Introducing
Prezi AI.
Your new presentation assistant.
Refine, enhance, and tailor your content, source relevant images, and edit visuals quicker than ever before.
Trending searches
Loading…
3
Transcript
Ukraine
More than a thousand years ago a powerful state, Kievan Rus, was founded in an area that is now part of Ukraine. National flags did not exist at that time, but Kievan Rus used as its symbol a trident head, which was resurrected when Ukraine became independent in 1918 and in 1991. They based their flag, consisting of equal horizontal stripes of yellow over blue. Late in 1918 the decision was made to reverse the stripes of the 1848 flag to reflect the symbolism of “blue skies over golden wheat fields.”
Brief History of Ukraine
- Ukraine was first populated by nomadic tribes across central and eastern Europe. Namely, the Goths and other Germanic tribes. Both Greece and Rome established cities in the Ukraine when at the peak of their empires.
- In the 10th century, the Kievan Rus emerged as a growing city-state based out of the city of Kiev. By the 11th century the Kieven Rus was the largest empire in Europe.
- With the rule of Vladimir the Great in 980, the Kievan Rus became a Christian empire and reached its peak under the rule of his son, Yaroslav the Wise.
- In the 12th century the empire began to decline and in the 13th century Mongol raiders destroyed the city of Kiev.
History Continued...
- Polish invaders arrived in Ukraine in the late 1500s. The Poles forced most Ukrainians to be serfs, or to work as farmers on land they didn’t own.
- Some serfs rebelled and formed a military force called the Cossacks.
- In 1648, the Cossacks asked for Russia’s help to defeat the Poles, and the Cossacks won independence. But by the late 1700s, Russia had gained control of almost all of Ukraine.
- In the late 19th century and the early 20th century, many Ukrainians tried to keep their culture and traditions alive. But Russia pushed back and banned the Ukrainian language in print and in public. By 1922, Ukraine was part of the newly formed Soviet Union.
History Continued Continued...
- After the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, Ukraine declared its independence and elected the country’s first president, Leonid Kravchuk. The country did well at first. It established new currency—the hryvnia (like the U.S. dollar)—and adopted the 1996 constitution.
- In February 2022, Putin announced an invasion on the country and sent troops to take over major cities, including the capital, Kyiv. Ukrainian citizens have been fighting back against the attacks, and Zelensky has vowed to remain in the country and fight until Ukraine regains its freedom.
Geography
- Ukraine, the second-largest country in Europe, is twice the size of Italy and slightly smaller than the state of Texas.
- Most of Ukraine is flat, with mountains found only in the west (the Carpathians) or in the south of the Crimean Peninsula (the Crimeans).
- The country’s fertile plains, called steppes, are ideal for growing crops like wheat.
- Ukraine is sometimes called the “breadbasket of Europe.”
- The Dnieper, Ukraine’s longest river and Europe’s fourth-longest river, flows down from Belarus straight through the middle of Ukraine and into the Black Sea in the south.
People & Culture
- Despite being one of Europe’s largest countries in size, Ukraine’s population of about 43 million people makes it less populated than smaller European countries such as Germany and France.
- Most people are native Ukrainians, with Russians making up the next largest group.
- Most Ukrainians are Christians, following a branch known as Eastern Orthodoxy. A small number of Ukrainians are Jewish or Muslim (people who practice Islam).
- Popular dishes in Ukraine include borscht, a hot beetroot soup traditionally served with garlic doughnuts; varenyky, dumplings stuffed with fillings like potatoes, sauerkraut, or strawberries; holubtsi, cabbage rolls stuffed with boiled rice or meat; and deruni, potato pancakes.
Nature
- Ukraine is home to fertile grasslands, high mountains, and dense forests. Native predators include wolves, martens, and foxes; they might prey on rodents like hamsters and jerboa.
- In 1986, a nuclear accident had a devastating impact on northern Ukraine’s environment.
- A reactor at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant exploded, killing many people and animals in Ukraine.
- Contaminated farmlands near Chernobyl are expected to be unsafe for thousands of years.
- But scientists also saw a surprising positive impact. Much of the area surrounding the plant was closed to the public because of dangerous radioactive contamination. And because of the lack of people, more wildlife has been returning to the area.
- Cameras in the area, called the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, have even spotted rare animals such as lynx and European bison.
Interesting Facts:
- The world’s longest wind instrument is the Ukrainian trembita. The Guinness Book of Records lists it as a wooden trumpet that ranges in length from 2.5 to 8 metres and has a diameter of roughly 30 mm.
- In mountain villages, the trembita was used as a means of communication to notify events like the start and conclusion of the workday, childbirth, marriage, impending danger and more.
- Painting Easter Eggs may have originated in Ukraine.
- The practice originated in the prehistoric Trypillian culture. Tales reveal that the Peoples who lived in the region (now known as Ukraine) worshipped the sun.
- The art of the decorated egg (Pysanky Egg) (from the Ukrainian verb pysaty, to write), was created to honor the sun and it's life giving qualities. The egg, with its yoke inside, was thought to resemble the sun.
Sunflowers
- The sunflower is Ukraine's national flower.
- The country is the world’s largest producer of sunflower seeds.
- Sunflowers have been cultivated in Ukraine since at least the 18th century. They are now widely grown across the country as an ornamental flower and a source of food, oil, and even fodder for livestock.
- Ukrainians view the vibrant flower as a symbol of peace and resilience.
- After the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster in 1986, Ukrainians planted sunflowers in the devastated area. The flowers not only represented renewal and hope, but they helped extract toxins from the soil.
The Chernobyl Disaster
- In the early morning hours of April 26, 1986, the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine (formerly part of the Soviet Union) exploded, creating what many consider the worst nuclear disaster the world has ever seen.
- The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant is located about 81 miles (130 kilometers) north of the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, and about 12 miles (20 km) south of the border with Belarus.
- It is made up of four reactors that were designed and built during the 1970s and 1980s.
Continued...
- The city of Pripyat, founded in 1970, was the nearest town to the power plant at just under 2 miles (3 km) away and housed almost 50,000 people in 1986. It was completely evacuate within 36 hours of the accident.
- The explosion occurred on April 26, 1986, during a routine maintenance check.
- Operators were planning to test the electrical systems when they turned off vital control systems, going against the safety regulations.
- This caused the reactor to reach dangerously unstable and low-power levels.
- The explosions then occurred at 1:23 a.m. on April 26, destroying reactor 4 and initiating a booming fire.
- Radioactive debris of fuel and reactor components rained over the area while fire spread from the building housing reactor 4 to adjacent buildings.
- The initial fire was stifled by about 5 a.m., but the resulting graphite-fueled fire took 10 days and 250 firefighters to extinguish, according to the NEA. However, toxic emissions continued to be pumped into the atmosphere for an additional 10 days.
Choose a template
Presentations from around the world
Learn more about creating dynamic, engaging presentations with Prezi