How big is Ukraine? Where is it? Your simple questions about Ukraine, answered
All eyes are on Ukraine as Russian ground forces move into the country.
Ukrainian cities and bases were invaded by Russian troops Thursday, Feb. 24, as civilians tried to flee the country, The Associated Press reported. Airstrikes were launched and Russian tanks crossed the border as part of a “full-scale war.”
The attack was quickly condemned by President Joe Biden, calling it “unprovoked and unjustified.”
As Ukraine is attacked, some people may have simple questions about the country. Here are your questions about Ukraine, answered.
Where is Ukraine?
Ukraine is bordered by several countries in eastern Europe.
Russia is north and northeast of Ukraine, , Belarus is to the north, Poland and Slovakia are to the northwest, Hungary is to the west and Romania and Moldova are to the south.
The Black Sea also borders the country in the south.
How big is Ukraine?
Ukraine is the second-largest country in Europe after Russia and measures about 233,060 square miles. For comparison, Texas is just slightly bigger at 268,597 square miles. It’s almost twice as large as the size of California.
What is the population of Ukraine?
About 43.7 million people live in Ukraine, which is more than California (39.2 million), the most populated state in the U.S.
Nearly 3 million people live in the nation’s capital Kyiv, which is slightly larger than Chicago.
Who is the leader of Ukraine?
Volodymyr Zelenskyy was elected as president of Ukraine in 2019.
The 44-year-old was an actor before becoming president, and he starred in the television series called “Servant of the People,” People reported.
He “unexpectedly” became president after frustration built among Ukrainians.
“He was the beneficiary of disillusionment and frustration that had built up in Ukraine by 2019 as a result both of the war in Donbas, which remained unsettled, also the unchecked role of the oligarchs,” The New Yorker’s Joshua Yaffa told NPR. “Again, it was clear the Ukrainian people were desperate for an alternative — any alternative.”
Zelenskyy won in a landslide election against incumbent Petro Poroshenko. He ran on an anti-corruption platform and campaigned on “easing tensions with Russia,” People reported.
What kind of government does Ukraine have?
The country is considered a unitary republic. It’s under partial control of a presidential system, and it has three levels of government. Like the U.S., those are legislative, executive and judiciary.
The president is elected by the people to serve a five-year term as the commander in chief and oversee the executive level of the government.
He or she then appoints a prime minister with approval from the legislature. The prime minister becomes the head of the government and the head of the president’s cabinet.
Together, the cabinet and prime minister can introduce legislation to the legislative unit called Verkhovna Rada, or the Supreme Council of Ukraine.
The country has undergone rapid political change since it declared independence in 1991 and adopted a new constitution in 1996.
Freedom House, which grades countries on democracy, gives Ukraine a score of 61/100. Comparatively, Russia received a 19, and the U.S. got a score of 83.
What time is it in Ukraine?
There are two time zones in Ukraine. The country is in both Eastern European Time and Moscow Standard Time.
Those time zones are seven and eight hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time in the U.S.
For example, if it’s 4 p.m. in New York City, it’s 11 p.m. in Kyiv and midnight in Donetsk.
This story was originally published February 24, 2022 at 1:04 PM with the headline "How big is Ukraine? Where is it? Your simple questions about Ukraine, answered."