What is
Ukraine?
Ukraine is the biggest country in Europe. The country with rich and diverse culture, the birthplace of numerous talented artists and public figures known all around the world. Curious to know more about Ukraine’s past and present? In this article you will find interesting facts to explore contemporary Ukraine.
According to the remains of the Cucuteni-Trypillian culture, the area of today’s Ukraine was populated as early as the 5th century B.C. There was the Scythian kingdom, the Crimea and the Black Sea coast were inhabited by Greek and Gothic tribes, and the centre and north-west are associated with the Slavs. In the 9th century, the history of Kyivan Rus was written here, and in the 13th century the land fell under the influence of the Tatars and the Golden Horde.
Kyivan Rus
Kyivan Rus was at the center of the first eastern Slavic state, which in the 10th and 11th centuries was the largest and most powerful state in Europe.
Ancient Kyiv had extensive diplomatic ties. There were embassies: the Pope, German, Franks, Hungarians. The blood of Kyiv princes flowed into many ruling dynasties of Europe: Poland, Norway, Byzantium, France, Germany, Hungary, Sweden, England.
The world’s largest producer of sunflower seeds
Ukraine is the world’s largest producer of sunflower seeds, and across every part of Ukraine, you’ll see stunning fields of these yellow blooms – so many that they’d cover the entirety of Slovenia if you uprooted them!
Ukraine produces one-third of the world’s sunflower oil and accounts for nearly half of global exports. Those exports were valued at $6.4 billion in 2021. Top markets in 2021 were India (31 percent), the European Union (30 percent), and China (15 percent).
Ukraine is among most educated nations in the world
Ukraine stands 4th in the world in terms of most educated populations. 99.4% of Ukrainians aged 15 and over can read and write. 70% of adult Ukrainians have a secondary or higher education. Even the current heavyweight champions from Ukraine, Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko, have doctorate degrees.
Some of the biggest stars of Ukrainian boxing have achieved everything they could in their fields, but now they are facing the hardest battle.
Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko dominated the boxing world. Between 1999 and 2015, there were only 18 months when neither of them did not hold one of boxing's heavyweight world titles. The pair expressed their commitment to fight for their country, and even admitted they would give their lives to protect their people.
Oleksandr Usyk was on a promotional tour in London ahead of his rematch with Anthony Joshua when the invasion of his home country began. The world heavyweight champion soon returned and made it clear he would do his utmost to protect his land of birth and was pictured bearing arms.
Vasiliy Lomachenko is the former featherweight and lightweight world champion. Lomachenko is also considered one of the best fighters in the world, winning 16 of 18 fights and is a two-time Olympic champion.
Now the boxer is on the battlefield, risking his life to help his homeland win the war with russia, which unprovoked attacked Ukraine.