Geographical position of Ukraine
Ukraine is a rich farming, industrial and mining region in south-eastern Europe. Its population is about 49 mln people. The capital of Ukraine is Kyiv.
Ukraine covers about 603.700 sq.km being larger than any country in Western Europe. It borders on Belarus and Russia in the north and in the east. In the south it is washed by the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. In the west Ukraine is bounded by Moldova, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland. Great areas are occupied by steppes and forest-steppe regions.
Ukraine is in an ideal geographical position for the development of its resources, lying between 44 and 52 latitude north , on the same latitude as the USA, Britain, China and Japan. The climate is mild and warm, with a long summer and a short winter. The fertile black soil and the favourable climate give a good opportunity for the growth of agriculture in Ukraine. Ukraine is one of the most important producers of grain and sugar beet, flax, sunflowers, vegetables.
The main part of Ukraine is located in the watershed of the Dnipro River, which divides Ukraine into two parts: Right-Bank and Left-Bank Ukraine.
The territory of our country has an astonishing variety of landscapes. We have high mountains, endless forests, beautiful rivers and lakes. The largest lake of Ukraine is Swityaz, its total area is 24.2 sq.km and the depth is 58.5 metres.
Within the boders of Ukraine we find the Carpathian Mountains with the highest peak Hoverla (2061) which is located in the Chornohora massif.
The Crimean Mountains stretch in three parallel ranges. The Main Range is the highest, rising to 1500 m above sea level. Its highest peak is Roman Kosh (1545 m.).
Ukraine is a highly developed industrial and agricultural country. Ukraine is rich in iron ore, natural gas, coal, oil, salt and other mineral resources. The country has a big metallurgical, machine-building, fuel and power base; it is a producer of chemical and agricultural raw materials. One of the most important branches of national economy is the power industry. Besides, Ukraine produces planes and ocean-liners, tractors and combines, excavators and cars, up-to-date instruments and equipment, electronic microcomputers and TV sets, computers and synthetic diamonds.
There are many large cities in Ukraine, among them are Kharkiv, a former capital of Ukraine, an important industrial and cultural centre; Donetsk, a coal-mining centre; Odessa, a big sea port and a resot city; Lviv, a large industrial, scientific and cultural centre; Zaporizhya, a metallurgical centre of Ukraine; Dnipropetrovsk, a large machine-building and important metallurgical centre and many others.
The territory of Ukraine is criss-crossed by railroads and highways, oil and gas pipelines and high-voltage transmission lines – all of which ensure close economic ties with Eastern and Western Europe.
IV. Practice
Exercise 1. Speak on the topic “Geographical Position of Ukraine”. Use the chart.
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