SGA Ministries in Ukraine
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Background
 Richly
endowed in natural resources, Ukraine has
been fought over and subjugated for centuries;
its 20th-century struggle for liberty is
not yet complete. A short-lived independence
from Russia (1917-1920) was followed by
brutal Soviet rule that engineered two artificial
famines (1921-22 and 1932-33) in which over
8 million died, and World War II, in which
German and Soviet armies were responsible
for some 7 million more deaths. Although
independence was attained in 1991 with the
dissolution of the USSR, true freedom remains
elusive as many of the former Soviet elite
remain entrenched, stalling efforts at economic
reform, privatization, and civic liberties
Location
Eastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea,
between Poland and Russia
Area
603,700 sq km
Land Boundaries
Belarus, Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Romania,
Russia, Slovakia
Natural Resources
Iron ore, coal, manganese, natural gas,
oil, salt, sulfur, graphite, titanium, magnesium,
kaolin, nickel, mercury, timber, arable
land
Land Use
Arable land: 58%, permanent crops: 2%,
permanent pastures: 13%, forests and woodland:
18%, other: 9% (1993 est.)
Population
49,153,027 (July 2000 est.)
Ethnic Groups
Ukrainian 73%, Russian 22%, Jewish 1%,
other 4%
Religions
Ukrainian Orthodox - Moscow Patriarchate,
Ukrainian Orthodox - Kiev Patriarchate,
Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox, Ukrainian
Catholic (Uniate), Protestant, Jewish
Languages
Ukrainian, Russian, Romanian, Polish, Hungarian
Capital
Kiev
Independence
1 December 1991 from Soviet Union
Below Poverty Line
50% (1999 est.)
Inflation
20% (1999 est.)
Unemployment Rate
2% (includes only officially registered
unemployed; large numbers of underemployed
workers) (September 1998)
Industries
Coal, electric power, ferrous and nonferrous
metals, machinery and transport equipment,
chemicals, food-processing (especially sugar)
Agriculture
Grain, sugar beets, sunflower seeds, vegetables;
beef, milk
Currency
1 hryvna = 100 kopiykas
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