Economy of Ukraine

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 farming 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, dairy 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 Dnipro 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 Borispil, near Kyiv, at Kharkiv and Odessa. Major ports include Illichevsk, Kerch, Kherson, Mariupil, Mykolayiv, Odessa, Sevastopol and Yalta.

Ukrainian newspapers are privately owned. Leading daily papers include Pravda Ukrainy /Truth of Ukraine/, Rabocha 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.

Fill in the gaps in the following sentences with the verbs given in the box:

1. Ukraine's ________ partners include many countries.

2. Borispil is an international_________ of Ukraine.

3. Ukraine also _______ the iron ore.

4. River ________ is most important inUkraine.

5. Ukraine is known as the _________ of Europe.

Complete the sentences with appropriate words:

1. The nation lacks the modern t_______ and equipment

2. Ukraine's heavy industries produce i______ and steel.

3. Ukraine is known as the b_______ of Europe.

4. Nuclear power plants produce about a f________of Ukraine's electricity.

5. The chief commercial fish from seas and rivers include b______ and trout.

6. Kyiv and Kharkiv have s_______ systems.

7. Service industries employ more than a f_____________ of Ukraine's workers.

8. Ukraine's major trading partners include Canada, Germany and T________.

9. Huge coal deposits lie in the D__________ the center of Ukraine's heavy industry.

10. E______ is the chief service industry in Ukraine.

Find synonyms in each column:

chief manufacture co-worker

powerful known famed

fabricate colleague great

famous strong produce

partner main major

Answer the questions bellow:

1. What kind of economy does Ukraine have nowadays?

2. How many people are employed in the Ukrainian industry?

3. What are the chief service industries in the country?

4. What are the main goods manufactured in Ukraine?

5. Why is Ukraine called a breadbasket of Europe?

6. What are the important crops grown in the country?

7. What minerals are mined in Ukraine?

8. Where does Ukraine import oil and natural gasfrom?

9. What do the chief commercial fish include?

10. What kinds of transport are of common use in Ukraine?

11. What are the main airports and ports?

12. What are Ukraine’s chief exports\imports?

Complete the sentences with appropriate words:

1. Ukraine's present-day economy was developed as ________ of the larger economy of the Soviet Union.

2. While receiving a smaller share of the USSR's investment funds Ukraine was still able to produce a larger share of total output in the ________ and especially _________ sectors of the Soviet economy.

3. Ukraine has extremely _________ mineral resources.

4. ________ form the basis of Ukraine's large iron and steel industry.

5. Energy for thermal power stations is obtained using the large reserves of ________.

6. Both gas and oil productions _______ after 1975, which made Ukraine an importer of fuels today.

7. In many places of the country there are health ______ famous for their mineral springs, and mud baths.

8. Ukraine’s grain and potato output almost ______ that of France, and our country is the world's largest producer of ______.

9. The total output of livestock sector is still considerably ______ than those of most European countries.

10. The main fishing grounds are _______, though they suffer from pollution.

11. Ukraine has a major _______ industry, and it rivals China as the fourth largest _______ producer in the world.

12. The industrial ________ of the country is the Donets Coal Basin.