ALL ABOUT UKRAINE Just a few facts ! - TCDSB.org

ALL ABOUT UKRAINE
   Just a few facts !

Where is Ukraine?

Ukraine is found in Europe.
(Don't say the Ukraine)

Its neighbors are:
• Russia to the north and
    east
• Belarus to the north
• Poland, Slovakia and
    Hungary to the west
• Romania and Moldova
    to the south.

Map of UKRAINE

• Ukraine declared independence on Aug. 24, 1991

• Population of Ukraine: 44,381,300

• Territory of Ukraine: 603,700 sq. km.

• Capital of Ukraine: KYIV (population 2,894,900)
  pronounced KY (like in kick), I (like in yield), V (like in water)

• Ukraine is divided into 24 Oblasts (like provinces)

• Each oblast is named after its main city

• Crimea was an autonomous region that was forcibly
  taken over by Russia in 2014. Many countries in the
  world do not acknowledge this takeover.

Flag of Ukraine
The flag is blue and yellow. The yellow symbolizes Ukraine’s wheat
fields. The blue symbolizes the sky above and some say Ukraine’s
rivers and mountains.

Ukrainian State Coat of Arms - TRYZUB
The Tryzub – meaning trident is an ancient sign. It was used by Prince Volodymyr
the Great on gold and silver coins used in Kyivan Rus (Ukraine’s ancient name)

Ukraine’s National Anthem
•   The words and music were written in the 1860’s and performed as a choral
    work. The song became very popular since it was a vocal protest against
    Ukraine’s occupation by other nations.
•   It was sung as the anthem in 1918, when Ukraine declared its
    independence, but was forbidden during Soviet times. Outside of Ukraine,
    ukrainians all over the world continued singing it as the anthem.

•   It was officially accepted in Ukraine in 1992.

Approximate translation:
        Ukraine’s glory, nor her freedom, has not yet perished,
         Fate shall smile once again upon us, brothers,
         Our enemies will vanish, like dew in the sun,
         And we too shall rule, brothers, in a free land of our own.
        Refrain x 2
        We’ll give our souls and bodies for our freedom,
        And we’ll show that we are brothers of the Cossack nation!

National animals of Ukraine
•   The BEAR is wise, strong, and            •   The STORK is a symbol of parental
    independent.                                 love, family welfare and patriotism.
•   His awakening in spring is a symbol of   •   Stork’s nests, built on rooftops of the
    renewal and a new life cycle.                houses, are thought to bring fortune
                                                 and happiness to the household.

National plants
•   SUNFLOWER is the national flower. It         •   The Guelder-rose or KALYNA is the national
    symbolizes the warmth and power of the sun       tree (shrub). It is a symbol of life, blood and
    and wellbeing.                                   fire. It is also a symbol for the timeless unity
•   Painted and embroidered sunflowers are           of the Ukrainian nation.
    very popular in folk art.                    •   The leaves and red berries are used to
                                                     decorate wedding breads.

Religion in Ukraine
•   From the acceptance of Christianity in 988,   •   St. Sofia Church in Kyiv was built in
    religion flourished.                              1017. It is part of a larger complex that
•   Many churches were built.                         includes a bell tower and residential
•   Under the Soviet rule, religion was banned,       building for clergy, that were added
    many churches were burnt and priests were         throughout the years. The church has
    persecuted.                                       gone through many restorations,
•   Even before independence, religion                however the exposed brick is part of
    resurfaced.                                       the original building.
                                                  •    UNESCO world heritage site
Nowadays, the largest denominations in Ukraine
are:
• Ukrainian Orthodox
• Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox
• Ukrainian Greek Catholic (Byzantine
    Catholic Church)
• Roman Catholic

There are also a number of Protestant, Judaic
and Islamic denominations.

