Ukraine is the second-largest European country, after Russia. Its various regions have diverse geographic features ranging from highlands to lowlands, as well as climatic range and a wide variety in hydrography. Most of the country lies within the East European Plain.
Wheat field in Ukraine
The Carpathian National Park and Hoverla at 2,061 m (6,762 ft), the highest mountain in Ukraine
Kinburn sandbar, Ochakiv Raion, Mykolaiv Oblast
Agricultural works in Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which borders it to the east and northeast. It also borders Belarus to the north; Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary to the west; and Romania and Moldova to the southwest; with a coastline along the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov to the south and southeast. Kyiv is the nation's capital and largest city, followed by Kharkiv, Dnipro and Odesa. Ukraine's official language is Ukrainian; Russian is also widely spoken, especially in the east and south.
Early Indo-European migrations from the Pontic steppes of present-day Ukraine and Russia
The furthest extent of Kievan Rus', 1054–1132
Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky established an independent Cossack state after the 1648 uprising against Poland.
Polish troops enter Kyiv in May 1920 during the Polish–Soviet War. Following the Peace of Riga signed on 18 March 1921, Poland took control of modern-day western Ukraine while Soviets took control of eastern and central Ukraine.
