2016 Edition

Background

Ukraine was the center of the first eastern Slavic state, Kyivan Rus, which during the 10th and 11th centuries was the largest and most powerful state in Europe. Weakened by internecine quarrels and Mongol invasions, Kyivan Rus was incorporated into the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and eventually into the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The cultural and religious legacy of Kyivan Rus laid the foundation for Ukrainian nationalism through subsequent centuries. A new Ukrainian state, the Cossack Hetmanate, was established during the mid-17th century after an uprising against the Poles. Despite continuous Muscovite pressure, the Hetmanate managed to remain autonomous for well over 100 years. During the latter part of the 18th century, most Ukrainian ethnographic territory was absorbed by the Russian Empire. Following the collapse of czarist Russia in 1917, Ukraine achieved a short-lived period of independence (1917-20), but was reconquered and endured a brutal Soviet rule that engineered two forced famines (1921-22 and 1932-33) in which over 8 million died. In World War II, German and Soviet armies were responsible for 7 to 8 million more deaths. Although Ukraine achieved final independence in 1991 with the dissolution of the USSR, democracy and prosperity remained elusive as the legacy of state control and endemic corruption stalled efforts at economic reform, privatization, and civil liberties. A peaceful mass protest referred to as the "Orange Revolution" in the closing months of 2004 forced the authorities to overturn a rigged presidential election and to allow a new internationally monitored vote that swept into power a reformist slate under Viktor YUSHCHENKO. Subsequent internal squabbles in the YUSHCHENKO camp allowed his rival Viktor YANUKOVYCH to stage a comeback in parliamentary (Rada) elections, become prime minister in August 2006, and be elected president in February 2010. In October 2012, Ukraine held Rada elections, widely criticized by Western observers as flawed due to use of government resources to favor ruling party candidates, interference with media access, and harassment of opposition candidates. President YANUKOVYCH's backtracking on a trade and cooperation agreement with the EU in November 2013 - in favor of closer economic ties with Russia - and subsequent use of force against civil society activists in favor of the agreement led to a three-month protest occupation of Kyiv's central square. The government's use of violence to break up the protest camp in February 2014 led to all out pitched battles, scores of deaths, international condemnation, and the president's abrupt departure to Russia. New elections in the spring allowed pro-West president Petro POROSHENKO to assume office on 7 June 2014. Shortly after YANUKOVYCH's departure in late February 2014, Russian President PUTIN ordered the invasion of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula claiming the action was to protect ethnic Russians living there. Two weeks later, a "referendum" was held regarding the integration of Crimea into the Russian Federation. The "referendum" was condemned as illegitimate by the Ukrainian Government, the EU, the US, and the UN General Assembly (UNGA). Although Russia illegally annexed Crimea after the "referendum," the Ukrainian Government, backed by UNGA resolution 68/262, asserts that Crimea remains part of Ukraine and fully under Ukrainian sovereignty. Russia also continues to supply separatists in two of Ukraine's eastern provinces with manpower, funding, and materiel resulting in an armed conflict with the Ukrainian Government. Representatives from Ukraine, Russia, and the unrecognized separatist republics signed a ceasefire agreement in September 2014. However, this ceasefire failed to stop the fighting. In a renewed attempt to alleviate ongoing clashes, leaders of Ukraine, Russia, France, and Germany negotiated a follow-on peace deal in February 2015 known as the Minsk Agreements. Representatives from Ukraine, Russia, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe also meet regularly to facilitate implementation of the peace deal. Scattered fighting between Ukrainian and Russian-backed separatist forces is still ongoing in eastern Ukraine.

Area

603,550 sq km 579,330 sq km 24,220 sq km

land

579,330 sq km

total

603,550 sq km

water

24,220 sq km

Area - comparative

almost four times the size of Georgia; slightly smaller than Texas

Climate

temperate continental; Mediterranean only on the southern Crimean coast; precipitation disproportionately distributed, highest in west and north, lesser in east and southeast; winters vary from cool along the Black Sea to cold farther inland; warm summers across the greater part of the country, hot in the south

Coastline

2,782 km

Elevation

175 m lowest point: Black Sea 0 m highest point: Hora Hoverla 2,061 m

elevation extremes

lowest point: Black Sea 0 m

highest point

Hora Hoverla 2,061 m

mean elevation

175 m

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

Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds

party to

Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds

Geographic coordinates

49 00 N, 32 00 E

Geography - note

strategic position at the crossroads between Europe and Asia; second-largest country in Europe after Russia

Irrigated land

21,670 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

5,618 km Belarus 1,111 km, Hungary 128 km, Moldova 1,202 km, Poland 535 km, Romania 601 km, Russia 1,944 km, Slovakia 97 km

border countries (7)

Belarus 1,111 km, Hungary 128 km, Moldova 1,202 km, Poland 535 km, Romania 601 km, Russia 1,944 km, Slovakia 97 km

total

5,618 km

Land use

71.2% arable land 56.1%; permanent crops 1.5%; permanent pasture 13.6% 16.8% 12% (2011 est.)

agricultural land

71.2%

forest

16.8%

other

12% (2011 est.)

