One of the biggest countries of Europe is waiting for being explored - Ukraine. The country will impress you with its history, traditions, landscapes, monuments, and the atmosphere of the cities and, of course, Ukrainian people. During the cruise you will see Kyiv, the green capital and one of the oldest cities of East Europe that has preserved its charm till today; Odessa, the most significant trade seaport of Ukraine and the gem of the Black Sea; the magnificent Crimea peninsula with lively Sevastopol, southern flair of Yalta and orient breath of Bakhschissarai.

Ukraine is a republic in the Eastern Europe on the Black Sea. Its territory comprises 603 700 km2 , its population - about 49 mio. people (72% of Ukrainians, 22% of Russians as well as Jews, Bulgarians, Romanians, Hungarians, Polish, Greek, Moldavians, Tatars, etc). The capital of Ukraine is Kyiv with the population of 2.6 mio. people. The country is situated mainly on the southwestern part of the east European plains, but occupies also the part of the Carpathian (on the west) and Crimean (on the south) mountains. The south border of Ukraine is mainly the Black Sea. Ukraine is famous for the miles of fertile black earth - chornozem - due to which Ukraine is often referred to as the granary of Europe.

According to the governing form Ukraine is the parliament-presidential republic. The constitution was adopted in 1996. The President of the country is Leonid Kuchma.

Religion - Ukrainian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox and the Jewish and Moslem minorities.

The official language is Ukrainian.

History
In the 9th century Ukraine was a heart of the mighty state of Kyiv Rus, and was baptized in the 10ty century. After the Mongol-Tatar yoke Ukraine appeared under the power of Poland and Lithuanian (the 14th century), but in 1654 the Cossacks decided to be under the power of Russian Tsars. In 1706 Ukraine lost its autonomy. In 1922 Ukraine entered the Soviet Union and later, in 1945 the part of Poland and Transcarpathians was added to the republic. The autonomy republic of Crimea, added to Ukraine in 1954, has its own legislative and executive authorities, although being a part of the state. On the 24th of August 1991 Ukraine was declared as s sovereign state.