FAQ about Ukraine

What is the capital of Ukraine?

Kiev (Kyiv) is one of the oldest cities in Eastern Europe, as well as the capital and largest city of Ukraine.

Where is Ukraine located?

Ukraine is located in Eastern Europe, north of the Black Sea, and next to Russia. Ukraine also borders Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Moldova, and Belarus.

How big is Ukraine?

Ukraine covers about 603,550 square kilometers, which makes it the largest country entirely in Europe and the second largest country in Europe after Russia.

What is the population of Ukraine?

Over 45 million people live in Ukraine.

What is the official language of Ukraine?

Ukrainian is the official language of Ukraine, but Russian and Crimean Tatar are recognized as regional languages. Other minority languages spoken in Ukraine are Romanian, Polish, and Hungarian.

What religion is practiced in Ukraine?

The main religion in Ukraine is Ukrainian Orthodox Christianity of both the Kyiv Patriarchate and the Moscow Patriarchate, which has influenced the country’s culture and architecture. Other major religions include Ukrainian Greek Catholicism, Ukrainian Autocephalous, Roman Catholicism, Protestantism, and Judaism.

When was Ukraine founded?

Ukraine has been known under various names and been ruled by various other countries over its existence. Ukraine’s territory has changed and moved around several times since it was first founded. During the 10^th and 11^th centuries, Ukraine was known as Kyivian Rus, and was the first East Slavic State, which was the most powerful nation in Europe at the time.

In the 14^th century, the region was ruled by the Golden Horde, Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and Poland, before becoming the Cossack state in 1648.

The Great Northern War in the early 1700s divided Ukraine among regional powers once again. At the end of the 18^th and much of the 19^th centuries, most of Ukraine was part of the Russian Empire, and the rest was controlled by Austria-Hungary.

Ukraine became the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic (Ukrainian SSR) in 1919, which was part of part of the Soviet Union from 1922 to 1991. The Ukrainian SSR was one of the Soviet Union’s 15 constituent republics, and was primarily controlled by Moscow.

When did Ukraine become independent?

Ukraine became independent for a brief time from 1917 to 1920 after czarist Russia fell and before the creation of the Soviet Union. More recently, Ukraine became independent from the USSR when it dissolved in 1991. Ukraine’s Independence Day is August 24, 1991.

When is Ukraine’s national holiday?

Ukraine’s national holiday celebrates its independence from the Soviet Union on August 24, 1991. Ukraine also celebrates Unity Day, when Western and Eastern Ukrainian republics united in 1919

What are Ukraine’s administrative regions?

Like Russia, Ukraine is divided into oblasts, or provinces, and one autonomous republic: Crimea. Ukraine also has two cities with a special status: Kiev and Sevastopol.

There are 24 oblasts in Ukraine:

• Cherkasy
• Chernihiv
• Chernivtsi
• Dnipropetrovs’k
• Donets’k
• Ivano-Frankivs’k
• Kharkiv
• Kherson
• Khmel’nyts’kyy
• Kirovohrad
• Kyiv
• Luhans’k
• L’viv
• Mykolayiv
• Odesa
• Poltava
• Rivne
• Sumy
• Ternopil’
• Vinnytsya
• Volyn’
• Zakarpattya
• Zaporizhzhya
• Zhytomyr

Who are Ukraine’s political leaders?

President: Viktor Yanukovych

Prime Minister: Mykola Azarov

What form of currency does Ukraine use?

Ukraine has been using the hryvnia, or grivna (UAH) since September 2, 1996. The grivna was the currency of Kievan Rus, back in the 11^th century.

What are some aspects of Ukraine’s culture and traditions?

Ukrainian culture is heavily influenced by the Ukrainian Orthodox church, neighboring nations, since the country’s boundaries have changed many times, there is much overlap. Food in Ukraine is typical Eastern European food, such as cheese (especially head cheese), sausage, and borshch, which is the national soup of Ukraine.

Many ancient traditions are carried on in Ukraine today, like traditional dances and music. One Ukrainian tradition is the decorating of Pysanka, or Ukrainian Easter egg during Holy Week, the week leading up to Easter. Pysanky are intricately decorated using a wax-relief method, though there are many variations on design and techniques for creating these eggs. There are many superstitions surrounding these Easter eggs, primarily about their protective powers and effects on fertility.

FAQ about Slovak Republic (Slovakia)

What is the capital of Slovakia?