Location

Eastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Poland, Romania, and Moldova in the west and Russia in the east

Map references

Asia, Europe

Maritime claims

12 nm 200 nm 200 m or to the depth of exploitation

continental shelf

200 m or to the depth of exploitation

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

iron ore, coal, manganese, natural gas, oil, salt, sulfur, graphite, titanium, magnesium, kaolin, nickel, mercury, timber, arable land

Population - distribution

densest settlement in the eastern (Donbas) and western regions; noteable concentrations in and around major urban areas of Kyiv, Kharkiv, Donets'k, Dnipropetrovs'k, and Odesa

Terrain

mostly fertile plains (steppes) and plateaus, with mountains found only in the west (the Carpathians) or in the extreme south of the Crimean Peninsula

Age structure

15.51% (male 3,528,821/female 3,326,405) 10.3% (male 2,334,454/female 2,218,718) 44.47% (male 9,639,404/female 10,020,385) 13.68% (male 2,587,898/female 3,458,016) 16.05% (male 2,375,904/female 4,719,728) (2016 est.)

0-14 years

15.51% (male 3,528,821/female 3,326,405)

15-24 years

10.3% (male 2,334,454/female 2,218,718)

25-54 years

44.47% (male 9,639,404/female 10,020,385)

55-64 years

13.68% (male 2,587,898/female 3,458,016)

65 years and over

16.05% (male 2,375,904/female 4,719,728) (2016 est.)

Birth rate

10.5 births/1,000 population (2016 est.)

Child labor - children ages 5-14

356,213 7% (2005 est.)

percentage

7% (2005 est.)

total number

356,213

Contraceptive prevalence rate

65.4% (2012)

Death rate

14.4 deaths/1,000 population (2016 est.)

Dependency ratios

43.3% 21.4% 21.9% 4.6% (2015 est.)

elderly dependency ratio

21.9%

potential support ratio

4.6% (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

43.3%

youth dependency ratio

21.4%

Drinking water source

urban: 95.5% of population rural: 97.8% of population total: 96.2% of population urban: 4.5% of population rural: 2.2% of population total: 3.8% of population (2015 est.)

rural

2.2% of population

total

3.8% of population (2015 est.)

urban

4.5% of population

Education expenditures

6.7% of GDP (2013)

Ethnic groups

Ukrainian 77.8%, Russian 17.3%, Belarusian 0.6%, Moldovan 0.5%, Crimean Tatar 0.5%, Bulgarian 0.4%, Hungarian 0.3%, Romanian 0.3%, Polish 0.3%, Jewish 0.2%, other 1.8% (2001 est.)

Health expenditures

7.1% of GDP (2014)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.86% (2015 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

7,900 (2015 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

219,000 (2015 est.)

Hospital bed density

9 beds/1,000 population (2012)

Infant mortality rate

8 deaths/1,000 live births 8.9 deaths/1,000 live births 7 deaths/1,000 live births (2016 est.)

female

7 deaths/1,000 live births (2016 est.)

male

8.9 deaths/1,000 live births

total

8 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Ukrainian (official) 67.5%, Russian (regional language) 29.6%, other (includes small Crimean Tatar-, Moldavian-, and Hungarian-speaking minorities) 2.9% (2001 est.) 2012 legislation enables a language spoken by at least 10% of an oblast's population to be given the status of "regional language," allowing for its use in courts, schools, and other government institutions; Ukrainian remains the country's only official nationwide language

note

2012 legislation enables a language spoken by at least 10% of an oblast's population to be given the status of "regional language," allowing for its use in courts, schools, and other government institutions; Ukrainian remains the country's only official nationwide language

Life expectancy at birth

71.8 years 67.1 years 76.9 years (2016 est.)

female

76.9 years (2016 est.)

male

67.1 years

total population

71.8 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write 99.8% 99.8% 99.7% (2015 est.)

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

99.7% (2015 est.)

male

99.8%

total population

99.8%

Major urban areas - population

KYIV (capital) 2.942 million; Kharkiv 1.441 million; Odesa 1.01 million; Dnipropetrovsk 957,000; Donetsk 934,000; Zaporizhzhya 753,000 (2015)

Maternal mortality rate

24 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

Median age

40.4 years 37.2 years 43.5 years (2016 est.)

female

43.5 years (2016 est.)

male

37.2 years

total

40.4 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

25 (2013 est.)

Nationality

Ukrainian(s) Ukrainian

adjective

Ukrainian

noun

Ukrainian(s)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2016 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

21.7% (2014)

Physicians density

3.54 physicians/1,000 population (2013)

Population

44,209,733 (July 2016 est.)

Population distribution

densest settlement in the eastern (Donbas) and western regions; noteable concentrations in and around major urban areas of Kyiv, Kharkiv, Donets'k, Dnipropetrovs'k, and Odesa

Population growth rate

-0.39% (2016 est.)

