Ukraine: Maps, History, Geography, Government, Culture, Facts, Guide & Travel/Holidays/Cities Expectations Low for Renewed Truce Agreement; Economy in Tatters Geography Located in southeast Europe, the country consists largely of fertile black soil steppes. Mountainous areas include the Carpathians in the southwest and the Crimean chain in the south. Ukraine is bordered by Belarus on the north, by Russia on the north and east, by the Black Sea on the south, by Moldova and Romania on the southwest, and by Hungary, Slovakia, and Poland on the west. Government Constitutional republic. History Ukraine was known as “Kievan Rus” (from which Russia is a derivative) up until the 16th century. In the 9th century, Kiev was the major political and cultural center in eastern Europe. Kievan Rus reached the height of its power in the 10th century and adopted Byzantine Christianity. The Mongol conquest in 1240 ended Kievan power. From the 13th to the 16th century, Kiev was under the influence of Poland and western Europe.

The negotiation of the Union of Brest-Litovsk in 1596 divided the Ukrainians into Orthodox and Ukrainian Catholic faithful. In 1654, Ukraine asked the czar of Moscovy for protection against Poland, and the Treaty of Pereyasav signed that year recognized the suzerainty of Moscow. The agreement was interpreted by Moscow as an invitation to take over Kiev, and the Ukrainian state was eventually absorbed into the Russian Empire. After the Russian Revolution, Ukraine declared its independence from Russia on Jan. 28, 1918, and several years of warfare ensued with several groups. The Red Army finally was victorious over Kiev, and in 1920 Ukraine became a Soviet republic. In 1922, Ukraine became one of the founders of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. In the 1930s, the Soviet government's enforcement of collectivization met with peasant resistance, which in turn prompted the confiscation of grain from Ukrainian farmers by Soviet authorities; the resulting famine took an estimated 5 million lives. Ukraine was one of the most devastated Soviet republics after World War II.

(For details on World War II, see Headline History, World War II.) On April 26, 1986, the nation's nuclear power plant at Chernobyl was the site of the world's worst nuclear accident. On Oct. 29, 1991, the Ukrainian parliament voted to shut down the reactor within two years' time and asked for international assistance in dismantling it. Eastern Europe Eastern Europe Demographic Analysis based on Population Data Sheet Population Growth Countries (in order of population) Ukraine Review Questions Regional Characteristics Eastern Europe, as implied by its name, is located on the eastern side of the European continent. Territorially it is Europe's largest region, with a total of 18 countries. Its border countries include the Czech Republic, furthest to the west, Albania, furthest to the south, and Estonia, furthest to the North. It adjoins three other major world regions including Western Europe, Russia, and the Middle East. This region is referred to by geographers as a shatter belt, or a zone of persistent splintering and fracturing.

Balkanization, a term used to describe the cause of a shatter belt, means the process of fragmentation or division of a region into smaller regions that are often hostile or non-cooperative with each other. In Eastern Europe this refers to many small ethnic groups found in the southern half of this region, also called Balkans or the Balkan Peninsula. A characteristic of a shatter belt is people living in ethnically unified villages that are intertwined. Eastern Europe extends from the Baltic Sea in the north, to the Black and Adriatic Seas to the south. It moves from the German border in the west to the Russian border in the east. It has a varied topography including lowlands to the north which are good for agriculture and hills and mountains, such as the Alps, in the south. Other than the Seas stated above, it has little coastal access. It has several major rivers flowing through it including the Danube. Just a short way in any direction and you can find something different. Eastern Europe's distribution of population is more even than other European regions. It totals about 190.2 million. A large number of the population lives in urban-industrial areas on either side of the borders between Czech and Slovak Republics and southern Poland.

Although it seems like a large enough number, this region's population is barely growing, and in some areas is not at all. Eastern Europe has a variety of languages and religions. Most of the many languages of Europe belong to the Indo European language family. Altaic, Romance, Slavic, Germanic, and many other lesser know languages can also be found in this region. It is rare to find a European that only speaks one though. The majority of Europeans are Christian, of which nearly half are Catholic. The second-largest religion in Europe is Islam, followed by Judaism. Europe also has the largest number and proportion of irreligious, agnostic and atheistic people in the Western world. The countries of Eastern Europe have a variety of cultures as well. Each tends to have a large population of natives but has a number of different cultures located there. Large numbers of people have migrated within the region, as well as immigrants migrating in from other regions and continents. Europe is where modern industrialism was born. Two main traits attributing to this fact are that machines replaced human labor in many manufacturing processes, and these new machines are powered by inanimate energy sources such as water, steam, electricity, and petroleum.

