Ukraine Informational Slideshow

Ukrainian government was organized in the early 90s and is still under revision. The current government is considered a mix of parliamentary and presidential systems. It currently uses branches of government like a democracy, but the president remains largely in control.

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Residents mostly speak Ukrainian and are made up mostly of Ukrainians and Russians, with Ukrainians as the majority. Historically, Ukraine had large Jewish and Polish populations, but after the devastations of the Holocaust and other events of World War ll, the population immigrated to southern regions. This left most of the remaining residents of the area religiously affiliated with mostly the Ukrainian Christian Orthodox church, while others are Muslim and Jewish, more than two-fifths are non-religious.

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Most of the country is made up of level plains with few mountains around the borders, and is divided up into lowlands and highlands. This geography equates for a rich and bountiful agricultural landscape, which Russia, Poland and others have fought over for centuries. Much of the economy is based around the agriculture and tech industry, from crop and fish exports to machinery used for foreign military and space exploration.

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The history of Ukraine is rich with sovereign and foreign domain. Kiev, the capital of modern Ukraine was also the capital of the Rus’ nation, which was the largest and most powerful country in Europe around the 10th century. Around the 14th century, after the passing of major kings over the regions, the state was divided up and the heartland of Rus’, along with Kiev, as part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

Around the 17th century, Ukraine was included in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, which more or less combined the two regions after the mongol invasions. In the Southern regions around Crimea, Haci l giray founded the Crimean Khanate, a nation that would soon become the most powerful in Europe for the next century. However, due to constant raids of surrounding nations, this nation weakened until a Cossack military quasi-state was formed by Dnieper Cossacks along with others who had fled from Polish rule.

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The Cossacks proved to be useful for the Polish against Turk and Tartar invasions, but as uprisings against the Commonwealth and Polish king grew, the region fell as Russia provided liberation for the people. This began the 30 year war between the Russians and the Polish, resulting in Ukraine being split by the two.

As more revolutions took place over the next century, both bloody and religious, the region finally fell into Russian and Austrian control. It remained largely ignored until the eruption of World War l where it took the side of Asturia and Triple.

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As World War l destroyed unions and devastated countries, Ukraine came under rule of the newly organized Russian Soviet Union. Less than a decade later, the Russian Civil War broke out and devastated much of what was left of Ukraine after Polish and Russian influence left its borders vulnerable.

Under the new communist regime, Ukraine remained largely a manufacturing and agricultural state, until World War ll broke out and Ukraine suffered massive losses in its Jewish and Polish populations, especially during the Holocaust.

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Post-war Ukraine was one of the darkest and hopeful times in its history. With much of the infrastructure destroyed and hundreds of thousands emigrating out for better lands down south, the region began to rebuild. With the help of local Ukrainians and the Soviet Union, the area established its borders as a Russian province and rebuilt the economy.

Ukraine eventually became an important part of the Space Race during the 60s.

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As the Soviet Union separated in 1990, a sigh of relief spread upon the province as it was overwhelmingly supported by the people to be an independent nation with an operating government and parliament system.

The country has undergone a few soft revolutions since the 90s, but its greatest concerns are under conflicting interests over small particular regions of the country still under Russian control (particularly Crimea) despite how the residents there believe otherwise. These regions are still under debate and information may be updated as results arise.

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The origins of the current flag date back to the mid 1800s when revolutionaries needed something to represent themselves by. As the flag changed under various foreign rulers, when the country declared independence, the communist hammer and sickle was lowered and the new flag of blue and yellow stripes was raised, but instead with the colors flipped from when they had it in the 1800s. The blue represents the blue skies above, and the yellow is the golden harvest beneath.

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Ukraine is made up of 24 oblasts or provinces and one autonomous republic of Crimea. These reflect the country’s focus on being a unitary state with each province as individual operational units.

While much of the world celebrates Christmas on Dec. 25th, because the majority of the religious Ukrainian population is part of the Orthodox church, they tend to celebrate Christmas and Easter on different days of the year than other Christian countries.

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In Ukraine, this day is considered a grand holiday for many reasons. It originally was to remember the brave women who worked in the factories during World War ll and kept the country running, but today is most used to celebrate all women young and old. Because the day happens to be on the same day to traditionally celebrate spring, many women can expect to receive a flower on this day.

Held on May 9th, this day is to commemorate the end of World War ll and remember the veterans that have fallen. Many gather together to remember those who have fallen with memorials.

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On August 24th, Independence Day is Ukraine's largest and most celebrated holiday. It commemorates the adoption of the 1991 “Declaration of Sovereignty.” It is often filled with parades, concerts, and firework displays.

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What most others in the world often think of as a passive holiday, the residents of Ukraine take seriously. In a country with such a dark history, it’s a much-needed antidote. It’s full of jokes, tricks, and even a lighthearted parade in the city of Odessa.