Quick answerUkraine is a country in Eastern Europe, with a population of 32,423,000 (2026). Its capital is Kyiv, its official language is Ukrainian, and its currency is the Ukrainian hryvnia (UAH). It covers 603,628 square kilometres (233,062 square miles), and its time zone is Europe/Kyiv.
Ukraine is the largest country entirely within Europe, with about 32 million people by the most recent estimate. Its capital and largest city is Kyiv, on the Dnipro River.
Key facts
| Capital | Kyiv |
|---|---|
| Population | 32,423,000 (2026) · 32.4 million |
| Population density | 56 people per km² (land area) |
| Area | 603,628 km² (233,062 sq mi) total · 579,320 km² (223,677 sq mi) land |
| Official language | Ukrainian (official) |
| Currency | Ukrainian hryvnia (UAH, ₴) |
| Time zone | Europe/Kyiv |
| Government | Unitary semi-presidential republic |
| Coastline | 2,782 km |
| Highest point | Hora Hoverla, 2,061 m |
| Life expectancy | 74.7 years (2024) |
| Calling code | +380 |
| Driving side | Right |
| Internet domain | .ua |
Overview
Ukraine sits in Eastern Europe, on the northern shore of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, bordering Russia to the east, Belarus to the north, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary to the west, and Romania and Moldova to the south-west. It covers 603,628 square kilometres, making it the largest country entirely within Europe, with 2,782 kilometres of coastline. Most of the country is flat steppe and forest-steppe, rising to the Carpathian Mountains in the west, where Hora Hoverla reaches 2,061 metres, and to the Crimean Mountains in the south. The Dnipro, Ukraine's longest river, runs the length of the country to the Black Sea.
Ukraine's population was estimated at 32,423,000 in October 2026 by the International Monetary Fund, down from about 41 million people before Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. The war has displaced millions: about 5 million Ukrainians were refugees abroad and others were internally displaced, and different sources count the population differently - the United Nations counts about 39 million for mid-2026 including Ukrainians living abroad, while Ukrainian researchers put the number living in government-controlled territory closer to 29 million. Around 70 per cent of Ukrainians live in towns and cities, above all in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa and Dnipro. Ukrainian is the official language, and life expectancy at birth was 74.7 years in 2024.
Kyiv is one of the oldest cities in Eastern Europe, founded in the 5th century and the centre of the medieval Kyivan Rus' state, from which Russia, Ukraine and Belarus all trace their origins. The territory later came under the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Russian Empire, and Ukraine was a republic of the Soviet Union from 1922 until independence in 1991. Crimea was annexed by Russia in 2014, and Russia launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022, occupying parts of the east and south and causing widespread destruction.
Ukraine is a unitary semi-presidential republic. Before the war its economy rested on farming - its black-earth steppe made it one of the world's largest exporters of wheat, corn and sunflower oil - and on steel, coal and manufacturing in the east. Its culture is known for the golden-domed churches of Kyiv, the folk art of the pysanka Easter egg, and writers such as Taras Shevchenko. Since 2022 the war has reshaped daily life and the economy, and Ukraine has applied to join the European Union.
Notable facts
- Ukraine's population was estimated at 32,423,000 in October 2026 by the International Monetary Fund, down from about 41 million before the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022.
- Hora Hoverla, at 2,061 metres in the Carpathian Mountains, is Ukraine's highest point.
- Kyiv, the capital, is one of the oldest cities in Eastern Europe, founded in the 5th century and the centre of the medieval Kyivan Rus' state.
- Ukraine is the largest country entirely within Europe, covering 603,628 square kilometres.
- Ukraine is one of the world's largest exporters of grain, including wheat, corn and sunflower oil, from its fertile black-earth steppe.
How Ukraine compares
Comparison table — Ukraine next to 3 similar countries (neighbours first, then the same subregion).
| Country | Population | Area | Density | Capital |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ukraine ★ | 32,423,000 (2026) | 603,628 km² | 56 people per km² | Kyiv |
| Poland | 37,314,000 (2026) | 312,696 km² | 122.6 people per km² | Warsaw |
| Russia | 146,028,325 (2025) | 17,098,246 km² | 8.9 people per km² | Moscow |
| Afghanistan | 41,454,761 (2023) | 652,864 km² | 63.6 people per km² | Kabul |
Cities in Ukraine
- Kyiv Known for St Sophia Cathedral
- Kharkiv Known for Freedom Square
- Odesa Known for Potemkin Stairs
- Dnipro Known for Dnipro River embankment
Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Ukraine?
The capital of Ukraine is Kyiv. About 2.95 million people lived there in the last pre-war estimate (2,952,301 on 1 January 2022), on the Dnipro River in north-central Ukraine. Kyiv is one of the oldest cities in Eastern Europe, and St Sophia Cathedral and the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra are UNESCO World Heritage sites. The war since 2022 has displaced many residents, so the current population is lower and uncertain.
What is the population of Ukraine?
Ukraine's population was estimated at 32,423,000 in October 2026 by the International Monetary Fund, down from about 41 million people before Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. The figure is uncertain because the war has displaced millions: the United Nations counts about 39 million for mid-2026 including Ukrainians living abroad, while Ukrainian researchers put the number living in government-controlled territory closer to 29 million. No full census has been held since 2001.
What language is spoken in Ukraine?
Ukrainian is the official language of Ukraine. It is an East Slavonic language, written in the Cyrillic alphabet, and it is closely related to Russian and Belarusian. Russian is also widely spoken, above all in the east and south of the country.
What currency is used in Ukraine?
Ukraine uses the Ukrainian hryvnia (UAH, symbol ₴). One hryvnia is divided into 100 kopiyky. Cash is still common in markets and small shops, but cards and mobile payments are widely accepted in the cities.
Where is Ukraine?
Ukraine is in Eastern Europe, on the northern shore of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. It borders Russia to the east and north-east, Belarus to the north, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary to the west, and Romania and Moldova to the south-west. Most of the country is flat steppe and forest-steppe, rising to the Carpathian Mountains in the west.
What time zone is Ukraine in?
Ukraine uses Eastern European Time (UTC+2) in winter and Eastern European Summer Time (UTC+3) in summer. The IANA time zone name is Europe/Kyiv. A 2024 law to abolish daylight saving time was passed by parliament but was not signed into law, so summer time still applies.
Quick quiz
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Keep exploring
- Kyiv — capital of Ukraine
- Kharkiv — city in Ukraine
- Odesa — city in Ukraine
- Dnipro — city in Ukraine
- Belarus — neighbouring country (page coming soon)
- Hungary — neighbouring country (page coming soon)
- Moldova — neighbouring country (page coming soon)
- Poland — neighbouring country
- Romania — neighbouring country (page coming soon)
- Russia — neighbouring country
- Slovakia — neighbouring country (page coming soon)
- All countries — the full list
Sources & last updated
- Wikipedia — Ukraine
- International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database, October 2026 (via Wikipedia — Ukraine)
- Wikipedia — List of countries and dependencies by length of coastline (CIA World Factbook figures)
- Wikipedia — List of countries by median age (CIA World Factbook 2024 estimates)
- World Bank, World Development Indicators (life expectancy SP.DYN.LE00.IN; urban population % SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS)
- mledoze/countries (skeleton: borders, capital, languages, tld, coordinates, subregion)
Last updated: . Figures are shown with their year; where sources disagree, the value is left out rather than estimated.