Facts about Ukraine

30 + Interesting Facts About Ukraine that no one knew

• CAPITAL - Kyiv
  
• REGION - Europe
• GDP  - $112.2 billion
• POPULATION - 44,831,159
• AREA - 603,550 SQ.KM

Despite the fact that Ukrainians are trying from all sides to prove that they are not capable of anything, that the best way out for them is to "bring down from this country as soon as possible", that there is nothing to look at in Ukraine and the world to knock on us, figures statistics and facts tell us the exact opposite.

The largest country in Europe. A country that holds 0.41% of the world's land area, home to 0.85% of the world's population, and contributes 0.20% of the world's gross national product. A country where a quarter of all Earth's black earth reserves are concentrated. The country is one of the three largest suppliers of barley, one of the most powerful producers of grain, and together with France, Germany and the USA is one of the largest producers of sugar beet. Our country is among the seven most powerful producers of vegetable oil, pork, sugar and potatoes in the world. Hundreds of prominent Ukrainians have been and remain the creators of world history. Artists and scientists, politicians and composers, actors and writers - all of them give us the opportunity to say abroad, at home, with pride: "I am Ukrainian!"

The first in the world

The Ukrainians, namely the Antonov Design Bureau, have developed an aircraft with the world's largest carrying capacity, the An-225 Mriya. It was originally designed to transport spacecraft. Currently, Mriya is engaged in commercial freight operations.

The author of the world's first Constitution is Ukrainian politician and public figure Pylyp Orlyk. On April 5, 1710, he was elected hetman of the Zaporozhye army. On the same day, Philip Orlyk announced the "Constitution of the rights and freedoms of Zaporizhzhia's army". In the US, the Constitution was adopted in 1787, in France and Poland - only in 1791.

The first frame hive was invented in Ukraine in 1814 by Peter Prokopovich. In recent years, Ukraine has firmly maintained its place in the top three of the world's leaders in honey production. Outperforming European countries by several times the volume of honey production, Ukraine is at the same time the first in the world to produce honey per capita (1.5 kg).

In Ukraine, the world's largest manganese ore reserves are 2.3 billion tonnes, or about 11% of the world's total.

The largest monasteries are called Lavra. Only six monasteries in the world have the status of Lavra. Three of them are in Ukraine. This is the Holy Dormition Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra in Kyiv, which received this status in 1598, the Holy Dormition Lavra in Pochaiv and the Holy Mountain Assumption Lavra in Donetsk.

The oldest educational institution in Eastern Europe is considered to be the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (1615).

The first kerosene lamp invented in Lviv by employees of the pharmacy "Under the Gold Star" Ignatius Lukasevich and Jan Zech in 1853. The same year, the first surgical operation was performed at the Lviv hospital for illumination with a kerosene lamp. Subsequently, the kerosene lamp was presented at an international exhibition in Munich, the invention was marked there by a special diploma.

Monuments to the famous Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko are erected in 1200 places around the world.

Arsenal metro station in Kyiv is the deepest in the world. It runs underground at a depth of 105 m. The station near the Parliament building was built in 1960, one of the first. According to some reports, in the tunnels near the Arsenal there are secret hiding places for the political top.

Ukrainian trembita wind instrument is the longest wind instrument in the world.

The longest trolleybus route in the world is 86 km and runs in Crimea between Simferopol and Yalta.

The shortest main street among all the capitals of the world, but at the same time one of the widest and most beautiful - Khreschatyk in Kyiv. Its length is only 1225 m.

The oldest known to the scientists map, as well as the most ancient settlement Homo Sapiens found in Ukraine: in the village. Inter-rivers of Rivne region. They are about 14.5-15 thousand years old. The map is embossed on the mammoth bone.

Ukrainian Pivdenmash (Dnipropetrovsk) produces the most environmentally friendly rocket launchers in the world. With their help, commercial cargoes are sent into space as part of the International Maritime Start project.

Unique facts in Ukraine

The first institution of higher education in Ukraine was the Ostroh College, which was founded in Ostroh by Prince Constantine Ostrozky in 1576. At that time, it was the only institution of higher education in the Eastern Slavic world.

Ukrainian cultural facts

1. Kiev, according to Ukrainian folklore, has up to three recognized witch gathering locations. They both go by the name Lysa Hora (Bold Mountain).

2. Handloom weaving is still practiced in several parts of the country, including Krupove in Rivne Oblast.

3. Unlike many other cultures, Ukrainians wear wedding rings on the right hand rather than the left.

4. The world-famous song "O Sole Mio" was written in the country.

5. Ukrainian romanticism emerged in the 1830s. Taras Shevchenko, a Romanticist poet-painter, was a key figure in this regard. He is popularly considered as the "Father of National Resurrection."

6. Ivana Kupala Day, celebrated on June 23rd, is one of Ukraine's most enjoyable traditional festivals. In a purifying ceremony, boys and girls link hands and jump over a fire in pairs. Locals think that if a couple can avoid the flames without losing their grip on each other, their love will survive a lifetime.

