Location in Europe

2. Location in Europe • Central Eastern Europe • Links East & West • Borders with • Moldova • Romania • Hungary • Slovakia • Poland • Belarus • Russia • largest Europe-only country

3. Ancient History • First people since the Stone Age • Bronze Age: advanced Tripillian culture • First Slavonic tribes ca 1000 years BC • Kyiv founded in the V century • Kyiv Rus founded in the IX century • Christianity introduced in the year 988 • Kyiv Princesses become queens of • France • Norway • Hungary

4. Cossacks • Zaporizhian Sich (XVI-XVII) • military-political organization of the free warriors – Cossacks • Introduced and enforced • democracy • republican rule • unitary system • Liberating movement (middle XVII) • lead by Bohdan Khmelnytsky • First Constitution in 1710 • written by Pylyp Orlyk

5. Independence • 01.12.1991 90% of Ukrainians • voted for Independence • Ukraine willingly got rid of its • 3rd in the world nuclear potential • Constitution adopted in 1996 • Elections-2004 were • peaceful and democratic, though • hard-line and uncompromising

6. Map of Ukraine • 95% flat • Mountains: • Carpathian in the West • Crimean in the South • Administrative division: • 24 regions (oblasts) • AR of Crimea • Kyiv (the capital) • Sevastopol (naval base)

7. Wildlife • 19 million hectares of natural vegetation • 30 000 plant species • 45 000 animal species • 11 national nature parks • 4 biosphere preservation areas • 16 nature reserves • Dendrological parks • Askania-Nova • Oleksandria • Sofiyivka

8. Climate Photo by S. Tarasov Photo by S. Tarasov Summer temperatures 18°-25° C (64,4° F to 77° F) In the South: up to +35° C (+95° F), with sea breezes softening the heat Winter temperatures -8°-12° C (17.6° F to 3° F) In the South: ~0° C (32° F)

9. Population of Ukraine • 48.457 million people • 5th largest in Europe • 21st in the world • over 130 nationalities • Highly educated State Statistics Committee of Ukraine, All-Ukrainian population census-2001

10. Ukrainians • Hospitable • Optimistic • Joyous • Hard-working Serhiy Bubka Triple World Sportsman of the Year 6-time world champion European Champion Olympic Champion the “Vaulting Czar” Volodymyr Klitschko Professional boxer WBC Intercontinental Champion WBA Intercontinental Champion European Champion WBO World Champion

11. Cabinet of Ministers Verkhovna Rada The President Judicial Executive Legislative Constitutional Court Courts of General Jurisdiction Superior Justice Council Three Branches of State Power

12. Speaker 2 Vice-Speakers Secretariat Committees Legislative Power - Verkhovna Rada • Mixed majority-proportional elections • Total of 450 deputies • 225 from majority-based districts • 225 based on political parties lists • 4% barrier for political parties • 226 votes to pass the law • 300 votes to change the Constitution • 300 votes to force the vetoed law • Elections 2006 • Proportional system only • 3% barrier for political parties

13. President Prime-minister Ministers and Ministries State Committees Executive Power • The President appoints the Prime Minister • Verkhovna Rada consents with 226 votes • Prime Minister proposes Ministers • President approves Ministers • The President controls the Prime Minister • Prime Minister reports to the parliament • Cabinet of Ministers: • Issues decrees and regulations • Proposes and executes state budget

14. Constitutional Court Superior Justice Council Courts of General Jurisdiction Judicial Power • Interprets the Constitution of Ukraine • Validates the laws against the Constitution • the Supreme Court of Ukraine • highest specialized courts • the Cassation Court of Ukraine • the Appellate Court of Ukraine • local courts • Proposes judges for appointment or dismissal • Controls the formation of corps of judges • Examines cases involving unjust judging

15. Transportation for Business • 4 of 10 European transport corridors run through Ukraine • Dense network of • 273 700 km of highways • 22 510 km of railways • 4 500 km of water ways • 42 900 km of pipelines • 250 000 km of air routes Ukrainian railways network

16. Economics Structure Osteuropa Institut paper No. 243, 15.10.2002; analysis of Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

17. Natural resources • 25% of the world black topsoil • 5% of the world mineral resources • iron and manganese ores • nickel, chromites, titanium, mercury • complex ores • Non-mineral resources • largest in the world mineral wax & brimstone • greatest in Europe graphite deposits • Perspectives for • metallurgic and chemical industries • ceramics • construction materials

18. Ukrainian currency - Hryvnia Introduced 1996, stable ever since Letter code is UAH, numerical code 980, abbreviated as “грн”

19. GDP dynamics State statistics committee World Bank Group WDI (World Development Index)

20. Export dynamics National Ukrainian institute for Strategic Studies

21. Credit Ratings • Standards & Poor’s B+/Stable • Fitch BB-/Stable • Moody’s B1/Stable

22. Kyiv, the Capital • Also known as • Center of Slavic culture • the Mother of all Rus cities • the Majestic • the City of Gardens Founded over 1.5 millennia ago Looks both ancient & young Come to see • UNESCO World Heritage sites • Millennia-old monasteries • Medieval fortifications Saint Volodymyr Cathedral Photo by S. Tarasov

23. Carpathian Mountains • Dragobrat skiing resort • Snow from November till May • 1300 meters above sea level • Other resorts • Rakhiv • Mukachevo • Svalyava • Yaremcha • For rafting, follow the rivers of • Prut • Bilyi Cheremosh • Chornyi Cheremosh

24. Crimean Beaches • Famous resorts • Yalta • Alushta • Gurzuf • Foros • Yevpatoria • Two seas • Black Sea • the Sea of Azov

25. Ukraine Awaits You