As you know, Ukraine is considered one of the largest countries in Europe. Its territory is located immediately in several climatic zones, it has many rivers, and the southern coast is washed immediately by two seas: Black and Azov.
Do you know what is the area of Ukraine? No? This and much more will be discussed in this article. The reader will learn in more detail about what the regions were called in the past, what geographical points on the map indicate the borders of the state, and also get acquainted with the most significant areas of the country.
Section 1. General Information
Ukraine is located in eastern Europe and has common borders with countries such as Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Moldova, Russia and Belarus.
She gained her independence in August 1991. Today, the capital of the state is the city of Kiev.
In total, about 45 million people live in the state. There is access to the Black and Azov Seas. The main waterway of the country is the Dnieper River.
The official currency is the Ukrainian hryvnia.
Section 2. The current area of Ukraine and former names of the regions
In the historical past, the lands of modern Ukraine had a completely different territorial division. Regions did not exist then, and the regions bore completely different names. Here are a few examples:
- Bessarabia is a territory, most of which is located in the Republic of Moldova. The structure of present-day Ukraine includes the north (Khotyn district) and the south (Izmailovsky, Belgorod-Dniester regions).
- Bukovina - Chernivtsi region.
- Volhynia - lands consisting of Volyn, Rivne and parts of the Ternopil and Zhytomyr regions.
- Galicia is part of the Ternopil region, Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk regions.
- Transcarpathia (Transcarpathian Ukraine) - Transcarpathian region.
- Podillia (Ukrainian: Podіllya) consists of Vinnitsa, Khmelnitsky and part of the Ternopil regions.
- Polesye (Ukrainian Polisya) - part of the Zhytomyr region, Kiev and Chernihiv regions.
- Tavria - the lands of the former Tauride province, consisting of Crimea, the current Kherson and Zaporizhzhya regions. The center of Tavria was the city of Simferopol.
Section 3. Geographical location
As already mentioned above, the area of Ukraine is quite extensive. At first glance, it is difficult to imagine that the length of the borders from north to south is about 893 km, and from west to east - about 1320 km.
The extreme northern point of the country is in the Chernihiv region in the village of Petrovka, the southern - in the Crimea, at Cape Sarych. The western mark is the village of Solomonovo in the Transcarpathian region, the eastern is the village of Red Star in the Luhansk region. The geographical center of the country is located in the Cherkasy region near the small town of Vatutino. Today in this place there is a special stand with the inscription "Ukraine. The area of the country and regions. ” Everyone can get acquainted with this attraction, take a picture or just relax in this place in one of the many cafes located nearby.
This state occupies 5.6% of the territory of Europe (the area of Ukraine is 603.7 square meters), and is also considered the largest of all countries located entirely within Europe (for example, France has a size of 547 thousand square kilometers). The total length of the sea borders is almost 1360 km, of which 1057 km along the Black Sea, 250 km along the Sea of Azov, and 49 km along the Kerch Bay.
Section 4. Nature and Climate
Agree, the area of Ukraine in square. km is considerable, and therefore not so surprising that in this region there are various types of climate and soils and, as a consequence, representatives of the flora.
The country is located on the East European Plain in the zones of coniferous and mixed forests, steppes and forest-steppes. Chernozem soils are typical of the forest-steppe and steppe , gray forest and sod-podzolic soils prevail to the north (in the zone of mixed forests), chestnut and dark chestnut lands are widespread to the south (in the steppes).
Today in Ukraine there are many nature reserves. The Danube and Askania-Nova are considered the most famous.
Climate formation occurs under the influence of air masses coming from the North Atlantic. Air masses from the Arctic Ocean have less impact. The local system is affected by the river system, soil and vegetation, various structures, etc.
Ukraine is located mainly in the zone of temperate continental climate, with the exception of the southern coast of Crimea, which is characterized by a subtropical climate.
According to experts, the main climate-forming factors in this country are: the direction and strength of air flows, atmospheric pressure and precipitation, air temperature.
Winters are moderately cold, and summers are warm and dry.
Section 5. Water Resources
The territory (area) of Ukraine is washed in the south by the waters of the Black and Azov Seas. The first connects to many seas and has access to the ocean. The favorable climate of the Black and Azov Seas makes the coast one of the best places for a resort holiday.
In Ukraine, there are over 70 thousand rivers and about 20 thousand water bodies. The Dnieper River is the largest not only in the state, but also in Europe as a whole. Reservoirs of hydroelectric power stations were constructed along its course, solving the problems of water supply in many regions.
Other large river systems - Dnieper, Dniester, Danube, etc. Ukraine, whose area is 600 square kilometers, in fact, does not experience problems with water for both drinking and irrigation.
Section 6. The smallest region of the country
Chernivtsi region, located in the south-west of Ukraine, is called Bukovina. And such a name was not given by chance, because beech trees grow on these lands.
Its area is only 8.1 thousand square meters. km, population - 904 thousand people. The Carpathian slopes up to 1500 meters high occupy the west of the region. The Dniester River divides the region into two parts.
The administrative center of Bukovina is Chernivtsi, which are located on the Prut River. This city is considered the cultural center of the western part of Ukraine; famous figures of many national cultures spent their lives in it.
The first mention of the settlement of the city of Tseqin (present-day Chernivtsi) dates from the end of the 14th century. The city was at the crossroads of trade routes and was known for its fairs. After the capture of Moldavia by the Ottoman Empire, there was a division of land into Christian and Muslim worlds. In the period of the XVI-XVIII centuries. the city was constantly ruined. The new heyday of Bukovina began only after joining the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1775. Architectural structures on the streets of the city still remind of that period.
Section 7. The largest region in the state
The main territory of the Odessa region is located on the Black Sea lowland, in the north are the foothills of the Podolsk Upland, and the eastern and southeastern sides are washed by the Black Sea. In the west, the region borders with Moldova, in the south-west - with Romania, in the north - with Vinnitsa and Kirovograd regions, and in the east - with Nikolaev.
A story about what area of Ukraine would be impossible without mentioning this area. About 200 rivers flow here, although many of them dry up in the summer. Large ones are used for shipping, irrigation and the creation of hydroelectric power plants (Dniester, Danube). In the coastal zone there are many freshwater and salt ponds. The large bays include the following: Kuyalnitsky, Dniester, etc.
The climate is temperate continental, summers are hot, and winters are mild and not very snowy. The south of the region is subject to strong winds, dry winds and droughts.
Section 8. Donetsk is the most densely populated region
The Donetsk region includes 18 districts. On an area of 25.6 thousand square meters. km, about 5 million people live. For 1 square. km accounts for 173.4 people, which exceeds the population density in the Kiev and Odessa regions. The regional center is the city of Donetsk. This is the largest industrial hub in Ukraine, in which the main enterprises and mines are located.
In addition, the region has its own attractions. In the Artyomovsk district there is a well-known salt mine, and in the Slavyansk region the largest arboretum. Here stands the Svyatogorsk Monastery.