Text 1. Ukraine

Geographical Position

Ukraine is a sovereign state in the central part of Europe. Scientists once figured out that the geometrically exact geographical centre of Europe is located in the Western part of Ukraine. A monument marking «the centre of the continent» was put up during last century in Rakhiv district, Transcar- pathian region.

The total area of Ukraine is about 604,000 square kilometres. It stretches for almost 900 kilometres from North to South and for over 1,300 km from East to West. Its territory is greater than any of the European countries. Such states as Belgium, Great Britain, Austria, Albania, The Netherlands, Portugal and Switzerland taken together could be placed within the borders of Ukraine. It borders on the Russian Federation, Moldova, Byelorussia, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Rumania.

95% of its territory is flat, the Ukrainian Carpathians and the Crimean Mountains making up the rest 5 % of its territory. It is washed by the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. The major rivers are the Dnieper, the Dniester, the Bug and others. The Dnieper is a shi p-going river. The climate in Ukraine is rather continental. We have cold, frosty winters and sometimes rainy summers.

The population of the country amounts to 51 million people, most of them being Ukrainians (about 32 million). Besides, many people of other nationalities live there: Russians, Byelorussians, Poles, Jews, Bulgarians, Slovaks and others.

Ukraine has many industrial raw materials, it is rich in iron, metals, coal, oil, gas, different ores and other natural resources. It has a modern industry and rather developed agriculture. The leading industries are power engineering, machine building and chemical production. Ukraine produces planes and ocean liners, tractors and combines, excavators and cars, TV sets , computers and many other goods. Warm climate and black earth of Ukraine make it possible to obtain good harvest of wheat, maize, sunflower seeds, sugar beet, our sugar beet yield being the largest in the world.Political Structure

Ukraine was proclaimed independent and sovereign on August 24, 1991. It has higher and local bodies of state power, its own government, national emblem, state flag and anthem and, what is most important, its own Constitution, which was adopted on June 28, 1996. There are 24 administrative regions and the Autonomous Republic of the Crimea within its territory.

The political system of Ukraine is really democratic. The president, who is the head of the state and the government, is elected for a period of 5 years by Ukrainian people. The legislative power belongs to the Parliament. The executive power is exercised by the president and the Cabinet of Ministers, the latter being headed by Prime Minister

Now Ukraine establishes new relations with countries throughout the world. It sets direct contacts with them signing agreements and treaties. Ukraine is one of the founding members of the United Nations Organization and participates in the work of many international organizations.