Ukraine

World Book Index

Introduction

Background
Ukraine was formerly the center of Kyivan Rus, the largest and most powerful state in Europe during the 10th and 11th centuries. Ukraine achieved independence in 1991 when the USSR dissolved. The legacy of state control stalled efforts at economic reform, privatization, and civil liberties. Ukraine is resisting the 2022 Russian invasion, which has destroyed infrastructure and caused a humanitarian crisis.

Geography

Area
total : 603,550 sq km
land: 579,330 sq km
water: 24,220 sq km

Climate
temperate continental; Mediterranean only on the southern Crimean coast; precipitation disproportionately distributed, highest in west and north, lesser in east and southeast; winters vary from cool along the Black Sea to cold farther inland; warm summers across the greater part of the country, hot in the south

Natural resources
iron ore, coal, manganese, natural gas, oil, salt, sulfur, graphite, titanium, magnesium, kaolin, nickel, mercury, timber, arable land

People and Society

Population
total: 35,661,826 (2024 est.)

Ethnic groups
Ukrainian 77.8%, Russian 17.3%, Belarusian 0.6%, Moldovan 0.5%, Crimean Tatar 0.5%, Bulgarian 0.4%, Hungarian 0.3%, Romanian 0.3%, Polish 0.3%, Jewish 0.2%, other 1.8% (2001 est.)

Languages
Ukrainian (official) 67.5%, Russian (regional language) 29.6%, other (includes Crimean Tatar, Moldovan/Romanian, and Hungarian) 2.9% (2001 est.)

Religions
Orthodox (includes the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (UAOC), and the Ukrainian Orthodox - Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP)), Ukrainian Greek Catholic, Roman Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, Jewish (2013 est.)

Population growth rate
2.38% (2024 est.)

Government

Government type
semi-presidential republic

Capital
name: Kyiv (Kiev is the transliteration from Russian)

Executive branch
chief of state: President Volodymyr ZELENSKYY (since 20 May 2019)
head of government: Prime Minister Yulia SVYRYDENKO (since 17 July 2025)

Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Olha STEFANISHYNA (since 19 September 2025)

Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Ambassador Julie S. DAVIS (since 5 May 2025)

Economy

Economic overview
lower-middle-income, non-EU, Eastern European economy; key wheat and corn exporter; gradual recovery after 30% GDP contraction at start of war; damage to infrastructure and agriculture balanced by consumer and business resilience in western Ukraine; international aid has stabilized foreign exchange reserves, allowing managed currency float; continued progress on anti-corruption reforms

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$577.583 billion (2024 est.)
$561.23 billion (2023 est.)
$531.796 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita
$16,300 (2024 est.)
$15,900 (2023 est.)
$13,800 (2022 est.)

Exports
$56.114 billion (2024 est.)
$51.28 billion (2023 est.)
$57.517 billion (2022 est.)

Exports - partners
Poland 12%, Romania 9%, Turkey 7%, China 6%, Spain 6% (2023)

Exports - commodities
corn, seed oils, wheat, iron ore, soybeans (2023)

Imports
$92.025 billion (2024 est.)
$89.159 billion (2023 est.)
$83.254 billion (2022 est.)

Imports - partners
China 16%, Poland 14%, Germany 8%, Turkey 6%, USA 4% (2023)

Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, cars, natural gas, packaged medicine, plastic products (2023)

Human Development Index

The country's Human Development Index (HDI) is 0.779, ranking it 87th out of 193 countries tested. (more information)

World Happiness Report

The World Happiness Report ranked the country 86th out of 158 countries tested with a score of 5.463. (more information)