7. The Ukrainian national attire is known as vyshyvanka. It is embellished with beautiful hand woven embroidery with flower pattern. The costume is worn by both men and women on various occasions.

8. Kiev is largely recognized as the spiritual capital of the country. Pilgrims come considerable distances to see the Sofia Kyivska cathedral and the Golden-Domed Monastery of St. Michael.

9. Ukraine is where the popular Easter egg tradition originated. Originally, the eggs were decorated with wax and dye. The wax was finally removed, leaving an eye-catching pattern with vibrant hues.
10. Ukraine is also home to the world's longest musical instrument. Trembita is a suitable name for the pipe piece.

11. Orthodox Christianity dominates Ukraine and has a significant cultural impact. According to a 2021 research by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, 82 percent of the population is religious, 7 percent is atheist, and 11 percent is unsure.

12. Traditional Ukrainian weddings feature artisan textiles. The embroidery style is determined by the location from whence the textile was sourced. Buyers can also select from a choice of historical motifs, stitching methods, and colors.

13. Battleship Potemkin is a film about a revolt in Ukraine in 1905 that is largely regarded as one of the best films of all time. Mr Jones, which deals with the Holodomor famine, and Everything is Illuminated, which revisits the Holocaust, are two other significant films about the country.

14. Another food emblem of the city is the Kyiv cake. It has two layers of meringue, a buttercream filling, a chocolate glaze, and hazelnuts on top. It was an unintentional discovery after a confectioner botched up a biscuit, and coworkers took advantage of the circumstance.

15. Several Hollywood stars, notably Milla Jovovich, who starred in The Fifth Element and Resident Evil, were born in Ukraine. Mila Kunis, known for films such as Gia and Black Swan, as well as the sitcom That '70s Show, is another.

16. Ukraine is regarded as having one of the freest press and Internet in the former Soviet Union. Leading newspapers primarily publish stories in Ukrainian, although some are also translated into Russian and English.

17. The internationally recognized dish Chicken Kiev is supposed to have originated in the Ukrainian capital's Continental Hotel. It was their signature dish, a boned and skinned chicken breast filled with butter and cooked till golden.

Flag of Ukraine

Facts about Ukraine’s history

18. Ukrainian civilizations date back to 4800 B.C. The country is located in an area where Trypillian and Scythian civilizations thrived.

19. Thousands of Jews were offered protection by Ukrainian religious leaders during the World War II. One of the leaders, Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky was honored in 2013 by the Anti-Defamation League for his humanitarian role. The Jews found refuge in monasteries and Ukrainian homes.

20. Several archaeological sites that were once Neanderthal villages may be found in Ukraine. The settlements include a mammoth bone residence and are thought to be a likely place for horse domestication. The Molodova sites date from 43,000 to 45,000 BC.

21. Ukrainian Hetman Pylyp Orlyk developed and introduced the world's first constitution in 1710. The purpose of the document was to establish the separation of powers. It defined people' and the government's responsibilities and rights.

22. The world's worst nuclear power plant disaster occurred in Ukraine in 1986. The disaster occurred at the Chernobyl nuclear power facility in the country's north. Since then, the area has been designated as an exclusion zone. The disaster and declaration resulted in the formation of multiple ghost towns. Despite the high amounts of radiation, the location attracts a large number of tourists. To assist the victims, the United Nations established the Chernobyl Trust Fund.

23. Kiev has Hero City status, which was bestowed by the Soviet Union in recognition of its valiant resistance against the Nazis in 1941. In what became known as the Battle of Kiev, the Germans surrounded the city.

24. From the 10th to the 11th centuries, Kievan Rus was the most powerful European state, with Kyiv at its core. The Golden Age began with the conversion of Vladimir the Great from paganism to Christianity. His example was followed by the rest of the kingdom.

25. In the 13th century, the Mongols invaded and devastated Kyiv. They took over much of Eastern Europe and advanced westward towards the Atlantic Ocean. When Genghis Khan's son, Ogedei Khan, died, his followers retreated to their country and spared the rest of the continent.

Facts about Ukrainian food and cuisines

26. Varenyky, which are boiled dumplings with potatoes, sauerkraut, mushrooms, cottage cheese, or berries, are one of Ukraine's most popular traditional foods. Borscht is a soup made with beef, mushrooms, cabbage, and beets.

27. Lviv has the world's highest number of cafes per population. It has up to 1,500 businesses.
28. According to reports, the McDonald's in Kiev is one of the busiest in the world.

29. Ukrainians adore horilka, a regional variation of the famous vodka. Locals frequently season this national drink with chilli pepper to give it a kick.

30. Locals also like drinking Kompot, a non-alcoholic sweet beverage made from stewed fruit. It is made by cooking several fruits, including gooseberries, rhubarb, strawberries, apples, and sour berries, among others. Spices are frequently used to flavor the drink, especially during the winter months when it is served hot.