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NAVIGATION
Ukraine
Ukrayina
GOVERNMENT
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Country name:
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conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Ukraine local long form: none former: Ukrainian National Republic, Ukrainian State, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic local short form: Ukrayina |
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Government type:
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republic |
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Capital:
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Kiev (Kyyiv) |
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Administrative divisions:
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24 oblasti (singular - oblast'), 1 autonomous republic* (avtomnaya respublika), and 2 municipalities (mista, singular - misto) with oblast status**; Cherkas'ka (Cherkasy), Chernihivs'ka (Chernihiv), Chernivets'ka (Chernivtsi), Dnipropetrovs'ka (Dnipropetrovs'k), Donets'ka (Donets'k), Ivano-Frankivs'ka (Ivano-Frankivs'k), Kharkivs'ka (Kharkiv), Khersons'ka (Kherson), Khmel'nyts'ka (Khmel'nyts'kyy), Kirovohrads'ka (Kirovohrad), Kyyiv**, Kyyivs'ka (Kiev), Luhans'ka (Luhans'k), L'vivs'ka (L'viv), Mykolayivs'ka (Mykolayiv), Odes'ka (Odesa), Poltavs'ka (Poltava), Avtonomna Respublika Krym* (Simferopol'), Rivnens'ka (Rivne), Sevastopol'**, Sums'ka (Sumy), Ternopil's'ka (Ternopil'), Vinnyts'ka (Vinnytsya), Volyns'ka (Luts'k), Zakarpats'ka (Uzhhorod), Zaporiz'ka (Zaporizhzhya), Zhytomyrs'ka (Zhytomyr); note - when using a place name with an adjectival ending "s'ka" or "z'ka," the word Oblast' should be added to the place name
note: oblasts have the administrative center name following in parentheses |
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Independence:
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24 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 24 August (1991); the date of 22 January (1918), the day Ukraine first declared its independence (from Soviet Russia), is now celebrated as Unity Day |
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Constitution:
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adopted 28 June 1996 |
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Legal system:
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based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: President Leonid D. KUCHMA (since 19 July 1994)
head of government: Prime Minister Viktor YANUKOVYCH (since 21 November 2002), First Deputy Prime Minister Mykola AZAROV (since 26 November 2002) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president and approved by the Supreme Council elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 31 October and 14 November 1999 (next to be held NA October 2004); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president and approved by the Supreme Council election results: Leonid D. KUCHMA elected president; percent of vote - Leonid KUCHMA 57.7%, Petro SYMONENKO 38.8% note: there is also a National Security and Defense Council or NSDC originally created in 1992 as the National Security Council, but significantly revamped and strengthened under President KUCHMA; the NSDC staff is tasked with developing national security policy on domestic and international matters and advising the president; a Presidential Administration that helps draft presidential edicts and provides policy support to the president; and a Council of Regions that serves as an advisory body created by President KUCHMA in September 1994 that includes chairmen of the Kiev (Kyyiv) and Sevastopol' municipalities and chairmen of the oblasti |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral Supreme Council or Verkhovna Rada (450 seats; under Ukraine's new election law, 225 of the Supreme Council's seats 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 serve four-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - Our Ukraine 24%, CPU 20%, United Ukraine 12%, United Social Democratic Party 6%, SPU 7%, Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc 7%, other 24%; seats by party - Our Ukraine 102, CPU 60, Regions of Ukraine 42, Working Ukraine-Industrialists and Entrepreneurs 41, United Social Democratic Party 39, Democratic Initiatives 22, SPU 20, People's Power 19, European Choice 18, Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc 18, Agrarian Party 17, People's Democratic Party 16, People's Choice 15, others 21 note: following the election, United Ukraine splintered into the Agrarian Party, European Choice, People's Choice, People's Democratic Party, Regions of Ukraine, and Working Ukraine-Industrialists and Entrepreneurs elections: last held 31 March 2002 (next to be held NA 2006) |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court; Constitutional Court |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Agrarian Party [Kateryna VASHCHUK]; Communist Party of Ukraine or CPU [Petro SYMONENKO]; Democratic Initiatives [Stepan HAVRYSH]; European Choice [Volodymyr STASYUK]; Our Ukraine [Viktor YUSHCHENKO]; People's Choice [Mykola HAPOCHKA]; People's Democratic Party or PDP [Valeriy PUSTOVOYTENKO, chairman]; People's Power [Bohdan HUBSKYY]; Regions of Ukraine [Viktor YANUKOVYCH]; Socialist Party of Ukraine or SPU [Oleksandr MOROZ, chairman]; United Social Democratic Party [Leonid KRAVCHUK]; Working Ukraine-Industrialists and Entrepreneurs [Ihor SHAROV]; Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc [Yuliya TYMOSHENKO]
note: and numerous smaller parties |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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International organization participation:
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BSEC, CE, CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNMOVIC, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer), ZC |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Konstantin Ivanovych HRYSHCHENKO
FAX: [1] (202) 333-0817 consulate(s) general: Chicago and New York telephone: [1] (202) 333-0606 chancery: 3350 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos PASCUAL
embassy: 10 Yurii Kotsiubynskyi Street, Kiev 01901 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [380] (44) 490-4000 FAX: [380] (44) 244-7350 |
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Flag description:
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two equal horizontal bands of azure (top) and golden yellow represent grainfields under a blue sky |
ECONOMY
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Economy - overview:
