|
Ethnic
Ukrainians make up more than seven-tenths of the total population
of about fifty million people. The Ukrainian language is related
to Russian and Belarussian and belongs to the Slavic group
of languages.
Russians
are the largest minority group, accounting for about two-
tenths of the population. Other ethnic minorities of varying
sizes are Belarussian, Moldavians, Poles, Bulgarians, Jews,
Greeks, Tartars, and others. The highest population densities
are found in the industrialized Donets Basin and Dnipro Bend
regions and in the agriculturally productive forest- steppe
belt.
Ukraine
has 49.5 mln. residents (as of beginning of 2001). In terms
of population, Ukraine ranks 5th in Europe (after Germany,
Italy, Great Britain and France) and 21st in the world. It
has 7.3% of Europe's and 1% of global population. The majority
of people (68%) live in urban areas. 32% live in countryside.
Average
population density in Ukraine is 85 persons per square kilometer.
This number is smaller than in many European countries. Ukraine's
regions have different population density. Donetsk oblast
is the most populated - 196 persons per square kilometer,
Chernigiv oblast is the least populated - 42.3 persons per
square kilometer.
The
country has inadequate demographic situation. The population
growth is negative. The reasons of this are ecologic crisis
due to wrong use of industry, radiation contamination and
economic difficulties.
Average
life expectancy is 61.6 years for male and 72.8 years for
female. A process of nation ageing can be observed. Pensioners
comprise 28- 35% of total population. In those terms, Ukraine
ranks 52nd in the world. For many years, gender structure
remains stable - 46% are men, 54% are women.
Ethnic
Ukrainians comprise 73% of population. 1989 census showed
that 37,420,000 Ukrainians and 4,830,000 people of Ukrainian
origin lived in Ukraine. Many ethnic Ukrainians live outside
Ukraine: 10,936,000 in Russia, 2,230,000 in the USA, 1,386,000
in Kazakhstan, 1,311,000 in Belarus, 1,071,000 in Canada and
850,000 in Poland. Ukrainians are one of biggest nations of
Europe and the world and the second largest nation among Slavic
subgroup.
For
a long time, Ukrainian territory was divided among neighboring
states. Each of them conducted policy of de- nationalization
of Ukrainians, striving to fully assimilate them. Restoration
of independence in 1991 facilitates consolidation of Ukrainians,
development of their national self- consciousness and gathering
everyone feeling his/her belonging to the Ukrainian nation
around the Ukrainian state.
More
than 14,000,000 people of other ethnic groups live in Ukraine,
comprising 27% of nation's population. The biggest national
minority are Russians (11,400,000 people, 21% of population).
For ages, Crimean Tatars, Jews, Romanians, Moldavians, Belarussians,
Bulgarians, Poles, Hungarians, Greeks, Armenians, Gypsies,
Germans, Azerbaijani, Gagaus, Uzbeks, Lithuanians, Kazakhs,
Czechs, Slovaks and people of other ethnic groups have been
living in Ukraine. Article 11 of the Constitution of Ukraine
guarantees development of ethnic, cultural, linguistic and
religious originality of all indigenous peoples and ethnic
minorities.
|