More specifically some parts of Poland and the Czech Republic were included in the early industrial movement of Europe due to the fact that they had large amounts of coal and iron deposits. Agriculture can be found in much of this region, seeing as many of them export goods they farm. Eastern Europe is specifically known for its grain production, the most prominent being wheat, as well as its livestock such as cattle. Much of the Eastern European countries rely on agriculture and industry to boost their economy, and have done a good job doing so. Demographic Analysis based on Population Data Sheet The chart above shows some important similarities and differences in the the countries of Eastern Europe. The region has a decently large population, but it is not spread out equally among the countries. The largest population is found in Ukraine at 46.8 million, while the smallest is found in Estonia at only 1.3 million. The population growth is generally low, the lowest being -0.8 in Ukraine and the highest being 0.8 in Albania. Most seem to fall between 0.1 and -0.2.

Most of the countries have close to the same percent of people under 15 and over 65, lying somewhere between 14% and 17%. The one with the biggest difference between the two is a rarity at 27% under 15 and 8% over 65, and is found in Albania. the infant mortality rates vary, the highest being 16.8% in Romania and the lowest being 3.9% in Slovenia. All of the countries are slightly below half Urban or above. The GNI's range from 2,150 in Moldova to 22,160 in Slovenia. Countries Ukraine is about the size of Texas, and is the largest country in both territory and population. It has about 46.8 million inhabitants. It declared its independence in 1991. The capital, Kiev, is a historical, political and cultural center. About 22 percent of the population in the eastern part of the country is Russian. It is widely known as the "Breadbasket of Europe" due to its massive amount of grain crops. Poland covers the northwest corner of Eastern Europe. About 38.1 million people live in Poland.

The main religion is Roman Catholicism. A major industry of Poland is their coal production. Agriculture including livestock, potatoes, and wheat as well as production of petroleum are money makers for the country. The capital is Warsaw. It lies in the agricultural center of the country. Romania is the ultimate tragedy of Soviet-dominated Eastern Europe. A communist dictator squandered Romania's wealth, and destroyed much of the countries architectural heritage. The dictator encouraged all women to have five children to try to increase population. Along their southern border lie oil reserves that are now nearly exhausted. Its population is about 21.6 million. Today a big part of its economy is due to tourism such as the Black Sea resorts, hiking and skiing in the Carpathian Mountains, and the Transylvania region, know as the home of Count Dracula. The Czech Republic is not only the western most country but also the most Westernized country. It is about the size of New York and is landlocked in the middle of Europe. Bohemia is the mountain-enclosed core that contains the capital of Prague. Prague always has had a great deal of contact with the west and is the countries major source for tourism.

Czechs have been the leaders in both technology and engineering skills. Its population is about 10.3 million. Hungary itself has about 10.1 million people. It is bordered by seven countries and divided in half by the Danube River.There are ethnic Hungarians in the neighboring countries of Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia, and Serbia. This is because of the movement of populations during the time of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Belarus covers about the same amount of land as Kansas. It has a population of about 9.7 million people. The capital, Minsk, was an industrial center of the Soviet Union and now has a well developed mass-transit system. Although it gained its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, it still has close ties with Russia. Now known as Serbia, Yugoslavia is an example of Balkanization, which basically means the fragmentation of a region into smaller countries. In late 1996 the evolving map of former Yugoslavia consisted of five countries: Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, and Macedonia.

The Union of Serbia and Montenegro was formed on February 4, 2003 and officially abolished the name "Yugoslavia." As of July 1, 2006, the two countries are recognized as separate nations. Bulgaria is about the size of Tennessee. It borders Turkey and Greece. It has very rugged topography except in the Danube lowland that is shared with Romania. Bulgaria has a population of about 7.7 million and has historically had close ties with Russia. Tourism is a growing industry with many people visiting the city of Sofia, a number of historic sites, and resorts and spas on the Black Sea Coast. Slovakia has a population of about 5.4 million. Liberation from Moscow's dominance caused the breakup of Czechoslovakia. The breakup left the Slovaks with serious problems such as trade links, access to markets outside Slovakia, finances, and boundary definition, just to name a few. Slovakia became an independent nation on January 1, 1993. Some of the countries major industries now include farming, forestry, mining, manufacturing, and tourism. The country is two-thirds mountainous with many popular ski resorts.

