11 Less Known Facts You Didn't Know About Ukraine, The Heart Of Europe

Russia's ground forces on Thursday crossed into Ukraine from several directions, Ukraine's border guard service said, hours after President Vladimir Putin announced the launch of a major offensive. 

Russian tanks and other heavy equipment crossed the frontier in several northern regions, as well as from the Kremlin-annexed peninsula of Crimea in the south, the agency said.

Reuters

Ukraine has suffered heavy casualties in its eight-year conflict with Russian-backed rebels in the separatist east, but rather than all of these, Ukraine is a country known for its beautiful and diverse landscape, well-preserved culture and tradition, beautiful women and a terrible nuclear disaster. Many people don’t know that much about Ukraine, other than maybe its flag and conflicts with Russia. So here are some interesting facts that make Ukraine so special!

1. The largest country in Europe

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If you don’t include Russia which lies both in Asia and Europe, Ukraine is the biggest country in terms of area in Europe. The total area of Ukraine is 603.55 square km. While Ukraine is the biggest country in terms of area in Europe, it is not big in terms of population. With a population of about 43 million people, it is smaller than the population of Germany and France.

ALSO READ: Russia-Ukraine Crisis: Military Capabilities Of Russia and Ukraine

2. Ukraine has seven World Heritage Sites

Little Known Facts About Ukraine | globalheritagetravel

Ukraine is home to seven sites protected by the UNESCO World Heritage List, they are also among the best places in Ukraine to visit. These include Kyiv’s Saint-Sophia Cathedral and Lviv’s historic centre, unique wooden churches in the Carpathians and the beech forests that surround them. Here’s a rundown of the amazing protected places you need to visit during your holidays in Ukraine. 

3. National costume of Ukraine is Vyshyvanka

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Vyshyvanka is the name of the National Costume of Ukraine. This is differentiated from others because of its embroidery work which features Ukrainian embroidery. Vyshyvanka is a plain white shirt made of linen and decorated with floral or ornamental hand-sewn embroidery. And the speciality of the costume is that it is worn by both men and women.

4. Home of many Ghost Towns

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The deadliest nuclear disaster of all time, the Chernobyl Disaster, happened in Ukraine. The site where this disaster happened and its surroundings are located in northern Ukraine and are part of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, established by the USSR soon after the accident in 1986. Within the zones are a number of abandoned towns, most notably Pripyat, that draw interest from all over the world. Tours of the area, including the power plant, are available, at the risk of the traveller.

5. Famous 'Tunnel Of Love' is located here

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The Tunnel of Love is a semi-abandoned railway line in Klaven, North-Western Ukraine noted as being the most romantic place on earth. This enchanting natural train tunnel is surrounded by green arches formed by trees on both sides of the single-track railway line. Its romantic setting attracts many couples to the place. According to local legends, couples who visit the place will have their wishes granted.

6. Deepest Metro Station in the World

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The deepest metro station in the world is Arsenalna station on the Sviatoshynsko – Brovarska line located in Kyiv – the capital city of Ukraine. This subway station was opened on the 6th November 1960 as part of the first stage of the Kyiv Metro built and designed by the Soviet Union. The deepest metro station is Kyiv Metro's Arsenalna station located at a depth of 105.5 meters (346 ft).

7. Invented the gas lamp

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The gas lamp invented by two Lviv-based pharmacists - Jan Zeh and Ignacy Łukasiewicz in 1853 is one of these groundbreaking inventions. Invented by a local pharmacist in a store called At the Golden Star, today the achievement is remembered by a cafe called Gasova L’ampa found in the same building.

8. World’s largest Sunflower seed producer

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Ukraine is the world's largest producer of sunflower seeds, followed closely by Russia. The US is the world's 10th largest producer of sunflower seeds, with most being grown in South Dakota and North Dakota. It is estimated that the total size of Ukraine’s sunflower farmlands could cover the entire territory of Slovenia.

9. The 'Breadbasket Of Europe'

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The vast tracts of arable land in Ukraine with fertile black soil made it an ideal place for growing wheat and other food crops. As such, it was nicknamed the "Breadbasket of Europe”. Today, Ukraine continues to be one of the largest producers of wheat in the world.

10. Heaviest Aircraft Ever

Little Known Facts About Ukraine | AFP

The An-225 is the heaviest aircraft ever built, with a maximum takeoff weight of 710 tons. It holds the record for total airlifted payload at 559,580 pounds, as well as airlifted single-item payload at 418,830 pounds. The Antonov An-225 Mriya was built in Kiev, Ukraine while it was still a part of the Soviet Union. It also has the largest wingspan of any functional aircraft.

11. Ukraine or the Ukraine

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The use of "the Ukraine" is officially deprecated by the Ukrainian government and many English language media publications. Ukraine is the official full name of the country, as stated in its declaration of independence and its constitution; there is no official alternative long name.

Ukraine officially declared itself an independent country on August 24, 1991, when the communist Supreme Soviet (parliament) of Ukraine proclaimed that Ukraine would no longer follow the laws of the USSR and only the laws of the Ukrainian SSR, de facto declaring Ukraine's independence from the Soviet Union.

In 1993 the Ukrainian government requested that the country be called just Ukraine. US ambassador William Taylor, who knew that the addition of the “the” was considered insulting by some Ukrainians, said it implied a disregard for the country’s sovereignty.