Kiev
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, the patron of Kiev, with Maidan Nezalezhnosti|Independence Square in the background.]]
'''Kiev''', also spelled '''Kyiv''' (Ukrainian language|Ukrainian: , ''Kyiv''; Russian language|Russian: , ''Kiev''; see also Names of European cities in different languages#K|Cities' alternative names) is the capital city|capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper river. As of 2003, Kiev officially had 2,642,486 inhabitants, although the large number of unregistered migrants would probably raise this figure to about three million. Administratively, Kiev is a national-level subordinated municipality, independent from surrounding Kiev Oblast. Kiev is an important industrial, scientific, educational and cultural center of Eastern Europe. It is home to many high-tech industries, higher education institutions, world-famous museums and art institutions. The city has an extensive infrastructure and highly developed system of public transport, including a Kiev Metro system.
During History of Kiev |its history Kiev, one of the oldest cities in the Eastern Europe, passed through several stages of great prominence and relative obscurity. Founded probably in the 5th century, a trading post in the land of Early East Slavs, the city gradually acquired eminence as the center of the Rus' (people)|East Slavic civilization, in the 10th century |tenth to 12th century |twelfth centuries a political and cultural capital of Kievan Rus'. Completely destroyed during the Mongol invasion of Rus|Mongol invasion in 1240, the city lost most of its influence for the centuries to come. It was a provincial capital of marginal importance in the outskirts of the territories controlled by its powerful neighbors: the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Muscovy|Muscovite Russia, later the Russian Empire. The city prospered again during the Russian industrial revolution in the late 19th century. After the turbulent period following the Russian Revolution of 1917, from 1921 Kiev was an important city of Ukrainian SSR|Soviet Ukraine, and, since 1934, its capital. During Eastern Front (World War II)|World War II, the city was destroyed again, almost completely, but quickly recovered in the post-war years becoming the third most important city of the USSR. It now remains the capital of Ukraine, independent since 1991 following the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Geography and climate
Kiev is located on both sides of the Dnieper river, which flows south through the city towards the Black Sea. Its geographic co-ordinates are . Geographically, Kiev belongs to the Polissya natural zone (a part of the European mixed woods). However, the city's unique landscape distinguishes it from the surrounding region. The elder right-bank (western) part of Kiev is represented by numerous woody hills, ravines and small rivers (now mostly extinct). It is a part of the larger Prydniprovska (''near-Dnieper'') upland adjoining the western bank of the Dnieper. The left-bank (eastern) part of the city was built in the Dnieper valley. Significant areas of it were artificially sand-deposited and are protected by dams.
The river forms a branching system of tributary|tributaries, isles and harbors within city limits. The city is adjoined by the mouth of the Desna River and the Kyivs'ke reservoir in the north, and the Kanivs'ke reservoir in the south. Both the Dnieper and Desna rivers are navigation|navigable at Kiev, although regulated by the reservoir shipping locks and limited by winter freeze-over.
Kiev's climate is continental humid, although it has changed significantly during recent decades due to global climate changes.
Modern Kiev
Like many other large cities of the former Soviet Union, modern Kiev is a mix of the old and the new, seen in everything from the buildings to the stores to the people themselves. Experiencing a fast growth rate between the 1970s and the mid-1990s|'90s, the city has continued its consistent growth after the turn of the millenium. As a result, Kiev's "downtown" is a dotted picture of new, modern buildings (known as ''novostroika'') amongst the pale yellows, blues and grays of the older apartments. Urban sprawl has been gradually reducing while population densities of suburbs started increasing. Today, it is rather popular to own a novostroika in Kharkivskyi neighborhood, Kiev|Kharkivskyi Raion, Troyeshchina Raion|Troyeshchina, or Obolon Raion|Obolon along the Dnieper, around Khreschatyk, as well as in Pechersk or other better-established areas.
With Ukrainian independence on the turn of the millennium, other changes came. Western-style novostroikas, hip nightclubs, classy restaurants and prestigious hotels opened in the center. Music from Europe and North America started rising on Ukrainian music charts. And most importantly, with the changes in visa rules in 2005, Ukraine is positioning itself as a prime tourist attraction, with Kiev, among the other large cities, looking to profit from the new opportunities. The center of Kiev has been cleaned up and buildings have been restored and redecorated, especially Khreschatyk and Independence Square. Many historic squares of Kiev, such as Andryivskyi Uzviz, have become popular street vendor locations, where one can buy traditional Ukrainian art, religious items, books, game sets (most commonly chess) as well as jewellery.
With the partial collapse of the Kiev transit services, private investors have seen room for profit. While the publicly owned and operated Kiev Metro system remains the fastest, the most convenient and affordable network that covers most, but not all, of the city, the ''marshrutkas'' (private microbuses) have become the next most popular method of transportation, along with the public transit buses including electric trolley buses and trams. The trams are now being gradually phased out. Marshrutkas provide a good coverage of the smaller residential streets and have routes that are convenient for the residents — although on the busiest routes the buses get increasingly larger. Being more expensive, they are also faster and more available, although with an increased frequency of accidents. It is also quite common for any local with a car to act as a taxi driver now and then, although organized private taxi companies have increased competition dramatically. The metro is also expanding to cover the growing demand.