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After Russia, the Ukrainian republic was far and away the most important economic component of the former Soviet Union, producing about four times the output of the next-ranking republic. Its fertile black soil generated more than one-fourth of Soviet agricultural output, and its farms provided substantial quantities of meat, milk, grain, and vegetables to other republics. Likewise, its diversified heavy industry supplied the unique equipment (for example, large diameter pipes) and raw materials to industrial and mining sites (vertical drilling apparatus) in other regions of the former USSR. Ukraine depends on imports of energy, especially natural gas, to meet some 85% of its annual energy requirements. Shortly after independence in late 1991, the Ukrainian 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 led to some backtracking. Output by 1999 had fallen to less than 40% of the 1991 level. Loose monetary policies pushed inflation to hyperinflationary levels in late 1993. Ukraine's dependence on Russia for energy supplies and the lack of significant structural reform have made the Ukrainian economy vulnerable to external shocks. Now in his second term, President KUCHMA has pledged to reduce the number of government agencies, streamline the regulatory process, create a legal environment to encourage entrepreneurs, and enact a comprehensive tax overhaul. Reforms in the more politically sensitive areas of structural reform and land privatization are still lagging. Outside institutions - particularly the IMF - have encouraged Ukraine to quicken the pace and scope of reforms. GDP in 2000 showed strong export-based growth of 6% - the first growth since independence - and industrial production grew 12.9%. The economy continued to expand in 2001 as real GDP rose 9% and industrial output grew by over 14%. Growth of 4.1% in 2002 was more moderate, in part a reflection of faltering growth in the developed world. In general, growth has been undergirded by strong domestic demand, low inflation, and solid consumer and investor confidence. Political uncertainty, centering around President KUCHMA's departure from office, could affect economic results in 2003, with growth now predicted as stable at 4%. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $218 billion (2002 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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4.1% (2002 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $4,500 (2002 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 23%
industry: 42% services: 35% (2001 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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29% (2001 est.) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: 3.7%
highest 10%: 23.2% (1999) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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29 (1999) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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-1.2% (2002 est.) |
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Labor force:
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22.8 million (yearend 1997) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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industry 32%, agriculture 24%, services 44% (1996) |
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Unemployment rate:
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3.8% officially registered; large number of unregistered or underemployed workers (2002) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $10.2 billion
expenditures: $11.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2002 est.) |
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Industries:
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coal, electric power, ferrous and nonferrous metals, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food processing (especially sugar) |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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6% (2002 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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164.7 billion kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 48.6%
hydro: 7.9% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 43.5% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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152.37 billion kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - exports:
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800 million kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2001) |
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Oil - production:
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86,490 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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290,000 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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NA (2001) |
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Oil - imports:
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NA (2001) |
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Oil - proved reserves:
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197.5 million bbl (January 2002 est.) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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560.7 billion cu m (January 2002 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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grain, sugar beets, sunflower seeds, vegetables; beef, milk |
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Exports:
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$18.1 billion (2002 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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ferrous and nonferrous metals, fuel and petroleum products, chemicals, machinery and transport equipment, food products |
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Exports - partners:
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Russia 21.5%, Turkey 5.9%, Italy 4.9%, Germany 4.2%, US 3.3% (2001) |
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Imports:
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$18 billion (2002 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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energy, machinery and equipment, chemicals |
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Imports - partners:
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Russia 34.4%, Turkmenistan 9.8%, Germany 8.2%, Italy 2.4%, Belarus 2.4% (2001) |
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Debt - external:
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$14.2 billion (2002) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$637.7 million (1995); IMF Extended Funds Facility $2.2 billion (1998) |
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Currency:
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hryvnia (UAH) |
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Currency code:
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UAH |
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Exchange rates:
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hryvnia per US dollar - 5.3266 (2002), 5.3722 (2001), 5.4402 (2000), 4.1304 (1999), 2.4495 (1998) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |