Ukraine
Current Ukrainian territory was a southern part of the first Slavic state, Kievan Rus. The state was founded by Swedish Vikings – the so-called Varangians or Rus. During the mid-17th century an autonomous Ukrainian state, the Cossack Hetmanate, was established and remained so for well over a century. During the latter part of the 18th century the Russian Empire absorbed central and eastern parts of Ukrainian ethnographic territory, with the west becoming part of Austria-Hungary.

Following the Russian Revolution in 1917, Ukraine was briefly independent until 1920, when the country was re-conquered and experienced a Soviet rule. Renewed independence was finally achieved in 1991 with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Ukraine then became a founding member of the Commonwealth of Independent States.
Economy
Formerly an important agricultural and industrial region of the Soviet Union, Ukraine now depends on Russia for most energy supplies, especially natural gas. The lack of significant structural reforms have made the Ukrainian economy vulnerable to external shocks. After 1991 the government liberalized most prices and erected a legal framework for privatization, but widespread resistance to reform within the government and the legislature soon stalled reform efforts and has led to some backtracking.

Geography
Map of UkraineThe Ukrainian landscape consists mostly of fertile plains or steppes and plateaus, crossed by rivers such as the Dnepr, Donets, Dnister and the Southern Bug as they flow down into the Black Sea and the smaller Sea of Azov. To the southwest the delta of the Danube forms the border with Romania. Mountains are found only in the western range of the Carpathian Mountains, of which the highest is the Hora Hoverla at 2,061 m, and in the Crimean peninsula in the extreme south along the coast.
Climate
The climate in Ukraine is similar to the wheat-producing regions of Canada and is characterized by abundant precipitation and cloudy skies, especially in fall and winter. The mean temperature in summer is 67°F (19°C) and in winter 21°F (-6°C). Although the summers tend to be short, the temperature can rise into the 90s. The winters are long and cold with cloudy skies a norm.
Government
Ukraine is a parliamentary democracy with separate executive, judicial, and legislative branches. The president, elected by popular vote for a five-year term, nominates the prime minister as well as the rest of the cabinet, who must be confirmed by the parliament. The Ukrainian parliament is the unicameral Supreme Council or Verkhovna Rada which holds 450 seats, 225 of which are allocated on a proportional basis to those parties that gain 4% or more of the national electoral vote; the other 225 members are elected by popular vote in single-mandate constituencies. All members serve four-year terms and the parliament initiates legislation, ratifies international agreements, and approves the budget. man has the duty of guarding the observance and implementation of the rights and liberties of the human being and of the citizen, the law and principles of community life and social justice.
People
Ethnic Ukrainians make up about 75% of the total population, ethnic Russians number about 20%. The industrial regions in the east and southeast are the most heavily populated, and about 70% of the population is urban. Ukrainian (the official state language) and Russian are the principal languages and, although Russian is very widely spoken, most of the population identifies Ukrainian as their native language. Other minorities include small groups of Belarussians, Moldovans, Crimean Tatars, Bulgarians, Hungarians, Romanians, Poles and Jews.
Religion
The dominant religions are the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, an Eastern Orthodox Church, and the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.
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