They belong to the catchment areas of the Black, Azov and the Baltic Sea. The largest river is Dnipro with the catchment area covering almost half of the country's area and an average annual flow of 53.5 cub. The Danube, Dnister, Pivdenny Boug, Siversky Donets rivers are also large Ukrainian rivers. The length of the coast line of the Black and Azov Sea is about 1050 km. Ukraine has the greatest graphite deposits in Europe, as well as deposits of phosphorites, salts, dolomites, fire-resistant clays, building materials, granites of the highest quality worldwide, marble and some precious stones.
Fertile soils are the important resource for agriculture.
The overall resources of wood are estimated to 1 billion cub.m. The first traces of human settlements are reported to have appeared on the territory of Ukraine 150 thousand years ago. In the 7th century, this territory became populated by Slavic tribes. From 882 to 1240, one of the most remarkable ancient states, Kyivska Rus existed here. In the 14th century, Ukraine was colonized by the Great Lithuanian Kingdom, and in the 15-16th centuries by Poland.