Kiev is currently served by Boryspil International Airport|Boryspil Airport, and Kyiv-Zhulyany Airport|Zhulyany Airport.
Image:Andreevskaja cerkov.jpg|Saint Andrew|St.Andrew's Church
Image:Verkhovna Rada.jpg|Verkhovna Rada, the Ukrainian parliament
Image:Kiev Opera House.JPG|National Opera of Ukraine
Image:Mariinsky Palace.jpg|Mariyinsky Palace
Image:StMichaelCathedral.jpg|Post-1991 reconstruction of Michael (archangel)|St. Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral
Image:Founders of Kiev.jpg|Kyi, Schek and Khoriv|Founders of Kiev
Image:National Bank of Ukraine.jpg|National Bank of Ukraine
Image:Motherland Monument.jpg|Mother Motherland|Motherland Monument, dedicated to WWII
History
Historically, Kiev is one of the most ancient and important cities of the region, the center of the Rus' (people)|Rus' civilization, survivor of numerous wars, purges, and genocides. Many historical and architectural landmarks are preserved or reconstructed in the city, which is thought to have existed as early as the fifth century. With the exact time of city foundation being hard to determine, May 1982 was chosen to celebrate the city's 1,500th anniversary. During the 8th century|eighth and 9th century|ninth centuries Kiev was an outpost of the Khazar empire. Starting from some point during the late ninth or early tenth century, Kiev was ruled by the Varangian nobility and became the nucleus of the Etymology of Rus and derivatives|Rus' polity, which became known as Kievan Rus' during the Golden Age of Kiev. In 1240 Kiev was Mongol invasion of Russia|compeletely destroyed by the Mongol hordes of Batu Khan, an event that had a profound effect on the future of the city and the Culture of Ancient Rus|East Slavic civilization. From 1362, the area with what was left of the city, became part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and from 1569 a part of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (1569, as a capital of Kijów Voivodship).
In the 17th century it fell under the Muscovy|Muscovite Russia (later Russian Empire), where for some time it remained a provincial town of marginal importance. Kiev prospered again during the Russian industrial revolution in the late nineteenth century. In the turbulent period following the Russian Revolution Kiev was caught in the middle of several conflicts: the Second World War, the Russian Civil War, and the Polish-Soviet War. Amidst these chaotic years, Kiev became the capital of several Ukrainian People's Republic|short-lived Ukrainian states and from 1921 the city was part of the Soviet Union, since 1934 as a capital of Soviet Ukraine. In Eastern Front (World War II)|World War II, the city was destroyed again, almost completely, but quickly recovered in the post-war years becoming the third most important city of the Soviet Union, the capital of the second largest Soviet republic. It now remains the capital of Ukraine, independent since 1991 following the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Attractions
It is said that one can walk from one end of Kiev to the other in the summertime without leaving the shade of its many trees. Most characteristic are the Common Horse-chestnut|horse-chestnuts (Ukrainian language|Ukrainian: каштани, "kashtany").
Kiev is known as a green city, with Kiev Botanical Garden|two botanical gardens and numerous large and small parks. Notable among these are the World War Two Museum, which offers both indoor and outdoor displays of military history and equipment surrounded by verdant hills overlooking the Dnieper river; the Hidropark, located on an island in the river and accessible by metro or by car, in which an amusement park, swimming beaches, and boat rentals can be found; and Victory Park, a popular destination for strollers, joggers, and cyclists.
Boating, fishing, and water sports are popular pastimes. Since the lakes and rivers freeze over in the winter, ice fishermen are frequently seen, as are children with their ice skates. However, the peak of summer is when masses of people can be seen on the shores, swimming or sunbathing, with daytime high temperatures sometimes reaching 30 to 34 °C.
Kiev's noteworthy architecture includes government buildings such as the Mariyinsky Palace (designed and constructed from 1745 to 1752, then reconstructed in 1870) and the sweeping Ministry of Foreign Affairs building, several Orthodox churches and church complexes such as the Kiev Pechersk Lavra (Monastery of the Caves), Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kiev|St. Sophia Cathedral, St. Andrew's Church of Kiev|St. Andrew's, and St. Volodymyr's Cathedral|St. Vladimir's, the historic Zoloti Vorota fortress, and others such as a nineteenth-century Lutheran church.
The cylindrical Salut hotel, located across from Glory Square and an eternal flame at the WWII Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, is one of Kiev's most recognized landmarks. Its windows command views in all directions from one of the highest points in the city.
Among Kiev's best-known public monuments are the statue of Bohdan Khmelnytsky|Bohdan Khmel'nyts'kyi astride his horse up the hill from Independence Square and the venerated Volodymyr the Great, Baptism of Kiev|baptizer of Rus, overlooking the river above Podil.
