Ukraine

Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe and the second-largest country entirely within Europe by area, after Russia. It covers about 603,500 square kilometres, although the internationally recognized territory includes areas currently under Russian occupation. Kyiv is the capital and largest city. Ukraine borders Belarus, Russia, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Moldova, and has a coastline on the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.

Much of the country consists of broad plains, with the Carpathian Mountains in the west and the Crimean Mountains in the south. The Dnipro is one of Europe’s major rivers and crosses Ukraine from north to south before reaching the Black Sea. Fertile chernozem soils cover large areas and support extensive agriculture. Ukraine has a mostly temperate continental climate, with generally warmer summers and colder winters inland.

Conditions become milder near the Black Sea, while mountainous areas are cooler and receive more precipitation. The country contains forests, steppe landscapes, wetlands and mountain ecosystems. Ukrainian is the official language, and other languages are also spoken by different communities. Ukraine became independent in 1991 following the dissolution of the Soviet Union and has since developed as a sovereign democratic state.

It is a founding member of the United Nations and has pursued closer ties with the European Union and NATO. Since February 2022, Ukraine has been the site of a large-scale Russian invasion, which has caused extensive human, territorial and environmental consequences.