Ukraine

From ArticleWorld

Ukraine is a country located in Eastern Europe bordering Russia, Poland, Belarus, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, Moldavia and the Black Sea. Its population is over 47 million people and covers an area of 603,700 square kilometers. The capital is Kiev, which is also the largest city in the country.

History

The first record found that shows inhabitants in the region point out the Trypillian culture, which dates back from 4500 to 3000 BC. Historians have also found proofs of Scythians being settled between 700 and 200 BC. The third century saw the region under Goths. They named the region Oium and formed the Chernyakhov culture and eventually defeated the Roman Empire. The 7th century the area was a part of Great Bulgaria, with its capital in Phanagoria. During the 10th and 11th centuries Ukraine’s territory was a part of Kieven Rus, which was the most important culture to put the basis of nowadays Ukrainians. Kiev became its capital. As time passed Kieven Rus was eventually destroyed by internal problems and constant raids from the Tartars and Mongols. An important turn in Ukraine’s history was taken when the majority of the upper class population converted to Catholicism. On the other hand the lower classes did not do this and this caused serious tensions between the two. Time passed and internal problems became harder to cope with. After Poland was partitioned by Austria and Prussia, Western Ukraine came under Austrian rule and the rest of the territory of the country was incorporated in Russia at the end of the eighteenth century. The territory that is now Ukraine became very important for Russia. Because of its strategic location it became a vital location for the wars against the Ottoman Empire. This led to many Ukrainians to become important figures in Russian hierarchy. The Russian Revolution in 1917 saw Ukraine independent but divided in two states: Ukrainian People's Republic and West Ukrainian People's Republic. They were to unite three years later. 1922 saw Ukraine being split between Poland and the USSR, which made the territory it had under rule known as Ukrainian SSR. World War II saw underground movements that both fought and sustained Russia and Germany. The Battle of Kiev was the most important event of the time and it made the city become known as the Hero City because of the resistance of the Red Army in front of the Nazi. The war saw Ukraine with many loses. Around 5 to 8 million Ukrainians died during the war or during the German occupation. Eventually independence was achieved in 1991 and was done with Russian help. Ukraine became a founding member of the Commonwealth of Independent States.