Ukrainian Byzantine Catholic Church
•   Part of the Ukrainian Orthodox
    Church converted to Catholicism
    in 1596.
•   Ukrainian Catholic Church
    belongs to the group of Byzantine
    Rite Eastern Catholic Churches.
•   Other Churches belonging to this
    rite are Slovak, Greek, Melkite,
    Bulgarian – among others.
•   Ukrainian Catholic rite is similar to
    the Ukrainian Orthodox Rite. The
    language of the liturgy is
    Ukrainian.
•   Ukrainian churches are beautifully
    decorated with icons. A screen
    with icons called the
    ICONOSTASIS separates the               Iconostasis in Ukrainian church in Lourdes,
    sanctuary from the congregation.        France.

CURRENCY
•   HRYVNIA is the name of currency in
    Ukraine. It comes from an old word -
    name of a measure of silver in the X
    century.

•   After Ukraine proclaimed
    independence in 1991, they needed
    their own currency and Canadian
    Bank Note Company was chosen to
    create it.

•   Some of the first Ukrainian Hryvni
    were printed in Canada in 1992.
    New bills were kept in Canada until
    its circulation in 1996.

•   There are 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100,
    200, 500 Hryvnia bills/nominations.

•   Famous historical figures and poets
    are depicted on one side. Buildings
    and/or monuments associated with
    these figures are on the reverse
    side.

1

Ukrainian Coins

• Coins are called
  “kopijky”.
• They come in 1, 2, 5,
  10, 25 and 50
  denominations.
• Just as Canada has
  gotten rid of the
  1cent coin, the 1 and
  2 “kopijky” coins are
  becoming obsolete.
• Ukraine has issued
  some coins in
  addition to the bank
  notes. They come in
  1, 2, 5 and 10 Hryvni
  denominations.

Ukrainian Alphabet - history
• Ukrainian language uses Cyrillic alphabet.

• Cyrillic is based on the Glagolithic (Old Slavonic) and Greek
  alphabets.

• The Glagolithic and Cyrillic alphabets were developed by the
  brothers St. Cyril and St. Methodius to use in translating the Bible
  into Slavic languages in the IX c.

• The alphabet came into Kyivan Rus (Ukraine) around the time of the
  arrival of Christianity in 988.

• Many Slavic languages (Bulgarian, Macedonian, Serbian, Russian,
  Belorussian, Tatar, Montenegrin) use Cyrillic alphabet with some
  unique letters in each.

• Ukrainian alphabet or ABETKA has 33 letters.

Ukrainian Alphabet 1 - pronunciation
Letter Name   Pronounce as   Letter Name   Pronounce as
Cyrillic                     CYrillic
А а   А       a as in mama   Ж ж   Zhe     zh as in measure

Б б   Be      b as in bus    З з   Ze      z   as in zoo

В в   Ve      v as in very   І і   I       i   as in Easter

Г г   He      h as in hard   Ї ї   Yi      yi as in yeast

Ґ ґ   Ge      g as in gas    Й й   Yot     y as in yoga

Д д   De      d as in dog    К к   Ka      k   as in kite

Е е   E       e as in pet    Л л   eL      l   as in like

Є є   Ye      ye as in yet   М м   eM      m as in mouse

Ukrainian Alphabet 2 - pronunciation
Letter Name Pronounced as             Letter Name       Pronounced as
Cyrillic                              Cyrillic
Н н    eN    n as in nose             Х х   Kha         kh as in Bach

О о    O     o as in got              Ц ц   Tse         ts as in mitts

П п    Pe    p as in pet              Ч ч   Che         ch as in church

Р р    Re    r as in trois (French)   Ш ш   She         sh as in shoe
С с    eS    s as in sun
                                      Щ щ   Shche       shch as in fish chowder
Т т    Te    t as in tick                   Softening
                                      Ь ь               Makes the consonant
                                            sound
                                                        before softer
У у    Oo    oo as in soon
                                      Ю ю   Yu          yu as in you
Ф ф    eF    f as in fish
                                      Я я   Ya          ya as in Maya