Bratislava is Slovakia’s capital and largest city. Spread across both sides of the Danube River, Bratislava is the only country capital that touches two other countries: Hungary in the north and Austria to the west.

Bratislava was founded before the 10^th century as the city of Pressburg, which dates back many years and was once the capital of the Kingdom of Hungary.

Where is Slovakia?

Slovakia, not to be confused with the similar sounding country, Slovenia, is located in the very center of Europe, earning it the nickname “Country at the heart of Europe.”

What countries border Slovakia?

Slovakia is bordered by 5 other countries: The Czech Republic on its west, Poland to the north, Ukraine on the east, and Hungary and Austria on the south and southwest.

What are the administrative divisions of Slovakia?

Slovakia is divided into 8 regions, or krajov:

• Bratislava
• Trnava
• Trenčin
• Nitra
• Žilina
• Banská Bystrica
• Prešov
• Košice

Who are the political leaders of Slovakia?

President: Ivan Gasparovic

Prime Minister: Iveta Radičová

What currency is used in Slovakia?

Unlike its neighbor, the Czech Republic, Slovakia adopted the Euro and become part of the Eurozone on January 1, 2009.

What is the official language of Slovakia?

Slovakia’s official language is Slovak, which is similar and mostly mutually intelligible with Czech. Languages from nearby countries are also commonly spoken as minority languages in Slovakia, like Hungarian and Czech.

When was Slovakia created?

While the modern territory of Slovakia has only been independent since January 1, 1993 when it split amicably from Czech Republic, Slovakia has a long and frequently changing history. The main area of modern Slovakia has been part of the following governments:

• Samo Empire (the first known political unit of the Slavs)
• Principality of Nitra (an independent polity as part of Great Moravia and Hungarian Kingdom)
• Great Moravia
• Kingdom of Hungary
• Austro-Hungarian Empire
• Czechoslovakia
• First Slovak Republic

What was the status of Slovakia during World War II?

While the Munich Agreement primarily dealt with the Sudentenland regions, which are located on the border regions of what is now the Czech Republic, big changes were also made to Slovakia. Slovakia became an autonomous region of Czechoslovakia, and the Vienna Award altered its borders by giving Hungary some of Slovakia’s southern territory. The Slovak Republic gained a degree of autonomy during World War II when it became the First Slovak Republic, which was a dependency of Nazi Germany from 1939 to 1945. When Slovakia was liberated in 1945, it was restored as part of Czechoslovakia until their split in 1993.  Though at the time, the First Slovak Republic was recognized by many major powers, its legal existence was nullified at the same time the Munich Agreement was nullified, which also returned the territories that were given away to Hungary.

How is the relationship between Czech Republic and Slovakia since their split?

Czech Republic and Slovakia remain close partners after one of the friendliest divisions in history, continuing to conduct business between one another, along with Hungary and Poland. The two countries remain connected by their shared heritage and culture, facilitated by their similar and mutually-intelligible language.

Initially, the Czech Republic had an easier time than Slovakia after the split, though they both joined the United Nations and European Union alongside one another. Both countries have greatly improved in the past few years, drawing many tourists every year to their historic sites and Central/Eastern European charm.

FAQ about the Czech Republic

What is the capital of the Czech Republic?

Prague is the capital of the Czech Republic. Prague has been a city for over one thousand years, and has been the capital of the Holy Roman Empire, an important city in Austria-Hungary, and later Czechoslovakia’s capital. It is now one of the most visited cities in Europe, offering many historic sites and cultural experiences.

When did the Czech Republic join the European Union?

The Czech Republic joined the EU in 2004 along with seven other Central and Eastern European countries, in the biggest enlargement the EU has experienced.

What currency is used in the Czech Republic?
The Czech Republic currently uses the Czech Koruna as its currency, despite being a member of the European Union. Though Czech Republic had originally decided to begin using the euro, the support for adopting the euro has dropped and it is currently unknown whether or not Czech Republic will join the Eurozone, or the group of countries in Europe that share a common currency in order to stabilize the monetary system. Countries in the EU are not required to adopt the euro as their currency.

Who are the political leaders of the Czech Republic?
President: Vaclav Klaus

Prime Minister: Petr Necas

What is the population of the Czech Republic?

The Czech Republic’s population is estimated around 10 million.

What is Bohemia?

Bohemia was a central European region in what is now western Czech Republic, where the ancient Boii people lived. Bohemia was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire for many years until its collapse after World War I. In October, 1918 Bohemia joined together with Moravia and other nearby regions to create Czechoslovakia. It continues to be designated as a region of the Czech Republic.