Religions

Orthodox (includes Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox (UAOC), Ukrainian Orthodox - Kyiv Patriarchate (UOC-KP), Ukrainian Orthodox - Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP), Ukrainian Greek Catholic, Roman Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, Jewish Ukraine's population is overwhelmingly Christian; the vast majority - up to two-thirds - identify themselves as Orthodox, but many do not specify a particular branch; the UOC-KP and the UOC-MP each represent less than a quarter of the country's population, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church accounts for 8-10%, and the UAOC accounts for 1-2%; Muslim and Jewish adherents each compose less than 1% of the total population (2013 est.)

note

Ukraine's population is overwhelmingly Christian; the vast majority - up to two-thirds - identify themselves as Orthodox, but many do not specify a particular branch; the UOC-KP and the UOC-MP each represent less than a quarter of the country's population, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church accounts for 8-10%, and the UAOC accounts for 1-2%; Muslim and Jewish adherents each compose less than 1% of the total population (2013 est.)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 97.4% of population rural: 92.6% of population total: 95.9% of population urban: 2.6% of population rural: 7.4% of population total: 4.1% of population (2015 est.)

rural

7.4% of population

total

4.1% of population (2015 est.)

urban

2.6% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

15 years 15 years 16 years (2014)

female

16 years (2014)

male

15 years

total

15 years

Sex ratio

1.06 male(s)/female 1.06 male(s)/female 1.05 male(s)/female 0.96 male(s)/female 0.75 male(s)/female 0.5 male(s)/female 0.86 male(s)/female (2016 est.)

0-14 years

1.06 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.05 male(s)/female

25-54 years

0.96 male(s)/female

55-64 years

0.75 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.5 male(s)/female

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

0.86 male(s)/female (2016 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.54 children born/woman (2016 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

23.1% 23.7% 22.4% (2014 est.)

female

22.4% (2014 est.)

male

23.7%

total

23.1%

Urbanization

69.7% of total population (2015) -0.33% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

rate of urbanization

-0.33% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

urban population

69.7% of total population (2015)

Administrative divisions

24 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast'), 1 autonomous republic* (avtonomna respublika), and 2 municipalities (mista, singular - misto) with oblast status**; Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Chernivtsi, Crimea or Avtonomna Respublika Krym* (Simferopol'), Dnipropetrovs'k (Dnipro), Donets'k, Ivano-Frankivs'k, Kharkiv, Kherson, Khmel'nyts'kyy, Kirovohrad (Kropyvnyts'kyy), Kyiv**, Kyiv, Luhans'k, L'viv, Mykolayiv, Odesa, Poltava, Rivne, Sevastopol'**, Sumy, Ternopil', Vinnytsya, Volyn' (Luts'k), Zakarpattya (Uzhhorod), Zaporizhzhya, Zhytomyr administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses); plans include the eventual renaming of Dnipropetrovsk and Kirovohrad oblasts, but because these names are mentioned in the Constitution of Ukraine, the change will require a constitutional amendment the United States does not recognize Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the municipality of Sevastopol, nor their redesignation as the Republic of Crimea and the Federal City of Sevastopol

note 1

administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses); plans include the eventual renaming of Dnipropetrovsk and Kirovohrad oblasts, but because these names are mentioned in the Constitution of Ukraine, the change will require a constitutional amendment

note 2

the United States does not recognize Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the municipality of Sevastopol, nor their redesignation as the Republic of Crimea and the Federal City of Sevastopol

Capital

Kyiv (Kiev) pronounced KAY-yiv 50 26 N, 30 31 E UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

geographic coordinates

50 26 N, 30 31 E

name

Kyiv (Kiev)

note

pronounced KAY-yiv

time difference

UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

no at least one parent must be a citizen of Ukraine no 5 years

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of Ukraine

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

Constitution

several previous; latest adopted and ratified 28 June 1996; amended 2004, 2010, 2015 (2016)

Country name

none Ukraine none Ukrayina Ukrainian National Republic, Ukrainian State, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic name derives from the Old East Slavic word "ukraina" meaning "borderland or march (militarized border region)"

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Ukraine

etymology

name derives from the Old East Slavic word "ukraina" meaning "borderland or march (militarized border region)"

former

Ukrainian National Republic, Ukrainian State, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic

local long form

none

local short form

Ukrayina

Diplomatic representation from the US

Ambassador Marie YOVANOVITCH (since 29 August 2016) 4 Igor Sikorsky Street, 04112 Kyiv 5850 Kyiv Place, Washington, DC 20521-5850 [380] (44) 521-5000 [380] (44) 521-5155

chief of mission

Ambassador Marie YOVANOVITCH (since 29 August 2016)

embassy

4 Igor Sikorsky Street, 04112 Kyiv

FAX

[380] (44) 521-5155

mailing address

5850 Kyiv Place, Washington, DC 20521-5850

telephone

[380] (44) 521-5000

Diplomatic representation in the US

Ambassador Valeriy CHALYY (since 3 August 2015) 3350 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 [1] (202) 349-2920 [1] (202) 333-0817 Chicago, New York, San Francisco

chancery

3350 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007

chief of mission

Ambassador Valeriy CHALYY (since 3 August 2015)

consulate(s) general

Chicago, New York, San Francisco

FAX

[1] (202) 333-0817

telephone

[1] (202) 349-2920

Executive branch

President Petro POROSHENKO (since 7 June 2014) Prime Minister Volodymyr HROISMAN (since 14 April 2016); Deputy Prime Minister Vyacheslav KYRYLENKO (since 2 December 2014) Cabinet of Ministers nominated by the prime minister, approved by the Verkhovna Rada president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 25 May 2014 (next to be held in 2019); prime minister nominated by the president, confirmed by the Verkhovna Rada Petro POROSHENKO elected president; percent of vote - Petro POROSHENKO (independent) 54.5%, Yuliya TYMOSHENKO (Fatherland) 12.9%, Oleh LYASHKO (Radical Party) 8.4%, other 24.2%; Volodymyr HROISMAN elected prime minister; Verkhovna Rada vote 257-50 there is also a National Security and Defense Council or NSDC originally created in 1992 as the National Security Council; the NSDC staff is tasked with developing national security policy on domestic and international matters and advising the president; a presidential administration helps draft presidential edicts and provides policy support to the president

