Answer the questions

1. Where does Ukraine import oil and natural gas from?

2. What agreement did Ukraine sign with Iran in 1992?

3. What is the daily flow of the well number 4?

4. What is its potential?

5. Are there gas wells in your region?

UKRAINE'S ECONOMY

In 1995-1999, two interrelated processes were characteristic of Ukraine's economy, namely its assertion as that of independent state, and its transformation from planned-centralized to market-controlled.

These processes follow a complicated, often winding course, but there are all the prerequisites for their effective accomplishment.

Historically the following two factors determined the development of Ukrainian lands: firstly, the presence of fertile chornozem soils, and, secondly, remarkably convenient geographical location on the crossroads of international trade routes.

The export-import structure was also characteristic of the state formation existing in the current Ukrainian territories. At the same time the developing of plough farming, ferrous metallurgy and crafts led to an upsurge of such contacts between Rus'-Ukraine and other countries. Ukraine turned into Europe's " granary". The Ukrainian agrarian " gubernias" began to transform as agrarian-industrial regions only in the second half of the 19^th century. The Donetsk Coal Basin (Donbas) and the Kryvyi Rih Iron Ore Basin became Russia's leading industrial venues.

Present-day independent Ukraine has a considerable potential to quickly develop its economy — and this is explained not only by favourable natural conditions, but also by the convenient geographical position in terms of international trade exchanges.

In Donbas the coal deposits are estimated at 2, 000, 000, 000 tons. Some 4.2 billion tons of hydrogenous (brown) coal are to be found in the Dnieper Basin.

Ukraine's iron and manganese ore deposits are considered the richest in the world, primary in Kryvyi Rih Basin (up to 62% of pure iron) and the Nikopol Basin. There are also considerable reserves of titanium, nickel, chrome, mercury and other rare metals.

The non-ore deposits are quite variegated (for instance, sulphur, phosphorites, potash salts, refractories, flux, granite, marble, porcelain, clay, chalk etc.).

Still, the oil and gas deposits of Subcarpathia (Prykarpattya) and Left-Bank Ukraine cannot satisfy their own needs in these energy resources.

Ukraine's labour pool amounts to 22.7 million persons, 17.3 million of whom are employed in the national economy, including 32% in the industries, 24% in agriculture and forestry, 44% in the communal sphere, medicine and public education.

Industry is the most important area of Ukraine's economy. A great proportion of it is occupied by the heavy industry, especially the steel, machine-building and coal industries. A considerable part is played by the food and light industries. Top position is held by machine building.

The black coal industry is concentrated in two basins: Donetsk and L'viv - Volhynia. The largest centre of the brown coal industry is Kirovograd region (oblast). The oil and gas industries are located in the Subcarpathian and Left-Bank regions, but the extraction of oil and natural gas is insufficient to satisfy the country's needs.

Ukraine has a strong power generation industry. Large thermal and hydroelectric stations have been built. There are 10 nuclear power plants in Ukraine. Apart from the infamous plant in ChornobyP (closed), others are to be found in Rivne, Zaporizhzhya, Khmel'nyts'kyi, the Crimea and Mykolayiv regions.

The metallurgical industry includes the ferrous and non-ferrous industries. Metallurgical plants are spread through three regions — the Donbas, Dnieper and Azov Coast regions.

The machine-building industry is presently the largest branch of industry. Instrument-making is one of the most scattered branches. A plant in Sumy produces all such diverse instruments as electron microscopes and cine-cameras. An important place is occupied by heavy machine building, which provides plant and equipment an for metallurgy, power stations and cement plants. A large plant is located in Kramators'k and is a leading supplier of metallurgical equipment and powerful excavators. Smaller enterprises have been built in other centres of the Donbas and Dnieper area. Here large plants turn out powerful turbines, generators and steam boilers.

Shipbuilding is now an important branch of industry. Seagoing vessels are built at shipyards located in Mykolayiv, Kherson and Kyiv.

The motor vehicle industry sprung up after WW II. Buses are produced in L'viv, passenger cars in Zaporizhzhya, lorries in Kremenchuk, and both passenger and transport vehicles in Luts'k. Kharkiv has a specialized vehicle engine works, ip Aeroplanes are built in Kyiv and Kharkiv.

Farm machinery plants produce nearly all types of soil cultivating, sowing and harvesting machines. The manufacture of tractors and combine harvesters is concentrated in large plants such as Kharkiv Tractor Works.

The chemical industry embraces the production of acids, alkalis, salts, fertilizers, i₅ dyes, detergents, plastics, synthetic fibres, pharmaceuticals and other goods.

The manufacture of building materials is well-developed all over Ukraine.

Ukrainian limestone, sandstone, marble, granite, gabbro and labradorite already face thousands of buildings throughout the country. Cement works are located mainly in the Donetsk-Dnieper and Southwestern Economic Areas.

Ukraine's food industry is located mostly in the Forest-Steppe (sugar), the Steppe (vegetable oils), the South (fruit canning, wine).

There are many textile enterprises in Ukraine: cotton (Kherson, Ternopil'), linen (Rivne, Zhytomyr), wool (Chernihiv, Luhans'k), silk (Kyiv, Cherkassy). Garment and footwear industries are located in large population centres. China and pottery enterprises have developed in Kharkiv, Slovyans'k, in the area of Novohrad Volyns'kyi.

3. Prepare the project “Economy of Ukraine”