What was the Velvet Revolution?

In November and December of 1989, the people of Czechoslovakia held several non-violent demonstrations, including peaceful protests and strikes, against the communist government. The Velvet Revolution resulted in the overthrow of Communist Party, and the creation of a democratic government in its place.

Why did Czechoslovakia split up?

Czechoslovakia dissolved in what is called the “Velvet Divorce,” in reference to the Velvet Revolution of 1989. The Velvet Divorce was the peaceful end to the union of the Czechs and the Slovaks, instigated by the latter. Though the majority of both the Czechs and the Slovaks were not in favor of the dissolution of Czechoslovakia, the separation went into effect January 1, 1993.

The Czechs and the Slovaks may have never fully merged in the first place, since their relatively recent unification in 1918, making their separation much easier. The peacefulness of the separation is a rarity in history.

What is Czech Republic’s national holiday?

Though the Czech Republic was created as a country on January 1, 1993, the national holiday is Czechoslovak Founding Day on October 28, 1918, which celebrates the day Czechoslovakia became independent from Austria-Hungary.

What languages are spoken in the Czech Republic?

Czech, which was known as Bohemian until the end of the 19^th century, is the official and majority language in the Czech Republic. A Slavic language, Czech is mutually intelligible with Slovak, the language of Slovakia, which is also officially recognized as a minority language in Czech Republic.

What countries border the Czech Republic?

Czech Republic shares a long border with Germany to its west and Austria to its south. Poland borders the Czech Republic on the north, while Slovakia occupies the region to Czech Republic’s southeast.

FAQ about Hungary

What is the capital of Hungary?

The capital of Hungary is Budapest, which in the modern day is consistently ranked among the most beautiful and livable cities on the European continent. Budapest is the center of Hungary’s burgeoning tourist industry, and it sees more tourists every year than the number of people actually living within it!

What is the total population of Hungary?

Hungary is home to nearly 10 million people, about a third of whom live in Budapest or in one of its extensive suburbs. Due to the many border changes that have taken place in Central Europe, there are also several million ethnic Hungarians that live in neighboring countries.

What languages are spoken in Hungary?

The overwhelming majority of Hungarians speak the Hungarian language, as do millions of ethnic Hungarians living elsewhere, making it one of the most widespread non-Indo-European languages on the continent. Interestingly, Hungarian is not closely related to the languages of surrounding countries and has more in common with the Finnish and Estonian languages. There are also many wild theories about the roots of the Hungarian language, including a well-known hypothesis that it is descended from ancient Sumerian (although most scholars doubt this).

What is the national religion in Hungary?

Hungary does not have an official religion, but the majority of the population (around 75%) is Christian in some form, the majority of those being Roman Catholics. Many of the rest are not religiously affiliated. There was once a sizable population of Jewish people in Hungary, but most of them were driven off or killed during the Holocaust in the mid-twentieth century. Today, a much smaller community of Jews remains religiously active in Budapest.

What countries border Hungary?

Present-day Hungary is bordered by Austria, Croatia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Ukraine. It is a land-locked country but occupies a strategically important region of relatively flat land straddling the more mountainous regions of Central Europe.

How big is Hungary?

Hungary takes up an estimated 93,030 square kilometers (or about 35,920 square miles), which all told is a bit smaller than the U.S. state of Indiana. Hungary once took up much more territory, including some Mediterranean coastline, back when it was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

What was the Austro-Hungarian Empire?

 The Austro-Hungarian Empire, sometimes simply referred to as Austria-Hungary, was a dual monarchy that reigned over a large area in Central Europe for more than 50 years. It was formed in 1867 when the royal family that ruled the Austrian Empire, the Habsburgs, agreed to share sovereignty equally with a separate Hungarian state (this was done to pacify Hungarian nationalism within the Austrian Empire, as the Habsburgs’ power had been weakening). Although originally intended as a temporary compromise, the dual kingdoms together formed a major power in Central Europe and ruled for the next half-century. This empire was eventually toppled during World War I, and the nation of Hungary was not able to get back on its feet again before being occupied by the German Nazis and later by Soviet forces. Despite attempts to break free from Soviet rule (most famously during the 1956 Hungarian Revolution), Hungary would not be a sovereign state again until 1989.

 What was the 1956 Hungarian Revolution?

