Geography
Ukraine is in the middle of Europe. It has many forests and picturesque rivers, boundless steppes, mountains of medium height, sweet-smelling meadows, and thousands of kilometers of seashore. The Ukrainian flag is popularly described as borrowing its colors from the golden wheatfields and blue sky. Seventy percent of the land in the Ukraine is used for agriculture. Ukraine was a part of the Soviet Union until December 1991. |
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Etiquette
There are a few simple rules of etiquette that should be followed when visiting Ukraine: - When visiting a family home, make sure to bring a small gift: a cake or flowers is customary. - If you are bringing flowers as a gift, make sure the number of flowers is odd. It is considered bad luck to have an even amount of flowers. It is also bad luck to shake hands across the threshold of a door. - Be careful complimenting the belongings in someone's home because they may offer it to you. - Do not refuse food - it is rude to do so. - In Orthodox and Greek-Catholic churches, women wear scarves or hats on their head. Men take off their hats. |
Language
The State language is Ukrainian. Many Ukrainians are bilingual and speak Russian as well. Among foreign languages the most popular is English, though it is not possible to guarantee that you would meet plenty of Ukrainians speaking English fluently. Symbol One of Ukraine's best known symbols around the world is the pysanky. These are beautiful hand painted Easter eggs. It has been tradition for hundreds of years to make or buy pysanky at Easter and have them blessed at church. They are given to family and friends as a sign of good health and friendship. |