What Continent Is Ukraine In?

Ukraine is a self-governing state located in Eastern Europe. Ukraine and Russia are currently in a territorial dispute over the Crimean peninsula which Russia appropriated in 2014. The Crimean peninsula had been Ukrainian territory since 1954. Ukraine, inclusive of Crimea, has a total land area of 233,062 square miles and it is the biggest country that is entirely in Europe. Kiev is the state’s capital. Ukraine gained independence in 1991 after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, and it declared itself a neutral state, though the state has the second largest military unit in Europe after Russia.

Overview of Ukraine

In the past, the name Ukraine was thought to mean borderland, but in recent times linguistic studies have come to show it may mean homeland or region. Ukraine's landscape is mostly made up of fertile plains and plateaus with several rivers. Ukraine joined the UN in 1945, and it served as a temporary member of the UN Security Council from 1991 to 2001. The state is also a member of the Partnership for Peace and OSCE.

Tourism in Ukraine

Ukraine is the eighth most popular tourist destination in Europe. Popular sites in the nation include Sofiyivsky Park, Kiev Pechersk Lavra, Khortytsia, Kamianets National Historic-Architectural Reserve, Chersonesos Taurica, Saint Sophia Cathedral, and Khotyn Fortress. The sites have been dubbed the seven wonders of Ukraine.

The Ukrainian Economy

Ukraine’s economy is an emerging free market whereby the prices of goods and services are determined by consumers and the open market. The state’s nominal GDP in 2016 was $93 billion while the GDP based on PPP was $368 billion. The currency in use in the state is the Hryvnia. The leading industries in Ukraine include electric power, fuel, coal, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, forest, food processing, and chemicals. According to the world steel Association, Ukraine was the tenth largest steel producer in 2012. Ukraine is among the world's top 10 arms exporters. Ukraine contains 30% of the global most fertile black soil, and it is considered a breadbasket. The state is the world’s leading producer of sunflower oil and the 6th largest producer of corn. The state is Europe’s largest producer of honey and has the highest honey per capita production rate in the world. Ukraine is among the world’s nine countries with a full cycle of aerospace hardware and engineering. Ukraine makes approximately 1,000 Paragliders and hang-gliders in a year, with most of them destined for export. In 2013, Ukraine was fourth globally in the number of accredited Information Technology specialists, after the US, India, and Russia.

Overview of Europe

Europe is one of the continents, and it is located in the North-eastern hemisphere. The continent covers an area of 3,930,000 square miles. The continent is at times referred to Eurasia. Europe gave birth to Western Civilization, and superpowers from Europe have at one time controlled most of Africa, Asia, and the Americas through colonization. Both World Wars mostly took place in Europe. The European countries have been major tourist attractions as they are rich in history, culture, architecture, and art, both modern and ancient.