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About
Ukraine
Climate
The climate of the country is largely temperate, with
a subtropical region in the Crimea in the South. Winter sees regular snowfalls
everywhere except this Southern region. The rivers and lakes freeze in
winter. The average winter temperature varies from -20 Centigrade in the
north to -3-5 in the south. Summer is quite hot and dry, with occasional
showers and thunderstorms. The fertile black soil is well watered in spring
and autumn and gets plenty of sunshine in summer. The average temperature
in January is about .8 C in the North-East and +4 C in the South of the
Crimea. July temperature varies from +18 C to +24 C.
There is 600-700 mm of the annual precipitation in the North-West, 300
mm . in the South-East, 1000-1200 mm in the Crimean Mountains and about
1600 mm in the Carpathian Mountains. The Southern and mountain climates
are particularly beneficial for human cardiovascular and respiratory health.
Geography
The largest country in Europe, Ukraine is situated in
the south-eastern part of Central Europe and has its own democratic government,
national emblem, flag and anthem. It borders Russia, Byelorussia, Moldova,
Slovakia, Roumania, Hungary and Poland on land and Russia, Georgia, Bulgaria,
Roumania and Turkey by sea.
The territory of Ukraine is mostly a level, treeless
plain, calls "steppe". There are the Crimean Mountains in the
Crimean peninsula and the Carpathians in the west, but they are not very
high. Mixed forests of pine and fir-trees, beeches, limes, oaks and elms
cover the mountains, but the thickest woods can still be found in the
northern part of the republic, in Volyn. Kiev and Cherkassy. The main
Ukrainian river is the Dnieper. It is one of the longest European rivers
and one of the republic's main source of hydroelectric power. The Dnieper
and its tributary the Ross, have been the cradle of the Ukrainian and
Russian people in time immemorial.
Due to its favorable climatic conditions, Ukraine is traditionally an
agricultural area – the “breadbasket of Europe”. It
grows wheat, maize, buckwheat and other corn, red and green vegetables,
all kinds of fruit, melons and berries. Ukraine is one of the world's
main centers of sugar production. It produces sugar both for her own needs
and for export.
The country is rich in natural resources, such as iron
ore, coal, color metal, oil, gas, mineral salts, clay and potential water
power. It has developed a varied industry, concentrated mostly in and
around big cities, such as Kiev, Zaporozhye, Dnepropetrovsk, Dnyeprodzerzhinsk,
Odessa, Kharkov, Lviv, Nickolayev and other. It produces planes and ships,
lorries and buses, motorcars and locomotives, computer and electronic
equipment, precision instruments and agricultural machines, TV and radios,
chemicals and textiles and various consumer goods. Odessa, Sebastopol,
Nickolayev, Kherson and Kerch are main ukrainian ports.
The capital, Kiev, is described as the “Mother
of Russian cities”. It is one of the oldest cities in the East Europe
(founded in the V century) with numerous museums, historical and cultural
memorials. Much modern development is taking place there, such as building
construction, metro development and roads. With the place acting as a
magnet to the rest of the country and abroad, this growth is likely to
continue for the foreseeable future.
Increasingly, with democracy and opening of its markets,
tourism will be a fast growing part of the economy.
Customs information
Custom rules: Things that cost less than 200 Euro (as
well as excise goods) or a single undivided object that costs less than
300 Euro (excluding excise goods) can be imported without any taxes.
Import of the following goods is forbidden:
Vehicles with age more than 5 years, poisons, radioactive and explosive
substances, printed and imaged materials which propagandize the ideas
of war, racism, violence, food-stuffs without certificate.
Goods whose price reaches 100.000 Euro are permitted
for export. If you want to export any masterpieces, cultural and historical
values, you should get an agreement from the Ministry of the Ukrainian
culture.
It is permitted to import sums to 10 000$ without any
additional documents, or an equivalent in any national currency. The single
condition is that all imported currency is to be declared. When importing
from 10 000 $ to 50 000 $ an application has to be made. Any currency,
which was earlier imported to Ukraine (during 1 year), is allowed for
export.