cabinet

Cabinet of Ministers nominated by the prime minister, approved by the Verkhovna Rada

chief of state

President Petro POROSHENKO (since 7 June 2014)

election results

Petro POROSHENKO elected president; percent of vote - Petro POROSHENKO (independent) 54.5%, Yuliya TYMOSHENKO (Fatherland) 12.9%, Oleh LYASHKO (Radical Party) 8.4%, other 24.2%; Volodymyr HROISMAN elected prime minister; Verkhovna Rada vote 257-50

elections/appointments

president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 25 May 2014 (next to be held in 2019); prime minister nominated by the president, confirmed by the Verkhovna Rada

head of government

Prime Minister Volodymyr HROISMAN (since 14 April 2016); Deputy Prime Minister Vyacheslav KYRYLENKO (since 2 December 2014)

note

there is also a National Security and Defense Council or NSDC originally created in 1992 as the National Security Council; the NSDC staff is tasked with developing national security policy on domestic and international matters and advising the president; a presidential administration helps draft presidential edicts and provides policy support to the president

Flag description

two equal horizontal bands of azure (top) and golden yellow represent grain fields under a blue sky

Government type

semi-presidential republic

Independence

24 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union); notable earlier dates: ca. 982 (VOLODYMYR I consolidates Kyivan Rus), 1648 (establishment of the Cossack Hetmanate)

24 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union); notable earlier dates

ca. 982 (VOLODYMYR I consolidates Kyivan Rus), 1648 (establishment of the Cossack Hetmanate)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation

Australia Group, BSEC, CBSS (observer), CD, CE, CEI, CICA (observer), CIS (participating member, has not signed the 1993 CIS charter), EAEC (observer), EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Judicial branch

Supreme Court of Ukraine or SCU (consists of 95 judges organized into civil, criminal, commercial, and administrative chambers, and a military panel); Constitutional Court (consists of 18 justices) Supreme Court judges proposed by the Supreme Council of Justice or SCJ (a 20-member independent body of judicial officials and other appointees) and appointed by presidential decree; judges initially appointed for 5 years and, if approved by the SCJ, serve until mandatory retirement at age 65; Constitutional Court justices appointed - 6 each by the president, by the SCU, and by the Verkhovna Rada; justices appointed for 9-year non-renewable terms specialized high courts; Courts of Cassation; Courts of Appeal; regional, district, city, and town courts

highest court(s)

Supreme Court of Ukraine or SCU (consists of 95 judges organized into civil, criminal, commercial, and administrative chambers, and a military panel); Constitutional Court (consists of 18 justices)

judge selection and term of office

Supreme Court judges proposed by the Supreme Council of Justice or SCJ (a 20-member independent body of judicial officials and other appointees) and appointed by presidential decree; judges initially appointed for 5 years and, if approved by the SCJ, serve until mandatory retirement at age 65; Constitutional Court justices appointed - 6 each by the president, by the SCU, and by the Verkhovna Rada; justices appointed for 9-year non-renewable terms

subordinate courts

specialized high courts; Courts of Cassation; Courts of Appeal; regional, district, city, and town courts

Legal system

civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

Legislative branch

unicameral Supreme Council or Verkhovna Rada (450 seats; 225 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 225 directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms); note - because of the Russian annexation of Crimea and the partial occupation of two eastern provinces, 27 of the 450 seats remain unfilled last held on 26 October 2014 (next to be held fall of 2019) percent of vote by party - NF 22.1%, BPP 21.8%, Samopomich 11.0%, OB 9.4%, Radical 7.4%, Batkivshchyna 5.7%, Svoboda 4.7%, CPU 3.9%, other 13.9%; seats by party - BPP 132, NF 82, Samopomich 33, OB 29, Radical 22, Batkivshchyna 19, Svoboda 6, other 4, independent 96, vacant 27; note - voting not held in Crimea and parts of two Russian-occupied eastern oblasts leaving 27 seats vacant; seats as of December 2015 - BPP 139, NF 81, OB 43, Samopomich 26, Vidrozhennya 23, Radical 21, Batkivshchyna 19, VN 20, independent 50, vacant 28

description

unicameral Supreme Council or Verkhovna Rada (450 seats; 225 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 225 directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms); note - because of the Russian annexation of Crimea and the partial occupation of two eastern provinces, 27 of the 450 seats remain unfilled

election results

percent of vote by party - NF 22.1%, BPP 21.8%, Samopomich 11.0%, OB 9.4%, Radical 7.4%, Batkivshchyna 5.7%, Svoboda 4.7%, CPU 3.9%, other 13.9%; seats by party - BPP 132, NF 82, Samopomich 33, OB 29, Radical 22, Batkivshchyna 19, Svoboda 6, other 4, independent 96, vacant 27; note - voting not held in Crimea and parts of two Russian-occupied eastern oblasts leaving 27 seats vacant; seats as of December 2015 - BPP 139, NF 81, OB 43, Samopomich 26, Vidrozhennya 23, Radical 21, Batkivshchyna 19, VN 20, independent 50, vacant 28

elections

last held on 26 October 2014 (next to be held fall of 2019)