Each residential region has its market, or ''rynok''. Here one will find table after table of individuals hawking everything imaginable: vegetables, fresh and smoked meats, fish, cheese, honey, dairy products such as milk and home-made ''smetana'' (sour cream), caviar, cut flowers, housewares, tools and hardware, and clothing. Each of the markets has its own unique mix of products. There is a popular book market by the Petrivka metro station.
Image:House with chimaeras.jpg|House with chimaeras, Pechersk district
Image:Foreign Ministery.jpg|Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Image:Uspensky Sobor.jpg|Post-1991 reconstruction of the Dormition of the Theotokos|Dormition Cathedral of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra|Cave Monastery
Image:Palace of Ukraine.jpg|Palace of Ukraine
Image:Kiev Conservatoriy.jpg|Kiev Conservatory
Image:Vladimirsky Sobor.jpg|St. Volodymyr's Cathedral
Image:Bogorodica-Pirogoscha.jpg|Post-1991 reconstruction of the church of the Theotokos of Pyrogoroshcha, Podil district
Image:Olga Monument.jpg|Monument to Olga of Kiev|Princess Olga
Image:Shevchenko University.jpg|Kyiv Shevchenko University|National Taras Shevchenko University
Image:Kiev gate 2001 07 09.jpg|Post-1980 reconstruction of the Golden Gate (Zoloti Vorota)
Image:Kyiv maidan nezalezhnosti.jpg|Maidan Nezalezhnosti|Independence Square by night
Image:Photo cathedral 01065 Vid cerkvej Kievo-Pecherskoj lavry i r. Dnepr.jpg|View on the Dnieper
City districts
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In the 1930s, Kiev was subdivided into several districts, the number finally growing to fourteen in the early 1940s. Several years ago, this number was reduced to ten. Besides these, Kiev is also informally divided into large neighborhoods, each housing as many as 50,000 to 100,000 people.
Kiev or Kyiv?
''Kiev'' is the traditional English name for the city, but the Ukrainianized version ''Kyiv'' is gaining popularity. The earliest known English-language reference is to ''Kiovia'', in English traveller Joseph Marshall's book ''Travels'' (London, 1772).
The name ''Kiev'' was used in print as early as 1823 in the English travelogue ''New Russia: Journey from Riga to the Crimea by way of Kiev'', by Mary Holderness. By 1883, the Oxford English Dictionary included ''Kiev'' in a quotation. This name was established on the basis of Russian language |Russian orthography and pronunciation , during a time when Kiev was a city in a Guberniya |governorate of the Russian Empire. Ukrainian was considered a language of the village, and attempts to introduce it as a literary language were suppressed (see Ems Ukaz).
The spelling ''Kyiv'', romanized version of the Ukrainian language |Ukrainian name for the city , has been used in English-language publications of the Ukrainian diaspora and in some academic publications concerning Ukraine during much of the twentieth century. Newly-independent Ukraine declared Ukrainian as its official language after 1991, and introduced a national Latin-alphabet standard for geographic names in 1995, establishing the use of the spelling ''Kyiv'' in official documents.
Incidentally, ''Kyiv'' and ''Kiev'' reflect the divergence of the Ukrainian and Russian languages from the single Old East Slavic language spelling Киѣвъ.
Today, ''Kiev'' remains the normal established spelling of the city's name in English. The alternate spelling ''Kyiv'' is used by most English-language publications in Ukraine. It is also used by the United Nations, many English-speaking diplomatic missions, and a few other media organizations worldwide (notably in Canada). The alternate romanizations ''Kyyiv'' and ''Kyjiv'' are also in use alongside ''Kiev'' in English-language atlases.
Some proponents of the spelling ''Kyiv'' take exception with the use of ''Kiev'' as reflecting imposed Russification in Ukraine, and inappropriate since the country's independence in 1991.
Administrative districts of Kiev
References
Joseph Marshall. ''Travels Through Germany, Russia, and Poland in the Years 1769 and 1770''. London: J. Almon, 1772; reprint, New York: Arno Press and the New York Times, 1971. ISBN 0-405-02763-X.
Mary Holderness. ''New Russia: Journey from Riga to the Crimea, by way of Kiev; with some account of the colonization, and the manners and customs of the colonists of New Russia; to which are added notes relating to the Crim Tatars'' London: Sherwood, Jones, & Co., 1823. ISBN 3-628-28986-5.
External links
http://www.uazone.net/Kiev_Kyiv.html (http://www.hostmaster.net.ua/docs/translit/
http://www.kiev.info- Kiev city guide
http://www.sensus.ws/eco.htm(in Ukrainian)
http://wek.kiev.ua/(in Ukrainian)
http://www.kyivpost.comhttp://kyiv.ru/en/http://www.kiddofspeed.com/serpents-wallhttp://uamap.net/ua/map/kiev/browsable and searchable by address
http://guide.kyiv.ru/
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