The Hungarian Revolution was an incident in Soviet-controlled Hungary during which demonstrators briefly overthrew the communist government and, against all odds, nearly established a democratic republic. The movement was quickly and brutally put down by Stalinist troops invading from Russia, but has since become an event of historical importance and a point of pride for Hungarian citizens. At the time it occurred, 1956, Western countries like the United States were wrapped up in the Suez Crisis and decided not to intervene when the U.S.S.R. moved to crush the Hungarian rebels. In retrospect, it is seen to have had a multifaceted outcome, solidifying Stalin’s hold on Central Europe while simultaneously stirring doubts in the minds of Communist followers worldwide.

What is the current form of government in Hungary?

Today, Hungary is a fully-functioning parliamentary republic. It was one of the first states in the Soviet Bloc to peacefully break away from the U.S.S.R. during the Cold War thaw in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Unlike  with the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, there was no violence in the transition, and the new republic was able to orient itself within a few years. Hungary’s change in governmental and economic structures is considered to be one of the earliest cracks in the Iron Curtain, and led the way for many other countries to do the same.

Europe Fast Facts

Continent name: Europe

Story behind the name: It is widely believed that Europe is named  after “Europa”, the Phoenician princess from Greek mythology.

Area:  Europe has a land area of  10,181,000 square kilometers or 3,837,000  square miles.

Population: Upwards of 731,000,000, according to 2009 estimates.

Center of Europe: The location of the geographical center of Europe is widely contested, with over 10 cities/villages vying for this honor. Each claimant  is right, as far as their methodology of marking the hypothetical center of Europe is concerned.  Methodologies and their appropriateness are highly subjective, hence this contest is unlikely to have a clear winner. However, one of the finest “record keepers” of our times—the Guinness  Book of World Records—states that the village of Bernotai in Lithuania is the geographic center of Europe.  The government of Lithuania has erected a monument to mark the location  – 54 degrees, 54 minutes latitude and 25 degrees, 19 minutes longitude.

Center of Europe in Lithuania

Euro: Euro as a common currency is used by 23 countries:

1. Austria
2. Belgium
3. Cyprus
4. Estonia
5. Finland
6. France
7. Germany
8. Greece
9. Ireland
10. Italy
11. Luxembourg
12. Malta
13. Netherlands
14. Portugal
15. Slovakia
16. Slovenia
17. Spain
18. Montenegro (Not a member state of European Union)
19. Andorra (Not a member state of European Union)
20. Monaco (Not a member state of European Union)
21. San Marino (Not a member state of European Union)
22. The Vatican (Not a member state of European Union)
23. Kosovo (Status of Kosovo as a country is disputed by Serbia and a few other nations; not a member state of European Union)

Member countries of European Union: As on date, there are 27 member countries:

1. Austria
2. Belgium
3. Bulgaria
4. Cyprus
5. Czech Republic
6. Denmark
7. Estonia
8. Finland
9. France
10. Germany
11. Greece
12. Hungary
13. Ireland
14. Italy
15. Latvia
16. Lithuania
17. Luxembourg
18. Malta
19. Netherlands
20. Poland
21. Portugal
22. Romania
23. Slovakia
24. Slovenia
25. Spain
26. Sweden
27. United Kingdom

Headquarters / Seat of European Union: Brussels

List of countries: 47 + Iceland = 48. Iceland is closer to North America, but as it is culturally closer to Europe, historians and geographers prefer to count it as a European country. Here is the list of all the 48 countries:

1. Albania
2. Andorra
3. Armenia
4. Austria
5. Belarus
6. Belgium
7. Bosnia and Herzegovina
8. Bulgaria
9. Croatia
10. Cyprus
11. Czech Republic
12. Denmark
13. Estonia
14. Finland
15. France
16. Georgia
17. Germany
18. Greece
19. Hungary
20. Iceland
21. Ireland
22. Italy
23. Kosovo
24. Latvia
25. Liechtenstein
26. Lithuania
27. Luxembourg
28. Macedonia
29. Malta
30. Moldova
31. Monaco
32. Montenegro
33. Netherlands
34. Norway
35. Poland
36. Portugal
37. Romania
38. Russia
39.  San Marino
40.  Serbia
41. Slovakia
42. Slovenia
43. Spain
44. Sweden
45. Switzerland
46. Ukraine
47. United Kingdom
48. Vatican City

Top 10 cities in Europe (by population):

1. Istanbul
2. Moscow
3. London
4. St Petersburg
5. Berlin
6. Madrid
7. Rome
8. Kiev
9. Paris
10. Bucharest

Ref: Map of Europe