National anthem

"Shche ne vmerla Ukraina" (Ukraine Has Not Yet Perished) Paul CHUBYNSKYI/Mikhail VERBYTSKYI music adopted 1991, lyrics adopted 2003; song first performed in 1864 at the Ukraine Theatre in Lviv; the lyrics, originally written in 1862, were revised in 2003

lyrics/music

Paul CHUBYNSKYI/Mikhail VERBYTSKYI

name

"Shche ne vmerla Ukraina" (Ukraine Has Not Yet Perished)

note

music adopted 1991, lyrics adopted 2003; song first performed in 1864 at the Ukraine Theatre in Lviv; the lyrics, originally written in 1862, were revised in 2003

National holiday

Independence Day, 24 August (1991); note - 22 January 1918, the day Ukraine first declared its independence (from Soviet Russia) and the day the short-lived Western and Greater (Eastern) Ukrainian republics united (1919), is now celebrated as Unity Day

National symbol(s)

tryzub (trident); national colors: blue, yellow

tryzub (trident); national colors

blue, yellow

Political parties and leaders

Batkivshchyna ("Fatherland") [Yuliya TYMOSHENKO] Bloc of Petro Poroshenko – Solidarnist or BPP [Vitali KLYCHKO] (formed from the merger of Solidarnist and UDAR) Narodnyy Front ("People's Front") or NF [Arseniy YATSENIUK] Opposition Bloc or OB [Yuriy BOYKO] Radical Party [Oleh LYASHKO] Samopomich ("Self Reliance") [Andriy SADOVYY] Svoboda ("Freedom") [Oleh TYAHNYBOK] Ukrainian Association of Patriots or UKROP [Hennadiy KORBAN] Vidrozhennya ("Revival") [Vitaliy KHOMUTYNNIK] (parliamentary group) Volya Naroda (“People's Will”) or VN (parliamentary group)

Political pressure groups and leaders

Centre UA [Oleh RYBACHUK] Committee of Voters of Ukraine [Oleksandr CHERNENKO] OPORA [Olha AIVAZOVSKA]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

grain, sugar beets, sunflower seeds, vegetables; beef, milk

Budget

$29.85 billion $31.12 billion this is the planned, consolidated budget (2015 est.)

expenditures

$31.12 billion

note

this is the planned, consolidated budget (2015 est.)

revenues

$29.85 billion

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-1.4% of GDP (2015 est.)

Central bank discount rate

22% (23 December 2015) 7.5% (31 January 2012)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

21.82% (31 December 2015 est.) 17.72% (31 December 2014 est.)

Current account balance

-$260 million (2015 est.) -$5.332 billion (2014 est.)

Debt - external

$119.8 billion (31 December 2015 est.) $130.7 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

24.6 (2013) 28.2 (2009)

Economy - overview

After Russia, the Ukrainian republic was the most important economic component of the former Soviet Union, producing about four times the output of the next-ranking republic. Its fertile black soil generated more than one-fourth of Soviet agricultural output, and its farms provided substantial quantities of meat, milk, grain, and vegetables to other republics. Likewise, its diversified heavy industry supplied unique equipment, such as, large diameter pipes and vertical drilling apparatus, and raw materials to industrial and mining sites in other regions of the former USSR. Shortly after independence in August 1991, the Ukrainian Government liberalized most prices and erected a legal framework for privatization, but widespread resistance to reform within the government and the legislature soon stalled reform efforts and led to some backtracking. Output by 1999 had fallen to less than 40% of the 1991 level. Outside institutions - particularly the IMF –encouraged Ukraine to quicken the pace and scope of reforms to foster economic growth. Ukrainian Government officials eliminated most tax and customs privileges in a March 2005 budget law, bringing more economic activity out of Ukraine's large shadow economy. But more improvements are needed, including fighting corruption, developing capital markets, and improving the legislative framework. From 2000 until mid-2008, Ukraine's economy was buoyant despite political turmoil between the prime minister and president. Ukraine's dependence on Russia for energy supplies and the lack of significant structural reform have made the Ukrainian economy vulnerable to external shocks. Ukraine depends on imports to meet about three-fourths of its annual oil and natural gas requirements and 100% of its nuclear fuel needs. In January 2009, after a two-week dispute that saw gas supplies cut off to Europe, Ukraine agreed to 10-year gas supply and transit contracts with Russia that brought gas prices to "world" levels. The strict terms of the contracts further hobbled Ukraine's cash-strapped state gas company, Naftohaz. The economy contracted nearly 15% in 2009, among the worst economic performances in the world. In April 2010, Ukraine negotiated a price discount on Russian gas imports in exchange for extending Russia's lease on its naval base in Crimea. Ukraine’s oligarch-dominated economy grew slowly from 2010 to 2014. After former President YANUKOVYCH fled the country during the Revolution of Dignity, the international community began efforts to stabilize the Ukrainian economy, including a March 2014 IMF assistance package of $14-18 billion. Ukraine has made significant progress on reforms designed to make the country a prosperous, democratic, and transparent country. Russia’s occupation of Crimea in March 2014 and on-going aggression in eastern Ukraine have hurt economic growth. With the loss of a major portion of Ukraine’s heavy industry in Donbas and ongoing violence, Ukraine’s economy contracted by 6.8% in 2014 and by an estimated 10.5% in 2015. Ukraine and Russia have engaged in a trade war with sharply reduced trade between the countries by the end of 2015. The EU-Ukraine Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area finally started up on 1 January 2016, and is expected to help Ukraine integrate its economy with Europe by opening up markets and harmonizing regulations.