Substantial Serb minorities in Croatia made conflict inevitable when Croatia followed Slovenia and declared independence in 1991. Croatia was the most prosperous of the former Yugoslav republics, but the economy has been damaged by civil war. Its population is about 4.4 million. Its tourism is on the rise though, with coastal resorts, Roman ruins, the capital city of Zagreb, and pleasant weather. Moldova is lacking in industrial raw materials. Its future rests on its fertile lands, suited for a variety of agricultural products such as fruits, tobacco, and its famous wines. The population of Moldova is about 4.0 million. It declared its independence from the Soviet Union on August 27, 1991 and is now a parliamentary democracy. In 1940 the Soviet Union annexed Lithuania, making it a Soviet republic. Lithuania's declaration of independence in 1990 produced a Soviet economic blockade. Even with a population of about 3.4 million, it has almost full employment. The take pride in their well developed modern infrastructure of railways, airports and four lane highways. Its economy mostly relies on its strong agriculture.

Major conflict is a problem in Bosnia, the reason for this being that 49 percent of the people are Muslim, 31 percent Serbs and 17 percent Croats. A weak truce has been agreed upon. The countries important economic factors include agriculture, mining, and timber, while its tourism is slowly reviving itself. Its population is about 3.9 million. Albania was strongly communist, but since the 1990's has been declared an emerging democracy. Its population totals about 3.2 million. Of that 3.2 million, about 70 percent consists of Muslims. The country has many natural resources and most of the population supports itself by farming and herding. It differs from other countries in that its topography is mostly mountainous. Latvia is about the size of West Virginia, with a population of 2.3 million. About one-third of the population is Russian. It has very fertile land, a profitable dairy industry, and a strong textile, chemical, and electronic manufacturing base. Its capital city Riga is an important Baltic seaport. It declared its independence from Russia and Germany on November 18, 1918.

The Macedonian independence produced retaliation in Greece, which said that Macedonia is a name for a region in Greece and cannot be used by any external area. It was once the Kingdom of Macedon, ruled by Alexander the Great. The Greek port of Thessaloniki was closed to Macedonia. It is the poorest of all the former Yugoslav republics. Its population is about 2 million. Slovenia was the first to secede from Yugoslavia on June 25, 1991. It is the most homogeneous of the republics but territorially small with only 2 million people. Slovenia's economy relies on the production of electronics and motor vehicles as well as its agricultural industries. It has a large freight port in Koper, located on the Adriatic Sea, which makes a crucial gateway into Central Europe. The events of the 1990s have disrupted the flow of raw materials in the country of Estonia. It claims Nordic ties because it was part of the Kingdom of Sweden when annexed by the Russians in 1710. It declared its independence from Russia on February 24, 1918. Its population is about 1.3 million.

Its major exports are machinery and equipment, wood and paper, textiles, food products, furniture, metals, and chemical products. References Bradshaw, Michael. (2002) World Regional Geography: The New World Order Updated Second Edition. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Rowntree, Les, Lewis, Martin, Price, Marie, and Wycoff, William. (2000) Diversity Amid Globalization: World Regions, Environment, Development. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall. de Blij, H.J., Muller, Peter O. (2002) Geography: Realms, Regions, and Concepts. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. World population data sheet (2006). Washington, DC: Population Reference Bureau.

Looked up individual countries through these sites: Which was the largest culture-group in the Soviet Union: Belorussians The history of Eastern Europe can be characterized by: Invasions The major problem of the Eastern European countries today is: Poor soils and meager timber resources A total lack of coal and iron ore deposits People are lazy and dependent on American aid A double dependence on Russian energy and expensive western technology The highest rate of population growth in Eastern Europe is in: Albania The largest number of East Europeans has this religious tradition: Roman Catholic The population of the eight Eastern European countries is: About one-half the population of the former Soviet Union Approximately 38 million More than 300 million people About the same as the former Soviet Union population In the former Eastern Europe, the largest country was Poland with about 40 million people. The region of Eastern Europe now includes several countries that were once states within the Soviet Union.

