Ukraine

Ukraine is a land shaped by its past and people. It is situated in South Eastern Europe on the crossroads of the ways from Asia to Europe. This position is very favourable for establishing contacts with other countries. It covers an area of 603,700 square km. It borders on the Russian Federation, Moldova and Romania. Its neighbours are also Poland, Slovakia and Hungary. Ukraine is washed by the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov in the South.

The major part of Ukraine (95%) is flat and the rest is mountainous. There are the Crimean Mountains in the Crimean peninsula and the Carpathians in the west, but they are not very high. The main Ukrainian rivers are the Dnipro, the Dnister, the Buh, the Donets and others. Ukraine has a continental climate. Winter is rather mild, with no severe frosts but with regular snowfalls everywhere except the south. Summer is quite hot and dry, with occasional showers and thunderstorms.

Due to favourable climatic conditions, Ukraine is traditionally an agricultural area with good arable lands. It grows wheat, maize, buckwheat and other corn, red and green vegetables, all kinds of fruit, melons, water melons and berries. Ukraine is one of the world's main centers of sugar production. It produces sugar both for its own needs and for export. Ukraine imports oil, natural gas, wood products, and consumer goods.

Ukraine is rich in natural resources. It has rich deposits of iron ore, coal, color metal, oil, gas, mineral salts, clay and other industrial raw materials. The country has metallurgical and heavy industries, concentrated mostly in and around big cities, such as Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhya, Kharkiv, Kyiv, Kryvyi Rih, Lviv, Odessa and others. Coal, natural gas and petroleum have long been important sources of electric power in Ukraine. Moreover, it produces planes and ships, trucks and buses, motorcars and locomotives, computer and electronic equipment, precision instruments and agricultural machines, TV and radio sets, chemicals and textiles and various consumer goods. The country also has hydroelectric plants located mainly on the Dnipro.

Scientists of Ukraine enriched the world science with important discoveries and inventions. They contributed much to solving the main problems of automation of production processes and electric welding.

Nowadays Ukraine is the country with great heritage and a strong character, open to the world and full of opportunities.

6. Прочитайте текст ще раз та спробуйте закінчити наступні речення з пам’яті.

1. Ukraine is situated … of the ways between two world parts.

2. Ukraine has … located mainly on the Dnipro.

3. The country is rich in ….

4. The Ukrainian people … with other countries.

5. Scientists of Ukraine … with inventions.

6. The important … are coal, natural gas and petroleum.

7. Ukraine is traditionally … due to its climate.

8. Nowadays Ukraine is the country with great….

9. The major part of Ukraine is flat and the rest is….

10. Ukraine has good … due to favourable climatic conditions.

7. Дайте відповіді на запитання щодо України. При необхідності користуйтесь наведеним вище текстом та додатковими джерелами.

1. Where is Ukraine situated?

2. What countries does it border on?

3. What mountains (rivers) are there in Ukraine?

4. What kind of climate does Ukraine have?

5. What kind of agriculture does Ukraine have?

6. What is Ukrainian export (import)?

7. What is Ukraine rich in?

8. What industries are there in Ukraine?

9. What does Ukraine produce?

10. How much did Ukrainian scientists contribute to the world science?

11. What can be said about nowadays Ukraine?

8. використовуючи відповіді на наведені вище питання, підготуйте розповідь про українську державу (100-150 слів). Користуйтесь додатковими джерелами.