Water Resources of Our Motherland

Ukrainian Transport

The greatest role in movement of freight and passengers is played by rail transport. The railway network has some 22, 000 km of track. Railways crossing Ukraine ensure communication with many countries of Europe. The largest railway junctions are Kyiv, Kharkiv, Lviv, Dniprpopetroysk, Zaporizhia.

Road transport is important over short distances. Buses are one of the principal forms of passenger transport within the provinces.

Sea transport plays an important part in Ukraine's economy. The Black Sea and Azov fleets consist of large-draught freight vessels. Odesa is the main Black Sea port. Mykolayiv, Kherson, Mariupol are also large ports of Ukraine. The ports of Ukraine ensure trade contacts with over 80 countries.

River transport works closely with rail and sea transport. The length of navigable rivers in Ukraine is close to 5, 000 km.

Air transport has become one of the principal means of passenger and mail conveyance. Ukraine has many airports, the largest being in Kyiv, Lviv, Simferopol, Donetsk, Kharkiv.

Water Resources of Our Motherland

The southern coast of Ukraine is bordered by the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. The Black Sea has a surface area of 423, 000 sq km. There are only a few islands in it. Its depth is 2, 000 m. In the northwest, however, the sea is only 30-60 m deep. The important ports of Odesa, Kherson, Mykolayiv and Sevastopol lie on the Black Sea. The animal life is limited. Among the best known fish are sturgeon, goby, mullet, plaice and such typically Black Sea fish as horse mackerel and scomber.

The Sea of Azov is much less picturesque. Syvash Bay with bitter and very salty waters forms part of the sea. There are wonderful sandy beaches on its northern coast and it is very rich in fish life. It is a small sea, and is the world's most shallow sea, its average depth being 5-7 m.

Rivers are the principle part of Ukraine's water resources. Ukraine has a wealth of rivers. More than a hundred of them are longer than 100 km. The largest rivers are the Dnieper, Dnister, Danube, Southern Buh, Siversky Donets and Tysa. Ukraine's rivers on the whole belong to the basins of the Black and Azov Seas. Only the Western Buh and some other rivers empty into the Baltic Sea.

Ukraine's rivers are predominantly flat. They flow slowly in wide valleys. Rivers flowing off the Carpathian and Crimean Mountains are narrow, shallow and fast. In some of the southern regions there are almost no rivers. Rivers and other water resources (reservoires, lakes, ponds) play an important role in water supply, and are used as sources of energy. Navigable rivers are important for transport.

The Dnieper River has its source in the Valdai Plateau in Smolensk region and flows into the Black Sea. It is 2, 285 km long. In size it is Europe's third-largest river (after the Volga and Danube). The Dnieper's largest tributaries are the Prypiat and Desna.

Another large river is the Dnister, which flows along the border of Ukraine and Moldova having its source in the Carpathians and emptying into the Black Sea. It floods not only in spring, but also in summer after heavy rainfalls. Its largest tributaries are the Stry and Zbruch.

The Danube passes through Ukraine in its lower reaches. It is an important water route linking the country with many European countries. The largest of the Danube's tributaries are the Tysa and Prut.

There are over 3, 000 lakes throughout Ukraine. They are located mostly in Polissia, the Black Sea lowlands and the Crimea. The largest freshwater lakes are Yalpuh (220 sq km) in the Danube flood plain and Svytiazke in Polissia (27 sq km).

Ukraine has insufficient water supplies. The scarcest water resources are in southeastern Ukraine in the area where industry is centered. There are no local sources of water supply in such large cities as Kharkiv, Lviv, and Kryvy Rih. Thus canals have been dug from reservoires on the Dnieper to provide water to the arid regions of the country.

The Agricultural Country

Ukraine has very favourable conditions for the development of agricultural production: fertile soils, temperately warm climate, a well-developed industry processing agricultural raw materials. All the principle areas of plant cultivation are: grain and crops, meadow culture, fruit and vegetable raising. Almost half the cropping area is occupied by cereals such as winter wheat, maize and legumes, rye, oats and barley. The principal grain crop, winter wheat, is sown mainly in the Steppe and Forest-Steppe zones. Maize is grown mostly in Trans-carpathia and Steppe Zones. Buckwheat, millet, rice play an important role. Among the industrial crops such as sugar, beet, sunflower, flax the leading position is occupied by sugar beet. Close to 40 types of vegetable crop are grown in Ukraine: cabbage, tomato, cucumber, red beet, carrot, onion, garlic, etc. Melon-growing is practised mainly in the south. Potatoes occupy 6 % of soil under cultivation.

Animal husbandry is the second-largest component of agriculture. Like plant cultivation, livestock production is divided into branches. The most widespread branch is cattle breeding, pig raising is another important area. Sheep farming is also practised.

The poultry industry is spread through all the regions. Birds farmed include chicken, duck, goose, turkey. There are large mechanized poultry factories to produce eggs and meat.

Fish farming is growing in importance, with carp, being the most common fish. Trout, which is to be found in the mountain rivers, is of commercial interest too.

Bee-keeping is spread through all zones. It is extensively practised on private plots. Fur animals being farmed include the silver and blue fox, mink and nutria.