9781422269794

The Independence Monument rises high above Independence Square in the center of Kyiv.

special self-governing status because as Ukraine’s capital city, it deals directly with the national, not regional, government. Home to many high-tech industries and more than a dozen universities, Kyiv is an important industrial, scientific, educational, and cultural center for both Eastern Europe generally and Ukraine specifically—there are more than two hundred museums and fifteen state museums dedicated to Kyiv and Ukrainian history. Kyiv is also a leading agricultural area, with more than a thousand farms that produce a variety of food, including sugar beets, sunflower seeds, potatoes, meat, eggs, and dairy. Research shows that most of the crops grown in Kyiv and other oblasts were introduced a few thousand years ago by settlers from Southwest Asia. Known as the Trypillia tribes, they were Ukraine’s original farmers, growing wheat, barley, and peas. Between the fertile soil, plentiful water supply, and a temperate climate conducive to agriculture, the northern region has historically enjoyed ample natural resources and crops to sustain population growth.

Ukrainian

10