Please note that the above is for guidance only and you
should check the up to date situation with the relevant authorities.
Cuisine
National cuisine. Certain Ukrainian dishes are well known
in foreign countries. Different pastries (pampushkas, galushkas, boiled
pieces of paste enclosing curd or fruit and so on), meat dishes (Ukrainian
sausages, cold snacks, wild fowl and others ), plant and dairy-produce
(kefir, cheese cake), and various fruit or honey drinks are popular.
Also widespread in Ukraine, are different porridges, pieces of paste with
curd, potato, cabbage, and a wide range of fruit
From ancient times fish dishes have taken a really valuable place in the
Ukrainian cuisine. For example, crucian baked in a sour cream, salmon
stuffed with mushrooms and buckwheat porridge, salmon stewed with onion
and sour cream, pike perch stewed with mushrooms and crayfish and others.
In the major towns and resort areas, Western style food,
such as pizzas, is increasingly available.
The Crimea – a special place
The Crimea has much to offer the modern holidaymaker
and holiday home owner. It has historically been is one of the most popular
tourist centers not only in Ukraine, but also in all East Europe. This
attraction is sure to spread.
Geographical position.
The autonomous Republic of the Crimea (the Crimean region
from 1954 to 1991) is a part of Ukraine. It is connected with the continent
by a narrow (about 8 km) Perekopskiy isthmus. From this place to the lower
spot of the peninsula . Sarich cape - 195 km. From East to West . from
Priboyniy cape on the Tarhankute peninsula to the Fonar cape on the Kerch
peninsula is 325 km.
The Crimea is surrounded by the Black Sea in the West
and in the South by the Azov Sea and its lagoon Sivash in the East and
North-East. Sivash is separated from the Azov Sea by a long sandy spit
, Arabatskaya strelka.
The northern part of the Crimea is a level plain, which in the South raises
to 200m. On the western side is the Tarhankute sublimity (up to 179 m).
In the West the plain becomes a hilly territory of the Kerch peninsula
(up to
189 m), which has an alternation of circular limestone crests, flat falls,
mud holes and lake basins.
There are the Crimean Mountains on the south side of
the country. They lie from South-West (from Sevastopol city) to North-East
(up to Pheodosia city) for 180 km. The mountains consist of three ridges
and have steep southern and flat northern slopes. The highest Crimean
ridge has the height of 1545 m (Roman-Kosh Mountain). There are 1657 rivers
and temporal water reservoirs in the Crimea. Their general length is 5996
km.
There are 50 salty lakes in the Crimea that are used as a source of salt
and medical mud.
It is evident what a rich range of ecological diversity
there is in a relatively small area. Visit the Crimea and you will be
amazed at the natural surroundings.
Weather in Crimea.
Climate in the Crimea ranges from the continental to
the Mediterranean. In the typical winter it’s mild and moderately
cold on the Main ridge. An average temperature of the coldest month is
from .1C (Simferopol city) to .4C (Ay-Petry). Summer is moderately hot
(plain) and warm (in the mountains). An average temperature of July is
+21,2 C (plain), +15.6 C (yayla).
The highest temperature reaches +36 C in the plain and +32 C at the yayla.
There is 350-500 mm of precipitation in the plain and
1220 mm on the Main ridge. Snow precipitation prevails in the mountains:
at the yayla it doesn’t melt for 100-105 days.
Climate of the southern coast of the Crimea is Mediterranean, close to
subtropical. It characterizes its mild winter and hot dry summer. An average
temperature of February is from +2 C in the East and in the South to +4C
in
the West. Absolute minimum is .15 C in Yalta and .23C in Sudak. Low index
of humidity, especially in the South of the Crimea, in the regions with
subtropical climate, is optimal for Europeans and those used to moderate
climates.
In short, a perfect summer holiday climate.
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