The country with the largest population in Eastern Europe is now: Hungary The term "irredentism" refers to: The problem of a multitude of cultures within a single country The problem of a multitude of languages within a single country A cultural infusion from one country to another A country maintaining ties to a concentrated minority of ethnic cohorts in a neighboring country None of the above Which of the following Eastern European countries has the greatest manufacturing output: Czechoslovakia Moldova Which of the following Eastern European counties is best endowed with natural resources including large reserves of coal and iron but has only limited oil reserves?

Poland The opening of this country's boundary with Austria in November 1988 contributed to the fall of the Berlin Wall a year later by providing an escape route for East Germans: Ukraine Yugoslavia The most impoverished country in Eastern Europe that once had an ultra-communist government and maintained close ties with China: Poland This small, mostly agricultural country located near Ukraine has a mostly Romanian ethnic population: Moldova The largest number of East Europeans have this religious tradition: Roman Catholic The European region that has undergone the greatest political changes since 1990 is: Eastern Europe Most Eastern European boundaries are a result of: World War I The term "balkanization" refers to: A language spoken in Bulgaria A landmass located just north of Italy A rift in the Serbian plain The division and fragmentation of the Eastern European region The imposition of the Slavic region A major source of raw materials A service-based economy Ethnically diverse This former Soviet Republic is the poorest of the Baltic countries and, although there are strong nationalist sentiments, about one-third of the population is Russian: Belarus The three regions of former Czechoslovakia: Bohemia, Moravia, Slovakia The most culturally distinctive country in Eastern Europe is: Belarus An unusual aspect of Albania compared to neighboring countries is: Its

 location on both the Baltic and Adriatic Seas Its large Eastern Orthodox population Its former control by the Ottoman Empire Its former control by the Austro-Hungarian Empire Its large Moslem population Which of the following states in Eastern Europe is the largest in area?

Bulgaria The largest and most populous of the Eastern European nations is: Poland The largest ethnic minority in Ukraine is: Bulgarians European Crossword European Crossword Blake Hickerson and Jordan Howe Fill in the crossword puzzle with words that relate to the geography of Europe, for example names of countries, oceans, or mountains. Use the clues to help you. Macedonia Bucharest is the capital of this country Iceland The sea east of Greece Ukraine South of Belarus and west of Russia Austria The river that runs through Paris Croatia Ljubljana is the capital of this country Sweden Skojpe is the capital here Czech The coastal country northwest of Germany Atlantic Berlin is the capital of this country Luxembourg The sea between Italy and the European continent Romania Warsaw is the capital of this country Belarus The Republic bordered by Germany and Poland Estonia The sea between the UK, Germany, and Norway Hungary Country to the east of the Gulf of Bothnia Slovakia An island country west of the United Kingdom Norway The Peninsula country north of Germany Ireland Surrounded by Germany, Hungary, and Czech Rep.

Bosnia The tiny country north of France Portugal The country between Finland and Norway Seine Athens is the capital of this country Poland Coastal country west of Sweden Switzerland The largest country in Europe Latvia South of Romania, between Austria and Romania France The island between Sardina and Italy Denmark The isolated country in the Atlantic Ocean North A river in the middle of Italy Aegean Podgorica is the Capital of this country Netherlands The sea between Sweden and Poland Greece North of Italy, west of France Finland Paris is in this country Danube The country west of Spain Slovenia Minsk is the capital of this country Tiber The large sea on the south of Europe Montenegro The large ocean to the west of Europe Spain The island south of Corsica Corsica The country that is between Portugal and France Mediterranean Bordered by Bosnia, Slovenia, and Hungary Moldova Surrounded on the north and south by Croatia Adriatic The large island country north of France Baltic Budapest is teh capital of this country Sardina The river that runs through the middle of Europe Sicily The island southwest of Italy Germany The country between Lithuania and Estonia Serbia Political Map of Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova - Atlapedia® Online Ukraine Ukraine is located in East Europe and is a former republic of the USSR.

