Economy of Ukraine

What is economy of Ukraine?

Does Ukraine mine natural gas?

What cities have subway systems?

Ukraine has a developed economy with strong industry and agriculture. Ukraine is a major producer of iron and steel, machines, ships, chemical fertilizers, grain, sugar beets, dairy products, meat and wine. In the 1990's Ukraine began changing its economy from one owned and controlled by the government to an economy based on free enterprise. In this kind of economy, individual owners and managers run their own businesses.

However, the nation lacks the modern technology and equipment in its factories and on its farms. About two-fifth of Ukraine's people work in industry, and about a fifth work in agriculture. Most other Ukrainians have jobs in such service industries as education and health care.

Manufacturing. Ukraine's heavy industries produce iron and steel and such machines as tractors, machine tools, and mining equipment. Ukraine also produces automobiles, trucks, buses, locomotives and railway cars, airplanes, and ships. Many of Ukraine's heavy industries are in the Donbas region, near mines that supply raw materials.

Ukraine also manufactures chemical fertilizers, refined sugar, and canned foods. Ukraine is a producer of consumer goods, including TV-sets, washing machines, refrigerators, clothes and shoes.

Agriculture. Ukraine is famous for its agricultural production and is known as the breadbasket of Europe. Its moderate climate and rich black soils, called chernozem, have made the country one of the world's most productive fanning regions. Ukraine ranks among the leading countries in the production of sugar beets and wheat. Other important crops> include barley, corn, potatoes, sunflowers, and tobacco. Ukrainian farmers also raise beef, diary cattle and hogs. Near cities, farmers often grow fruits and vegetables to sell at markets.

Mining. Ukraine is a leading producer of manganese, which is used in making steel. The country also produces nickel and titanium. Huge coal deposits lie in the Donbas, the center of Ukraine's heavy industry. Ukraine also mines iron ore, natural gas, and salt.

Energy sources. Coal, natural gas, and petroleum have long been important sources of electric power in Ukraine. The country also has hydroelectric plants located mainly on the Dnieper River. During the 1980's, nuclear power plants began providing an important new source of energy. Today, these plants produce about a fourth of Ukraine's electricity. Many Ukrainians, however, oppose the use nuclear energy because of an accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in north-central Ukraine in 1986. Ukraine imports much oil and natural gas from Russia and Tajikistan. In 1992, Ukraine signed an agreement with Iran to build a pipeline through Azerbaijan to bring Iranian oil and gas to Ukraine.

Fishing. Ukrainian fishing fleets operate mainly in the Antarctic and Indian Oceans, and in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. Ukrainians also fish in Ukraine's rivers and lakes. Ocean fleets catch mackerel and tuna. River fishing is most important on the Dnieper and lower Danube rivers. The chief commercial fish from seas and rivers include bream, carp, perch, pike, and trout.

Transportation and communication. Ukraine has a well-developed transportation system. Most of the system is owned by the government. Ukraine's highways include about 147.000 km of paved', roads. About a third of Ukraine people own automobiles or motorcycles. Buses and taxis are common in larger cities. Kyiv and Kharkiv have subway systems. A large railroad network connects major cities and industrial centers.

Ukraine's chief airports are at Borispol, near Kyiv, at Kharkiv and Odessa, Major ports include Illichevsk, Kerch, Kherson, Mariupol, Mykolayiv, Odessa, Sevastopol and Yalta.

Ukrainian newspapers are privately owned. Leading daily papers include, Pravda Ukrainy /Truth of Ukraine/, Rabochaya Gazeta /Worker Newspaper/, Silski Visti /Country News/ and Vilna Ukraina /Free Ukraine/.

Service. Service industries employ more than a forth of Ukraine's workers. The country's chief service industries include education, scientific research and engineering, health care, transportation, and trade.

Trade. Ukraine's chief exports are wheat, sugar beets, coal, construction equipment, and manufactured goods. Ukraine imports oil, natural gas, wood products, rubber, and consumer goods. Ukraine's major trading partners include Canada, Germany, Hungary, Iran, Poland, Russia, and Tajikistan.