When you live in the US, you don’t hear much about other countries. That is, unless something bad could happen, and only if that something could somehow affect the US. A country like Ukraine would definitely fall into that category (assuming that CNN is unlikely to have breaking news on a new pierogi restaurant). So just in case you start hearing more about the Eastern European nation, here are 10 facts about Ukraine to help you process the incoming information.
1
The history of modern-day Ukraine, as you might imagine, is extremely complicated. A federation of Slavic tribes in the Middle Ages—termed Kyivan Rus—seems to be a popular starting point for those recounting that history. (Of course, that’s the same starting point for the empire later created by Russian czars, setting the scene for a not-perfectly-clean differentiation between the two.) The following centuries brought—in highly oversimplified fashion—a Mongol invasion, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, some Ottoman activity, and finally a mix between the Habsburg Empire and the Russian Empire (with this last mix having a very loose correlation with the current “pro-European” versus “pro-Russian” divide).
2
As the 20th century rolled around, the Habsburg Empire collapsed, and the Russian monarchy was overthrown (thereby also ending the Russian Empire). The events opened a tiny window for an independent Ukraine (keeping in mind that borders were a moving target), lasting from perhaps 1918-1922. Thereafter, Ukraine and its ever-evolving borders became part of the USSR, placing the region at the mercy of Joseph Stalin, a not-particularly-benign leader whose actions resulted in widespread famine, large-scale deportation, and ongoing Russification. In 1954, his successor, Nikita Khrushchev, transferred a region called Crimea from Russia to Ukraine, an act without dramatic significance at the time given the overarching Soviet rule.
3
As the USSR collapsed in 1991, Ukraine again became an independent nation. The ensuing decades have been dotted by contested elections, economic woes, and constant tension between pro-Russian and anti-Russian sentiment, exacerbated by Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and subsequent encroachment on Ukraine’s eastern regions. The country remains stuck between the eastward expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a political and military alliance representing much of Europe (along with the US and Canada), and Russia’s desire to thwart that expansion.
4
The population of Ukraine is in the range of 43 million, with the exact number depending on how the aforementioned territorial disputes with Russia are counted. The capital is Kyiv (also known by its Russian name of Kiev), boasting a population of around 3 million. As Europe’s second-largest country by area, Ukraine shares borders with Belarus, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Moldova, and Russia and abuts the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea. Here’s a map.
5
Ukraine has the 57th-largest nominal GDP in the world, rising to 40th when adjusted for purchasing power parity. When either GDP figure is expressed per capita, the ranking drops precipitously, exposing one of the unfortunate facts about Ukraine, namely its label as one of the poorest countries in Europe.
6
The official language of Ukraine is Ukrainian, part of the Balto-Slavic branch of the Indo-European language family. The same branch includes languages such as Polish and—you guessed it—Russian. The country also has many recognized regional languages, with—you guessed it again—Russian being the most prominent, actually having official status in Crimea (which at this point is either an autonomous region of Ukraine or part of Russia, depending on whom you ask).
7
Modern-day Ukraine is home to the city of Chornobyl (Chernobyl when Romanized from Russian), about 60 miles north of Kyiv and in close proximity to the Chornobyl nuclear reactor disaster of 1986. The power plant was actually served by the city of Pripyat, founded 16 years earlier specifically for that purpose. As part of the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone—designed to restrict exposure to the strontium-90 and cesium-137 that are still present—both cities are partially abandoned.
8
In part due to an unsettled history, the Ukrainian diaspora can be found throughout the world. While bordering countries have served as logical destinations, sizable communities can also be found in Kazakhstan, Czechia, Germany, Italy, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, and the United States.
9
If you’re more into food than history and politics, you can expect your Ukrainian meal to have a decent chance of including meat, potatoes, and mushrooms. If you’re looking to talk sports, it’ll be about soccer. And then there’s the music…
10
Ukrainian musicians—like many in Eastern Europe—have done a phenomenal job of combining history and anger, delivering some folk metal gems. Here’s an example, courtesy a band from Kyiv.
And on that note, you can rest easy. Because with these facts about Ukraine in your arsenal, you’ll be ready if Fox News does a feature on Ukrainian cuisine.
4 Responses
Is Human inherently Tribal!!
It sure does seem that way!
One of the facts which always is being omitted for whatever reason… When Ukraine became an independent country in 1991, it owned large stockpile of nuclear weapons. It was the only country in human history to give them up voluntarily. In exchange, it got security guaranties from three biggest nuclear nations – US, UK, and Russia stating that those countries will protect both independence and borders integrity of Ukraine. You already know how it worked with Russia. Now both US and UK abandon their promises as well. This is very dangerous precedent as it shows that no country in the future will ever give up nuclear weapons.
Thank you for that super important addition. The history regarding nuclear weapons is indeed a key part of the deeper meaning of the current conflict.