It is bound by Belarus to the north, Russia to the north and east, the Black Sea to the south, Moldova and Romania to the southwest as well as Poland, Hungary and Slovakia to the west.... Europe Europe Andorra Andorra, a tiny landlocked principality in southwestern Europe, is situated in the eastern Pyrenees Mountains, bordered on the north and east by France and on the south and west by Spain. It comprises a region of 7 narrow valleys and the adjacent peaks reaching heights of more than 2,700 meters (about 8,860 feet) above sea level. Armenia Armenia is located in the southwest Caucasus Region, neighboring on Georgia and Azerbaijan to the north, Iran and Turkey to the south, and a separate province of Azerbaijan in the southeast. The total area of the country is 29,800 square kilometers (11,505 square miles), making it about the size of Maryland. Austria Austria is a landlocked country situated in southern Central Europe.

Slightly smaller than Maine, it occupies a territory of approximately 84,000 square kilometers (32,000 square miles), which includes much of the mountainous territory of the eastern Alps and the Danube region. Belarus Belarus is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe bordering Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia to the west; Ukraine to the south; and Russia to the east and north. It has a total border of 3,100 kilometers (1,900 miles), with almost one-third of its border (960 kilometers, or 600 miles) touching Russia. Bulgaria The Republic of Bulgaria shares its borders with 5 other countries in southeastern Europe and has a coastline on the Black Sea. Romania lies to the north, Turkey to the southeast, Greece to the south, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to the southwest, and Serbia (with Montenegro part of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia) to the west. Croatia The Republic of Croatia is located in southeastern Europe, with a long coastline on the Adriatic Sea to the south, and borders with Slovenia and Hungary to the north, and Yugoslavia and Bosnia and Herzegovina to the east.

It has an area of 56,538 square kilometers (21,829 square miles), approximately the size of West Virginia. Germany Located in western Central Europe, Germany has an area of 357,021 square kilometers (137,810 square miles), which makes it slightly smaller than the state of Montana. The country is bordered by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea to the north; Poland and the Czech Republic to the east; Austria and Switzerland to the south; and France, Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands to the west. Greece Greece is located on the southernmost point of the Balkan Peninsula and is flanked by 3 large bodies of water: the Aegean Sea, the Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea. Greece is bordered to the north by Albania, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (F.Y.R.O.M.), and Bulgaria. Iceland A small volcanic island located between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean in the Arctic, Iceland is the westernmost European country.

Found between Greenland and Europe, just northwest of the United Kingdom, Iceland has an area of 103,000 square kilometers (39,768 square miles) of which 100,250 square kilometers (38,707 square miles) is land and 2,750 square kilometers (1,062 square miles) is water. Ireland The Republic of Ireland constitutes 26 out of the 32 counties that make up the island of Ireland, with 6 northern counties under the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom. Situated in Western Europe, it is bordered on the east by the Irish Sea from the United Kingdom and bordered on the west by the North Atlantic Ocean. Latvia Located in the Baltic region of Eastern Europe, Latvia is bordered by Estonia (339 kilometers; 211 miles), Russia (217 kilometers; 135 miles), Belarus (141 kilometers; 88 miles), Lithuania (453 kilometers; 281 miles), and the Baltic Sea (531 kilometers; 330 miles).

Slightly larger than the state of West Virginia, Latvia has a total area of 64,589 square kilometers (40,136 square miles). Liechtenstein The independent principality of Liechtenstein is located in central Europe and bordered on the east by Austria and on the south, west, and north by Switzerland. It is one of the smallest countries in the world, with a total area of only 160 square kilometers (62 square miles). Lithuania An East European country bordering on the Baltic Sea, Lithuania has an area of 65,200 square kilometers (25,174 square miles) and a total coastline of 99 kilometers (62 miles). Lithuania is a mid-size country by European standards and is about the size of West Virginia. Luxembourg Luxembourg is a landlocked nation in Western Europe, at the intersection of Belgium, France, and Germany. It is one of the smallest nations in the world with an area of 2,586 square kilometers (998 square miles), which makes it slightly smaller than Rhode Island.

Macedonia Located in southeastern Europe, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (generally referred to as Macedonia) is a completely landlocked country, covering an area of 25,333 square kilometers (9,781 square miles). It is bounded on the north by Serbia and Montenegro (collectively the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia)—mostly by the province of Kosovo—on the east by Bulgaria, on the south by Greece, and on the west by Albania. Malta Malta consists of a series of small islands in the Mediterranean Sea, 97 kilometers (60 miles) south of the Italian territory of Sicily and 288 kilometers (179 miles) north of Africa. It is at the crossroads of Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. Moldova Located in southeastern Europe and bordered on the west by Romania and on all other sides by Ukraine, landlocked Moldova has an area of 33,843 square kilometers (13,067 square miles), making it slightly larger than Maryland. Moldova's border totals 1,389 kilometers (864 miles).