Exchange rates

hryvnia (UAH) per US dollar - 21.8447 (2015 est.) 11.8867 (2014 est.) 11.8867 (2013 est.) 7.99 (2012 est.) 7.9676 (2011 est.)

Exports

$35.5 billion (2015 est.) $50.76 billion (2014 est.)

Exports - commodities

ferrous and nonferrous metals, fuel and petroleum products, chemicals, machinery and transport equipment, foodstuffs

Exports - partners

Russia 12.7%, Turkey 7.3%, China 6.3%, Egypt 5.5%, Italy 5.2%, Poland 5.2% (2015)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

67.6% 19% 13.3% 2% 52.8% -54.8% (2015 est.)

exports of goods and services

52.8%

government consumption

19%

household consumption

67.6%

imports of goods and services

-54.8% (2015 est.)

investment in fixed capital

13.3%

investment in inventories

2%

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

14.1% 26.4% 60% (2015 est.)

agriculture

14.1%

industry

26.4%

services

60%

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$7,500 (2015 est.) $8,300 (2014 est.) $9,400 (2013 est.) data are in 2015 US dollars

note

data are in 2015 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

-9.9% (2015 est.) -6.6% (2014 est.) 0% (2013 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$90.52 billion (2015 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$339.5 billion (2015 est.) $376.7 billion (2014 est.) $403.1 billion (2013 est.) data are in 2015 US dollars

note

data are in 2015 US dollars

Gross national saving

15.1% of GDP (2015 est.) 10% of GDP (2014 est.) 9.5% of GDP (2013 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

3.8% 22.5% (2011 est.)

highest 10%

22.5% (2011 est.)

lowest 10%

3.8%

Imports

$38.94 billion (2015 est.) $58.24 billion (2014 est.)

Imports - commodities

energy, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Imports - partners

Russia 20%, Germany 10.4%, China 10.1%, Belarus 6.5%, Poland 6.2%, Hungary 4.2% (2015)

Industrial production growth rate

-13.4% (2015 est.)

Industries

coal, electric power, ferrous and nonferrous metals, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food processing

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

48.7% (2015 est.) 12.1% (2014 est.) Excluding the temporarily occupied territories of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, the city of Sevastopol and part of the anti-terrorist operation zone

note

Excluding the temporarily occupied territories of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, the city of Sevastopol and part of the anti-terrorist operation zone

Labor force

18.1 million (2015 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

5.8% 26.5% 67.8% (2014)

agriculture

5.8%

industry

26.5%

services

67.8%

Market value of publicly traded shares

$20.71 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $25.56 billion (31 December 2011 est.) $39.46 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

24.1% (2010 est.)

Public debt

79.4% of GDP (2015 est.) 69.4% of GDP (2014 est.) the total public debt of $64.5 billion consists of: domestic public debt ($23.8 billion); external public debt ($26.1 billion); and sovereign guarantees ($14.6 billion)

note

the total public debt of $64.5 billion consists of: domestic public debt ($23.8 billion); external public debt ($26.1 billion); and sovereign guarantees ($14.6 billion)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$13.3 billion (31 December 2015 est.) $7.53 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

Stock of broad money

$78.02 billion (31 December 2014 est.) $113.4 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$7.183 billion (31 December 2015 est.) $7.145 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$60.95 billion (31 December 2015 est.) $57.9 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$62.77 billion (31 December 2015 est.) $95.93 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$19.68 billion (31 December 2015 est.) $27.62 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

33% of GDP (2015 est.)

Unemployment rate

9.1% (2015 est.) 9.3% (2014 est.) officially registered workers; large number of unregistered or underemployed workers

note

officially registered workers; large number of unregistered or underemployed workers

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

291 million Mt (2013 est.)

Crude oil - exports

668.1 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Crude oil - imports

24,180 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Crude oil - production

35,910 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

400 million bbl (1 January 2016 es)

Electricity - consumption

143 billion kWh (2014 est.)

Electricity - exports

8.5 billion kWh (2014 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

63.7% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

9.9% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

23.7% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

1.1% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

Electricity - imports

89 million kWh (2014 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

56 million kW (2014 est.)

Electricity - production

171 billion kWh (2014 est.)

Electricity access

100% (2016)

electrification - total population

100% (2016)

Natural gas - consumption

33.8 billion cu m (2015 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2015 est.)

Natural gas - imports

20 billion cu m (2014 est.)

