Kiev Travel  

Kyiv or Kiev is a very old city.

The ancient capital of the Slavonic world the city was founded in c.482 and gained popularity as an attractive destination by visitors and travelers.

Kiev is an important industrial, scientific, educational and cultural centre of Eastern Europe.

It is home to many high-tech industries, higher education institutions and world-famous historical landmarks.

The city has an extensive infrastructure and highly developed system of public transport, including the Kiev Metro.

Having remained a cultural and political centre at the crossroads of historical trade routes it is currently the capital of Ukraine.

The defining feature of Kyiv’s skyline is the numerous gold-domed churches and monasteries.

The main sight is the golden-domed St. Sophia Cathedral.

Over 950 years old, this site includes a cathedral, a bell tower and the Metropolitan’s residence.

Along the right bank of the Dnipro you find the Pecherska Lavra Monastery.

Other sights include the Cathedral of St. Volodymyr Vydubich Monastery and St. Andrew’s Church.

The most important of the city’s many museums are the Kiev State Historical Museum, Museum of the Great Patriotic War, the National Art Museum, the Museum of Western and Oriental Art and the National Museum of Russian art.   

Eupatoria Travel

Eupatoria is a city in Crimea, Ukraine.

It is also called Yevpatoria.

For a short period in 1478 – 1485 the city was administrated by the Ottoman Empire.
In 1783 with the whole Crimea Kezlev was captured by the Russian Empire.   

Its name was officially changed to Eupatoria in 1784.

Today Eupatoria has about 100 thousand inhabitants and is a well known tourist destination.

Eupatoria is a major Ukrainian Black Sea port, a rail hub, and resort town.

Chernobyl Travel

Just 100 km north of Kyiv, Chernobyl is the site of the worst atomic energy disaster in human history.

It may be sick, but at least until beginning 2000 it was possible to arrange a visit through the tourist office in Kyiv.

You take a bus to a checkpoint about 20 km from the power plant, where you change to another bus which never leaves the contaminated zone.

Among the “major attractions” are the villages of Kopachi, which has “partially encased” houses, and Pripiat, a ghost town left exactly as it was when the residents were evacuated.

The culmination of the tour is the cement- and lead-encased nuclear reactor, known as the Sarcophagus.

The casing is so corroded now that you could actually put an arm through the lead and concrete at some points.

After a final radiation check, visitors switch back to their original buses for the return to Kiev.

Ukrainian Cultural Norms

Ukraine cultural norms don’t differ too much from Western standards.

However, every nation is unique…

Keep in mind some of these advices while visiting Ukraine.

• When visiting someone in Ukraine it is traditional to bring a gift with you, a bottle of wine, a dessert, a chocolate, or a bouquet of flowers would be a good choice, but a present that will remind them about your hometown would be considerably appreciated by your hosts
• If you bring flowers, make sure the number of flowers is uneven. Even numbers of flowers are for funerals.
• If there are children in the house, bring some small gifts for them
• Be prepared to accept all food and drink offered when visiting someone. Turning down food could be seen as rude. Usually food prepared at home is delicious
• Ukrainian do not wear shoes in their home, so be prepared to leave your footwear at the door when you enter a home, you will be offered a pair of home slippers, if not, it’s normal to enter the room without shoes
• At the entrance hall of upscale restaurants and theaters, your bag, briefcase or coat could be checked for security reasons
• Shaking hands over a threshold of a door is considered really bad luck
• Take your gloves off your when shaking hands, never shake hands with gloves on
• Whistling is typically considered bad luck; some consider it will “blow your money away”
• Men should offer one’s hand to a woman out of transport, pour her drinks, light her cigarettes, etc.
• Do not forget to offer a woman’s coat upon leaving a theater or restaurant
• Upon entering a Ukrainian church, men should not forget to take off their hats and women should wear scarves or hats. Don’t wear shorts and a t-shirt
• On public transportation, give up your seat to mothers with children, the elderly, or the infirm
• Toasting is a very important in Ukraine, guests are usually asked to give a toast at dinner, be ready to say something nice about your hosts
• Don’t clink glasses in a toast, if you aren’t drinking alcohol
• Smoking is common in Ukraine. Offer to share your cigarettes with those around you
• Don’t leave an empty bottle on a table. It’s considered bad luck
• People in Ukraine are very sincere. It is quite tolerable to ask very personal questions about your life, earnings, and relations
• For business situations, dress should be conservative
• Never confuse Ukrainians with Russians, Ukraine is an independent nation
• Ask permission before photographing someone

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