Monaco Monaco, a small independent hereditary principality in Western Europe, is located on the Mediterranean Sea along the southern coast of France, which is also known as the French Riviera or Côte d'Azur. Monaco is 18 kilometers (11 miles) east of the French city of Nice, near the border with Italy. Norway Norway is situated in the western and northern parts of the Scandinavian Peninsula in northern Europe. It is bordered on the north by the Barents Sea (an arm of the Arctic Ocean), on the northeast by Finland and Russia, on the east by Sweden, on the south by Skagerrak Strait and the North Sea, and on the west by the Norwegian Sea. Poland Located in Central Europe, Poland is bordered on the west by Germany, in the north by the Baltic Sea, in the north-east by Russia and Lithuania, in the east by Belarus and Ukraine, and in the south by Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Poland covers a total area of 312,685 square kilometers (120,728 square miles), making it slightly smaller than the state of New Mexico.

Portugal Located in southwestern Europe in the western part of the Iberian Peninsula, Portugal borders Spain to the north and east and the Atlantic Ocean to the south and west. The total area of the country—including the overseas territories of Azores (2,247 square kilometers/868 square miles) and the Madeira Islands (794 square kilometers/307 square miles), both autonomous regions of Portugal—is 92,345 square kilometers (35,655 square miles). Romania Located in southeastern Europe on the Black Sea, Romania covers an area of 238,500 square kilometers (92,085 square miles), making it slightly smaller than Oregon. It borders Hungary, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Moldova, and Ukraine, and has a coastline of 225 kilometers (140 miles). San Marino San Marino is an enclave lying wholly within northern Italy. It surrounds the 3-peaked Mount Titano (739 meters/2,425 feet) in the central Apennine Mountains, east of the city of Florence, Italy, and southwest of the city of Rimini, Italy, near the Adriatic Sea.

Slovakia The Slovak Republic is a land-locked nation in the eastern portion of Central Europe, with access to the Black Sea via the Danube River. Its neighbors are the Czech Republic to the northwest, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, and Austria to the west. Slovenia Located in southeastern Europe, bounded on the north by Austria, on the northeast by Hungary, on the southeast and south by Croatia, and on the west by Italy and the Adriatic Sea, Slovenia has an area of 20,253 square kilometers (7,820 square miles), slightly smaller comparatively than New Jersey, and a coastline of 46.6 kilometers (29 miles). The capital city, Ljubljana, is situated on the Sava River in the central part of the country; the second major city is Maribor on the Drava River in the northeast.

Sweden Located in northern Europe, in the eastern part of the Scandinavian peninsula, Sweden is bordered on the west and northwest by Norway, on the northeast by Finland, on the east by the Baltic Sea and its arm, the Gulf of Bothnia, On the southwest, Sweden is separated from Denmark by the Skagerrak, Kattegat, and Ôresund straits that connect the Baltic and the North Seas. The fourth largest country in Europe, Sweden has an area of 449,964 square kilometers (173,731 square miles), slightly larger than California. Switzerland Located in west central Europe, bordered on the north by France and Germany, on the east by Austria and Liechtenstein, on the south by Italy, and on the west and south-west by France, this landlocked alpine country has an area of 41,290 square kilometers (15,942 square mi), making it slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey.

The capital, Bern, is situated on the Aare River in the north-western part of the country; the largest city is Zürich in the north; other major cities include Geneva and Lausanne in the south-west, Basel in the north, and Lugano in the south. Russia Map and Satellite Image Russia Map and Satellite Image Russia Bordering Countries: Russia Satellite Image Russia Information: Russia is located in northern Asia. Russia is bordered by the Arctic Ocean; Azerbaijan, China, Georgia, Kazakhstan, North Korea, Lithuania, Mongolia, and Poland to the south; Belarus, Estonia, Latvia, and Ukraine to the west; and Norway and Finland to the north. Explore Russia Using Google Earth: Google Earth is a free program from Google that allows you to explore satellite images showing the cities and landscapes of Russia and all of Asia in fantastic detail. It works on your desktop computer, tablet, or mobile phone. The images in many areas are detailed enough that you can see houses, vehicles and even people on a city street. Google Earth is free and easy-to-use. Russia on a World Wall Map: Russia is one of nearly 200 countries illustrated on our Blue Ocean Laminated Map of the World.