Natural gas - production

19.9 billion cu m (2015)

Natural gas - proved reserves

1.104 trillion cu m (1 January 2016 es)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

257,000 bbl/day (2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

19,250 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

153,000 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

96,210 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Broadcast media

state-controlled nationwide TV broadcast channel (UT1) and a number of privately owned TV networks provide basic TV coverage; multi-channel cable and satellite TV services are available; Russian television broadcasts have a small audience nationwide, but larger audiences in the eastern and southern regions; the radio broadcast market, a mix of independent and state-owned networks, is comprised of some 300 stations (2007)

Internet country code

.ua

Internet users

21.886 million 49.3% (July 2015 est.)

percent of population

49.3% (July 2015 est.)

total

21.886 million

Telephone system

Ukraine's telecommunication development plan emphasizes improving domestic trunk lines, international connections, and the mobile-cellular system the country's former sole telephone provider, Ukrtelekom, was successfully privatized 2011 and independent foreign-invested private companies now provide substantial telecommunications services; the mobile-cellular telephone system's expansion has slowed, largely due to saturation of the market that is now over 135 mobile phones per 100 persons country code - 380; 2 new domestic trunk lines are a part of the fiber-optic Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) system and 3 Ukrainian links have been installed in the fiber-optic Trans-European Lines (TEL) project that connects 18 countries; additional international service is provided by the Italy-Turkey-Ukraine-Russia (ITUR) fiber-optic submarine cable and by an unknown number of earth stations in the Intelsat, Inmarsat, and Intersputnik satellite systems (2015)

domestic

the country's former sole telephone provider, Ukrtelekom, was successfully privatized 2011 and independent foreign-invested private companies now provide substantial telecommunications services; the mobile-cellular telephone system's expansion has slowed, largely due to saturation of the market that is now over 135 mobile phones per 100 persons

general assessment

Ukraine's telecommunication development plan emphasizes improving domestic trunk lines, international connections, and the mobile-cellular system

international

country code - 380; 2 new domestic trunk lines are a part of the fiber-optic Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) system and 3 Ukrainian links have been installed in the fiber-optic Trans-European Lines (TEL) project that connects 18 countries; additional international service is provided by the Italy-Turkey-Ukraine-Russia (ITUR) fiber-optic submarine cable and by an unknown number of earth stations in the Intelsat, Inmarsat, and Intersputnik satellite systems (2015)

Telephones - fixed lines

9,113,061 21 (July 2015 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

21 (July 2015 est.)

total subscriptions

9,113,061

Telephones - mobile cellular

60.72 million 137 (July 2015 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

137 (July 2015 est.)

total

60.72 million

Airports

187 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

28 (2013)

1,524 to 2,437 m

22

2,438 to 3,047 m

42

914 to 1,523 m

3

over 3,047 m

13

total

108

under 914 m

28 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways

69 (2013)

1,524 to 2,437 m

5

914 to 1,523 m

5

total

79

under 914 m

69 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

UR (2016)

Heliports

9 (2013)

Merchant marine

bulk carrier 3, cargo 98, chemical tanker 1, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 8, refrigerated cargo 11, specialized tanker 2 172 (Belize 6, Cambodia 35, Comoros 10, Cyprus 3, Dominica 1, Georgia 10, Liberia 10, Malta 29, Marshall Islands 1, Moldova 14, Mongolia 1, Panama 8, Russia 12, Saint Kitts and Nevis 8, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 12, Sierra Leone 5, Slovakia 2, unknown 5) (2010)

by type

bulk carrier 3, cargo 98, chemical tanker 1, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 8, refrigerated cargo 11, specialized tanker 2

registered in other countries

172 (Belize 6, Cambodia 35, Comoros 10, Cyprus 3, Dominica 1, Georgia 10, Liberia 10, Malta 29, Marshall Islands 1, Moldova 14, Mongolia 1, Panama 8, Russia 12, Saint Kitts and Nevis 8, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 12, Sierra Leone 5, Slovakia 2, unknown 5) (2010)

total

134

National air transport system

4,613,224 37,721,565 mt-km (2015)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

37,721,565 mt-km (2015)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

4,613,224

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

92

number of registered air carriers

17

Pipelines

gas 36,720 km; oil 4,514 km; refined products 4,363 km (2013)

Ports and terminals

Feodosiya (Theodosia), Illichivsk, Mariupol', Mykolayiv, Odesa, Yuzhnyy

major seaport(s)

Feodosiya (Theodosia), Illichivsk, Mariupol', Mykolayiv, Odesa, Yuzhnyy

Railways

21,733 km 21,684 km 1.524-m gauge (9,250 km electrified) 49 km 1.435-m gauge (49 km electrified) (2014)

broad gauge

21,684 km 1.524-m gauge (9,250 km electrified)

standard gauge

49 km 1.435-m gauge (49 km electrified) (2014)

total

21,733 km

Roadways

169,694 km 166,095 km (includes 17 km of expressways) 3,599 km (2012)

paved

166,095 km (includes 17 km of expressways)

total

169,694 km

unpaved

3,599 km (2012)

Waterways

1,672 km (most on Dnieper River) (2012)

Military branches

Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air Forces (2013)

Military expenditures

3.8% of GDP (2016) 2.7% of GDP (2015) 1.77% of GDP (2014) 0.97% of GDP (2013)

Military service age and obligation

20-27 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation is 18 months (2015)

