Ukraine

Ukraine, a sovereign nation in Eastern Europe, is the largest country that lies entirely within Europe. Kiev is the capital city, and the official language is Ukrainian.

Learn more about Ukraine

Quick Facts:

• Ukraine became an independent country in 1991 during the collapse of the Soviet Union

• In 1996 the Ukrainian constitution was adopted and a semi-presidential government was put in place

• Current population is just over 44 million people (July 2014 est.)

• 18 recognized regional languages - Armenian, Belarusian, Bulgarian, Crimean Tatar, Gagauz, German, Greek, Hungarian, Karaim, Krymchak, Moldovan, Polish, Romani, Romanian, Russian, Rusyn, Slovak, Yiddish

Sources for the above information:

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Crimea

As of 2016, Ukraine is currently in a territorial dispute with Russia over the Crimean Peninsula. Those seeking to a better understanding of this dispute may wish to read about Holodomor, the man-made famine in Ukraine, attributed primarily to Joseph Stalin, which killed up to 7.5 million Ukrainians in the 1930s. Many scholars consider Holodomor to be an act of genocide or ethnic cleansing.

Crimea was gifted to Ukraine from Russia after Stalin's death by Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev in 1954, an act that was interpreted by many as an apology from the Russians as well as a general gesture of goodwill. Thus, the dispute over Crimea is rooted in Holodomor and can be better understood through this lens.

Culture Facts:

• Ukrainians are traditionally family oriented people. It is common for parents (or grandparents) to live together with their children and help them to raise their kids. This tradition was a necessity just a couple generations ago when the majority of Ukrainians lived in the villages. Because of living situation traditions, it is also a Ukraine custom that grandparents play a great role in raising children.

• Ukrainians are well known for their hospitality. They love to invite people to their homes or to visit at the homes of their friends and relatives. Traditional Ukrainian customs are to put the best food on the table and to feed the guest once he has entered their home. But Ukrainian parties are not just about food, it is a long process with plenty of eating, drinking and conversation.

• Ukrainians are typically brought up to avoid attracting attention to themselves. They usually speak quietly in public and to sit or lay on the floor is considered inappropriate in public places. It is very typical for Ukrainians to avoid "standing out." Generally, Ukrainian culture is non-individualistic. Parents usually teach their kids: "Be like everybody else. Don't stick out!"

• Ukrainians are passionately nationalistic- having only recently been freed from two centuries of Russian domination. They think of themselves as strongly pro-western (a legacy of Soviet domination) and they have a particular fascination with the United States. English is commonly taught in public schools and is rapidly becoming an informal second language.

Holidays and Festivals in the Ukraine:

Ukrainians, like other nations, have many traditions and holidays. During the Soviet era, some of the religious based holidays such as Easter and Christmas were officially discouraged. The celebrations of these two holidays were ignored for many years, but have made a resurgence in the post-Soviet era. Here is a list of some of the more popular Ukrainian holidays:

• New Year’s Day- This holiday serves as the Ukrainian equivalent to Christmas in the United States. It is a wonderful time for children as well as for grown-ups, and is often called the family holiday. On New Year’s Eve, children decorate a fir or a pine tree with shining balls and toys. The mothers cook a festive dinner. On New Year’s Day there is an exchange of presents.

• January 7, Eastern Orthodox Christmas- Unlike Christmas in America, this is primarily a religious holiday.

• Second weekend in February, Easter- The traditional Easter greeting is “The Lord has resurrected!” On Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning people put an Easter cake, painted eggs, butter and cheese into a basket and go to church for the blessing of the food. “Pisanka” (a painted Easter egg) is one of the most interesting sorts of Ukrainian decorative art.

• March 8, Women’s Day- This is an occasion to display love, tenderness and gratitude to those who care for us most – to mothers, grandmothers, sisters and daughters.

• May 9, Victory Day- This is the day of commemoration of those who perished in the war against fascism.

• August 24- Ukrainian Independence Day.

Ethnic Groups and Religion:

• Ethnic groups: Ukrainian 77.8%, Russian 17.3%, Belarusian 0.6%, Moldovan 0.5%, Crimean Tatar 0.5%, Bulgarian 0.4%, Hungarian 0.3%, Romanian 0.3%, Polish 0.3%, Jewish 0.2%, other 1.8% (2001 census)

• Religion: Orthodox (includes Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox (UAOC), Ukrainian Orthodox - Kyiv Patriarchate (UOC-KP), Ukrainian Orthodox - Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP), Ukrainian Greek Catholic, Roman Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, Jewish

  • note: Ukraine's population is overwhelmingly Christian; the vast majority - up to two-thirds - identify themselves as Orthodox, but many do not specify a particular branch; the UOC-KP and the UOC-MP each represent less than a quarter of the country's population, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church accounts for 8-10%, and the UAOC accounts for 1-2%; Muslim and Jewish adherents each compose less than 1% of the total population (2013 est.)

Ukrainian Americans:

Ukrainian Americans are Americans who are of Ukrainian ancestry. According to U.S. census, in 2006 there were an estimate of 961,113 Americans of Ukrainian descent representing 0.33% of the American population. The Ukrainian population of the United States is thus the second largest outside the former Soviet Union; only Canada has a larger Ukrainian community. According to the 2000 U.S. census, the metropolitan areas with the largest numbers of Ukrainian Americans are: New York City with 160,000 Ukrainians, Philadelphia with 60,000 Ukrainians, Chicago with 46,000 Ukrainians, Los Angeles with 34,000, Detroit with 33,000 Ukrainians, Cleveland with 26,000 and Indianapolis with 19,000.

In the city of Portland, Oregon there is an estimated population of over 774,000 of which .86% identify as Ukrainian (approximately 6,656 people). Portland also has the only Ukrainian school in the state of Oregon. The Ukrainian School of Knowledge, a non-profit education, non-discriminatory organization was founded in 1998. School is on Saturdays only and teaches children ages 5-14 of any nationality. Education includes speaking, writing, mathematics, music theory/choir, and the study of the Bible all in the Ukrainian language.

Children with Disabilities in Education System:

For many years, children with developmental problems, sensory disorders, brain dysfunction and complex disorders have remained at the margins of the Ukrainian secondary education system or have been totally excluded from it. Labeled “unable to learn and take care of themselves,” they are put in custody of the welfare system. This creates artificial isolation leading to a decrease in social competence and flaws in the social adaptation of such children.

Certain categories of children in Ukraine do not have access to quality education. In 2004, 1.8% of all children in Ukraine were registered as having disabilities. The Ukrainian Ministry of Education and Science reports that during the 2005–2006 academic years 54,100 children with special education needs received education in 396 special schools. According to the data of the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy in 2004, 7,716 children with special educational needs lived and studied in 56 boarding schools. The available data are inconsistent, making it difficult to put together a complete picture of the number of students with disabilities and their place of study.