This map shows a combination of political and physical features. It includes country boundaries, major cities, major mountains in shaded relief, ocean depth in blue color gradient, along with many other features. This is a great map for students, schools, offices and anywhere that a nice map of the world is needed for education, display or decor. Russia On a Large Wall Map of Asia: If you are interested in Russia and the geography of Asia our large laminated map of Asia might be just what you need. It is a large political map of Asia that also shows many of the continent's physical features in color or shaded relief. Major lakes, rivers,cities, roads, country boundaries, coastlines and surrounding islands are all shown on the map.

Russia Cities: Aldan, Angarsk, Apatity, Astrakhan, Balagansk, Baley, Barnaul, Bratsk, Chelyabinsk, Cherskiy, Chita, Irkutsk, Kazan', Klyuchi, Kolpashevo, Kostroma, Kozhva, Krasnoyarsk, Kurgan, Kyzyl, Mogocha, Moskva (Moscow), Nadym, Nizhniy Novgorod, Novorossiysk, Novosibirsk, Okha, Omsk, Orenburg, Oufa, Penza, Perm, Petrozavodsk, Pevek, Ryazan, Salekhard, Samara, Sankt-Peterburg, Serov, Smolensk, Sokol, St.

Petersburg, Stavropol, Strezhevoy, Surgut, Tambov, Tara, Tarko-Sale, Tiksi, Tomsk, Tulun, Ulan Ude, Ust'-Kamchatsk, Ust'Kut, Vladivostok, Vologda, Volograd (Stalingrad), Vorkuta, Yagodnoye, Yaroslavl, Yekaterinburg, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and Zeya.

Russia Locations: Aldan River, Anadyr River, Angara River, Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea, Bearing Sea, Beloye More (White Sea), Black Sea, Caspain Sea, Cheta River, Chukchi Sea, Culym River, Cuna River, East Siberian Sea, Greenland Sea, Indigirka River, Irtys River, Jana River, Jenisej River, Kama River, Kamskoye Vadkhr, Kara Sea, Khrebet Cherskogo, Kolyma River, Kotu River, Laptev Sea, Lena River, Marcha River, Norwegian Sea, Ob' River, Obskaya Guba (Gulf of Ob), Oka River, Omolon River, Onezhskaye Ozero, Ozero Baykal, Pecora River, Ryinskoye Vadkhr, Sea of Okhotsk, Taz River, Ural River, Verkhoyanskiy Khrebet and Volga River. Russia Natural Resources: Russia has an extensive amount of natural resources. These resources include major fossil fuel deposits of oil, natural gas and coal. The country also has timber and many strategic minerals.

Russia Natural Hazards: Russia has numerous natural hazards. These include volcanoes and earthquakes on the Kamchatka Peninsula, and volcanic activity in the Kuril Islands. In addition, there are spring floods and summer/autumn forest fires throughout Siberia and in parts of European Russia. Permafrost is a major obstacle to the development of most areas of Siberia. Russia Environmental Issues: Russia has numerous environmental issues. Issues concerning the land and water include: deforestation; soil erosion; contaminated soil from improper application of agricultural chemicals; stocks of outdated pesticides, which have been abandoned; scattered areas of radioactive contamination (sometimes intense); lack of urban solid waste management; groundwater contamination from toxic waste; pollution of the inland waterways and seacoasts, due to agricultural, municipal, and industrial effluents. The country also has air pollution from heavy industry, the emissions of coal-fired electric plants, and transportation in major cities. Copyright information: The images on this page were composed by Angela King and Brad Cole and are copyright by Geology.com © 2008. These images are not available for use beyond our websites. If you would like to share them with others please link to this page.

The satellite image was produced using Landsat data from NASA and the map was produced using data licensed from and copyright by Map Resources © 2008. © 2005-2017 Geology.com. All Rights Reserved. Images, code, and content on this website are property of Geology.com and are protected by copyright law. Geology.com does not grant permission for any use, republication, or redistribution. Consulate General of Ukraine National Anthem Geography Geographical Location: Ukraine is located in southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea. Ukraine is situated between 44"20' and 52"20' north latitude, and 22"5' and 41"15' east longitude. Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States. Area: Ukraine is the largest country in Europe among those with entire boundaries within the European continent. The total area of Ukraine is about 603,700 sq. km. It extends 1316 km from west to east, and 893 km north to south.

