Chapter 1 GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE Ukraine covers 233,032 square miles 603,550 sq km in eastern Europe Moldova Romania Hungary Slovakia and Poland border it to the west Belarus forms its northwestern border Russia lies to the east and northeast The Black Sea and the Sea of Azov form Ukraine’s southern border The Crimean Peninsula lies to the south 4
Most of Ukraine lies on the East European Plain The land is mostly flat Its rich soil makes it great for agriculture Ukraine is sometimes called the breadbasket of Europe because it grows so much grain Ukraine has two main highland areas The Carpathian Mountains rise in the far western part of the country The nation’s highest point Mount Hoverla is part of this range Its peak rises 6,762 feet 2,061 m above sea level The Crimean Mountains lie in Crimea Fields of wheat grow on the plains of Ukraine 5
Rivers and Lakes More than twenty thousand rivers flow across Ukraine Its longest is the Dnieper It flows 1,368 miles 2,201 km through western Russia Belarus and Ukraine and empties into the Black Sea Many of Ukraine's biggest cities including the capital Kyiv lie along its banks Other major rivers in Ukraine include the Southern Bug sometimes spelled Buh Dniester and Donets The Dnieper is one of thousands of rivers in Ukraine
AN AERIAL VIEW OF LAKE KUHURLUI AND LAKE YALPUH Ukraine has more than three thousand lakes Lake Yalpuh is the nation’s largest natural lake It lies in southern Ukraine near the borders of Moldova and Romania It’s a shallow lake covering about 58 square miles 150 sq km Larger reservoirs created by people include the Kremenchuk and the Kakhovka