Disputes - international

1997 boundary delimitation treaty with Belarus remains unratified due to unresolved financial claims, stalling demarcation and reducing border security; delimitation of land boundary with Russia is complete and demarcation began in 2012; the dispute over the boundary between Russia and Ukraine through the Kerch Strait and Sea of Azov is suspended due to the occupation of Crimea by Russia; Ukraine and Moldova signed an agreement officially delimiting their border in 1999, but the border has not been demarcated due to Moldova's difficulties with the break-away region of Transnistria; Moldova and Ukraine operate joint customs posts to monitor transit of people and commodities through Moldova's Transnistria Region, which remains under the auspices of an Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe-mandated peacekeeping mission comprised of Moldovan, Transnistrian, Russian, and Ukrainian troops; the ICJ ruled largely in favor of Romania in its dispute submitted in 2004 over Ukrainian-administered Zmiyinyy/Serpilor (Snake) Island and Black Sea maritime boundary delimitation; Romania opposes Ukraine's reopening of a navigation canal from the Danube border through Ukraine to the Black Sea

Illicit drugs

limited cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for CIS consumption; some synthetic drug production for export to the West; limited government eradication program; used as transshipment point for opiates and other illicit drugs from Africa, Latin America, and Turkey to Europe and Russia; Ukraine has improved anti-money-laundering controls, resulting in its removal from the Financial Action Task Force's (FATF's) Noncooperative Countries and Territories List in February 2004; Ukraine's anti-money-laundering regime continues to be monitored by FATF

Refugees and internally displaced persons

800,000 (Russian-sponsored separatist violence in Crimea and eastern Ukraine) (2015); note - revised figure reflects updates to UN's IDP verification and registration processes 35,228 (2015); note - citizens of the former USSR who were permanently resident in Ukraine were granted citizenship upon Ukraine's independence in 1991, but some missed this window of opportunity; people arriving after 1991, Crimean Tatars, ethnic Koreans, people with expired Soviet passports, and people with no documents have difficulty acquiring Ukrainian citizenship; following the fall of the Soviet Union in 1989, thousands of Crimean Tatars and their descendants deported from Ukraine under the STALIN regime returned to their homeland, some being stateless and others holding the citizenship of Uzbekistan or other former Soviet republics; a 1998 bilateral agreement between Ukraine and Uzbekistan simplified the process of renouncing Uzbek citizenship and obtaining Ukrainian citizenship

IDPs

800,000 (Russian-sponsored separatist violence in Crimea and eastern Ukraine) (2015); note - revised figure reflects updates to UN's IDP verification and registration processes

stateless persons

35,228 (2015); note - citizens of the former USSR who were permanently resident in Ukraine were granted citizenship upon Ukraine's independence in 1991, but some missed this window of opportunity; people arriving after 1991, Crimean Tatars, ethnic Koreans, people with expired Soviet passports, and people with no documents have difficulty acquiring Ukrainian citizenship; following the fall of the Soviet Union in 1989, thousands of Crimean Tatars and their descendants deported from Ukraine under the STALIN regime returned to their homeland, some being stateless and others holding the citizenship of Uzbekistan or other former Soviet republics; a 1998 bilateral agreement between Ukraine and Uzbekistan simplified the process of renouncing Uzbek citizenship and obtaining Ukrainian citizenship

Trafficking in persons

Ukraine is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; Ukrainian victims are sex trafficked within Ukraine as well as in Russia, Poland, Iraq, Spain, Turkey, Cyprus, Greece, Seychelles, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Israel, Italy, South Korea, Moldova, China, the United Arab Emirates, Montenegro, UK, Kazakhstan, Tunisia, and other countries; small numbers of foreigners from Moldova, Russia, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Cameroon, and Azerbaijan were victims of labor trafficking in Ukraine; Ukrainian recruiters most often target Ukrainians from rural areas with limited job prospects using fraud, coercion, and debt bondage Tier 2 Watch List – Ukraine does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; the government’s focus on its security situation constrained its anti-trafficking capabilities; law enforcement efforts to pursue trafficking cases weakened in 2014, continuing a multi-year decline, and no investigations, prosecutions, or convictions of government officials were made, despite reports of official complicity in the sex and labor trafficking of children living in state-run institutions; fewer victims were identified and referred to NGOs, which continued to provide and to fund the majority of victims’ services (2015)

current situation

Ukraine is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; Ukrainian victims are sex trafficked within Ukraine as well as in Russia, Poland, Iraq, Spain, Turkey, Cyprus, Greece, Seychelles, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Israel, Italy, South Korea, Moldova, China, the United Arab Emirates, Montenegro, UK, Kazakhstan, Tunisia, and other countries; small numbers of foreigners from Moldova, Russia, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Cameroon, and Azerbaijan were victims of labor trafficking in Ukraine; Ukrainian recruiters most often target Ukrainians from rural areas with limited job prospects using fraud, coercion, and debt bondage

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List – Ukraine does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; the government’s focus on its security situation constrained its anti-trafficking capabilities; law enforcement efforts to pursue trafficking cases weakened in 2014, continuing a multi-year decline, and no investigations, prosecutions, or convictions of government officials were made, despite reports of official complicity in the sex and labor trafficking of children living in state-run institutions; fewer victims were identified and referred to NGOs, which continued to provide and to fund the majority of victims’ services (2015)