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Texas Neighboring Countries: Bordered by (clockwise) Romania (169 km), Moldova (939 km), Romania (362 km) and Hungary (103 km) on the southwest, Slovak Republic (90 km) on the west, Poland (428 km) on the northwest, Belarus (891 km) on the north, and Russia (1,576 km) on the north and on the east. Total Land Boundaries: 4,558 km. Coastline: 2,782 km. Climate: The climate of Ukraine is mostly temperate continental. A subtropical Mediterranean climate is prevalent on the southern portions of the Crimean Peninsula. The average monthly temperature in winter ranges from -8° to 2° C (17.6° to 35.6° F), while summer temperatures average 17° to 25° C (62.6° to 77° F). The Black Sea coast is subject to freezing.

Precipitation generally decreases from north to south; it is greatest in the Carpathians, where it exceeds more than 1500 mm (58.5 in) per year, and least in the coastal lowlands of the Black Sea, where it averages less than 300 mm (11.7 in) per year. Terrain: Almost the entire country of Ukraine is a flat plain, with elevations generally below 350 m. The Carpathian Mountains intrude at the extreme west, and on the southern coast of the Crimean Peninsula the Crimean Mountains are located. The highest point in Ukraine is Mt. Hoverla in the Carpathians, with an elevation of 2061 m. Land use: Ukraine has extremely fertile black-earth soils in the central and southern portions, totaling more than a half of the territory. According to the estimates, arable land is 56%, permanent crops: 2%, meadows and pastures: 12%, forest and woodland: 10%, other: 20%. In 1990 irrigated land was 26,000 sq. km.

Inland Waterways: Most major rivers flow south to the Black Sea; they include the Dnipro River in central Ukraine, the Southern Bug and Dnestr rivers in the west, the Donets River in the east, and the Danube in the far south. The Western Bug flows northward through the western part of the country and joins the Vistula, which empties into the Baltic Sea. Natural resources: According to the experts, Ukraine contains approximately 5 per cent of the world's total mineral resources. Ukraine has deposits of more than 80 types of minerals. The Donetsk Basin contains huge reserves of high-quality coal and the nearby iron-ore deposits of Kryvy Rih are equally rich. Other Ukraine's mineral resources include manganese, mercury, titanium, chromium, nickel, bauxite, uranium, phosphate, sulfur and peat. Development of the above mentioned mineral resources under concession agreements along with transportation and refining of oil and gas are among the most promising areas for foreign investments. Natural hazards: n/a Environment (current issues): inadequate supplies of potable water air and water pollution deforestation radiation contamination in the northeast from 1986 accident at Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant.

Environment (international agreements): party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea. Geography note: strategic position at the crossroads between Europe and Asia; second-largest country in Europe. People Former: Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. Data code: UA. General Principles and State Power Government type: Ukraine is a Republic. Independence: December 1, 1991 (from Soviet Union). National holiday: Independence Day - August 24, 1991. Constitution: adopted on June 28, 1996. Head of State: President Head of Government: Prime Minister. Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament ( Verkhovna Rada ) with 450 seats (Last elections held in March 1998).

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal. Legal system: based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts. Administrative divisions: 24 oblasts (Cherkaska, Chernihivska, Chernivetska, Dnipropetrovska, Donetska, Ivano-Frankivska, Kharkivska, Khersonska, Khmelnytska, Kirovo- hradska, Kyyivska, Luhanska, Lvivska, Mykolayivska, Odeska, Poltavska, Rivnenska, Sumska, Ternopilska, Vinnytska, Volynska, Zakarpatska, Zaporizka, Zhytomyrska), 1 autonomous republic (The Autonomous Republic of Crimea), 2 municipalities (misto) with oblast status (Kyiv and Sevastopol) Capital of Ukraine: Kyiv Currency: 1 hryvna=100 kopiykas Exchange rates: To view current exchange rates please click here : Transportation

Question: Which country is bordered by Belarus in the north and Moldova in the south?
Answer: Ukraine