Category: Ukraine

Ukraine is the second largest country in Europe after Russia, and has 44 million residents (2016). It is rich in natural resources and has a developed economy, mainly in the agricultural and industrial sectors. The capital and largest city is Kiev. In the 9th century, northern Ukraine was part of a Slavic state, which until the 11th century was the most powerful in Europe, but it succumbed to the Mongol invasions of the 13th century. Subsequently, Ukraine was, for centuries, under the rule of a succession of foreign powers, including Poland and Russia. In 1918, an independent communist government was established in the country, but in 1920 it fell under the rule of Russia and became part of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). At that time, Ukraine was the second largest economy in the USSR, after Russia. In 1991, Ukraine declared independence and today it has a democratic form of government led by a president.