Text A. Portrait of Ukraine

The National Flag: first appeared in 1848. The two colours are symbolic: yellow is for wheat in the fields and blue for the sky above them.

The Ukrainian Anthem: “Ukraine Has Not Yet Perished,” a song written by Pavlo Chubynskyi in 1863, set to music by Mykhailo Verbytskyi the same year.

The National Emblem / Coat of Arms: trident, the classic shape of which was found on the coins of Volodymyr the Great, who ruled in the 10^th century.

Ukraine, located in the centre of Europe, is larger than any country of this part. Forests cover 13% of territory, chiefly in the Carpathian Mountains and in the northern regions. One third of the world’s black soils are in Ukraine. It has cold winters and warm summers, although a Mediterranean climate prevails in the Crimea.

Ukraine has been inhabited since about 1555 B.C. The Slavic ancestors of today’s Ukrainians began to settle later. The archaeological evidence suggests that roots of the pre-Ukrainians may be found in the Trypillya culture,which dates from fifth-to-third Millennium B.C. In the eighth and ninth centuries, seven Slavic tribes formed the state Kyivan Rus’. A prominent early leader, Volodymyr (ruled 980-1015), converted the country to Christianity and established close ties with the Byzantine church. It was in the 11 century that the language spoken on its territory began to develop into the Ukrainian language proper.

The history of the country has had tragic and glorious pages. It suffered from the devastating invasion of the Mongols, later the country was ruled by other nations. But the people preserved the cultural heritage of Kyivan Rus; they were strong enough to withstand the pressure from the east and from the west.

Ukraine has always fought for its independence. A Cossack state was the best example to it. Ukraine has always glorified its heroes. It is proud of many people either born in Ukraine or who devoted their lives to it and made the involvement to making the country well-known in the world.

The year of 1991 is considered to be the beginning of a new epoch in Ukraine. Being an independent state, Ukraine faces a lot of difficulties and at the same time it meets the support of its population.

During its history, Ukrainian culture was preserved through folk songs and legends, which are always highly treasured. Traditional popular art, including embroidered clothing and tapestries, is also appreciated. Ukraine is known worldwide for the delicate art of Easter egg painting (pysanka), and this art is still practiced with great skill today.

The Ukrainians keep traditions, among them the tradition of hospitality. The family unit is important in Ukraine, and extended family ties are valued. The elderly are treated with love and respect. It is a common practice for parents to support children until they reach adulthood.

One of the peculiar features of the Ukrainian nation is that it has numerous Diasporas in the world which preserve its language, its traditions and keep ties with Ukraine. About 10 million of the Ukrainians reside in other countries. As a result every fourth Ukrainian lives outside Ukraine.