Ukraine

Would you guess that the beginnings of an easter egg tradition, holodomor (famine) of 1946, region of Crimea, holubtsy (national dish), and Chernobyl have a "common denominator" in Ukraine?

Known in the past as the bread basket of the former Soviet Union, Ukraine emerged independent of the federal union after its break-up in 1991. Its dark black soil has always been a mighty producer of grains and other agricultural commodities not only for the other Union republics but also for export. In addition, the country was leading in other major industries (oil refinery, manufacturing), making it the second largest in economic strength after Russia. Today, a new democratic system of governance and Ukraine's strives toward market economy pervade discussions among the locals as well as foreign observers.

Here are a few facts that provide a very brief introduction to the country. We hope you’ll do more learning on your own too!

Early settlements of today's Ukrainian territory date back as far as 4,500 B.C.
Slavic tribes occupied central and eastern Ukraine in the 6th century A.D. and played an important role in the establishment of Kyiv (today's capital of Ukraine). Population was converted to Christianity in 988.
In the 11th century, Kievan Rus was, geographically, the largest state in Europe.
The Soviet government under Stalin also created an artificial famine (called the Holodomor in Ukrainian) as part of his forced collectivization policies, which killed millions of previously independent peasants and others throughout the country. Estimates of deaths from the 1932-33 famine alone range from 3 million to 7 million.
The 1986 explosion at the Chornobyl (Chernobyl in Russian) nuclear power plant, located in the Ukrainian SSR (located in the far north east, by the Belorussian border), and the Soviet Government’s initial efforts to conceal the extent of the catastrophe from its own people and the world, was a watershed for many Ukrainians in exposing the severe problems of the Soviet system. Ukraine permanently closed the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant in December of 2000. Ukraine ratified the Kyoto Protocol in April 2004.
Ukraine became an independent state on August 24, 1991, and was a co-founder of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, although it has not officially joined the organization.
After unsuccessful pro-Russian advocacy to annex Crimea to Russia, in July 1992, the Crimean and Ukrainian parliaments determined that Crimea would remain under Ukrainian jurisdiction while retaining significant cultural and economic autonomy.
After eight straight years of sharp economic decline from the early to late 1990s, the standard of living for most citizens declined more than 50%, leading to widespread poverty. Beginning in 2000 economic growth has averaged 7.4% per year, reaching 12.1% in 2004 and 7.0% in 2006. Personal incomes are rising. The macro economy is stable, with the hyperinflation of the early post-Soviet period now reduced to just over 11.6% (2006).
The foreign investment law allows Westerners to purchase businesses and property, to repatriate revenue and profits, and to receive compensation in the event that property were to be nationalized by a future government. However, complex laws and regulations, poor corporate governance, weak enforcement of contract law by courts and particularly corruption have discouraged broad foreign direct investment in Ukraine. At $447 per capita, this was one of the lowest foreign investment figures in the region.

Source: Background Note on Ukraine (US DOS Bureau fof European and Eurasian Affairs) http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3211.htm

*Country General Information*
Dept of State Background Notes	Election Guide
Encyclopedia of Ukraine	Ukrainian Government Portal
Wikipedia	Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ukraine Regions	Social and Economic Development report
Kiyv Post news online	Macroneconomic report (Dec 2006)
*Travel in Ukraine*
Dept of State Consular Sheet	Drohobych (brief notes)
US Embassy in Kiev	Drohobych University website (in Ukrainian)
Embassy of Ukraine in the US	Oblast (region) Lviv (where Drohobych is located)
Hotel Fata Morgana	Hotel in Khust
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