The Geographical Position of Ukraine

9. The problem of Environmental Protection in Ukraine

The protection of nature has become one of the most burning problems of the 21st century. The Earth provides people with mineral resources, rivers, forests, fields — everything that makes the foundation of industrial and agricultural production. Why does all this want protection? Because people often do things which pollute land and waters greatly. It's very dangerous because it damages health of the people.

There are a lot of industrial enterprises in our country, that's why we can't ignore the problem of the protection of our environment. Our plants and factories put their waste materials into water and atmosphere and pollute the environment. There are many kinds of transport in our big cities, that's why we must pay attention to the protection of our nature and the health of people.

The accident at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant in April 1986 caused radioactive contamination of a vast area around plant.

More than 100 000 Ukrainian citizens were evacuated from the city of Chornobyl and other areas around the reactor site.

The other problem is an earthquakes. We know some terrible earthquakes in Armenia. Our scientists try to forecast earthquakes, then we can protect ourselves from them.

Not only people but the nature is ill too. Millions of years ago animals lived on land, there were lots of trees on the Earth. But now trees as well as the animal world are in danger. They are killed by polluted air and acid rains. Tons of smoke and gas are emitted into the air. But unfortunately very little is being done to save them. If the trees die, we shall die too, because they supply us with oxygen to breathe.

Environmental protection is a great concern of the Ukrainian Government. The Ministry of Environment Protection was founded in Ukraine. Their tasks are to control the state of environment and sources of pollution, to protect the water resources of Ukraine, to extend the network of mature reserves and to maintain with international ecological organizations.

The Ukrainian Green Party is very active today. «Zeleny Svit» is the Ukrainian ecological newspaper. It calls on people to protect the nature and to use it in a more careful and economical manner for the benefit of the present and future generations.

Our Earth is our home. I think people must take care of our Motherland.

10. Ukraine and English-speaking Countries

Now Ukraine is a sovereign state. Ukraine is one of the members of the United Nations Organization and participates in the work of many international organizations. We have wide relations with Canada, the USA and Great Britain. Foreign Embassies of these countries work in Kyiv. Scientific cooperation is also very important. Cooperations in culture, education and sport are very important too. We exchange students and teachers with Canada and the USA. The Ukrainian orchestras, pop and opera singers, ballet dancers are warmly received. A lot of tourists from English-speaking countries visit Ukraine every year.

We have some joint political projects with the United States of America and Canada. Such big plants of ours as Cherkasy joint-stock company «Azot», «Gorlovka» chemical plant «Stirol» sell their products at international market. I'd like to say that many people who are Ukrainian by origin live in Canada. Many of the Ukrainians living now in Canada and other English-speaking countries don't lose connections with Ukraine. A lot of public organizations, educational establishments, religious organizations make considerable contribution to the development of our culture, literature and art. By the by, Canada was the first among the western states that recognized the state independence of Ukraine.

11. List of Books

1. Petrenkko L. B. “Kyiv: Ancient and always young”. – Kyiv: “Aspect – Poligraph”, 2006.

2. Godunov A. B. “Short history of Ukraine: From the most ancient times to our days”. – Moscow, 1987.

3. Bogush "Manual on history of Ukraine". – Lviv, 1997.

4. Meshkov V. M. “Kyiv everlasting ”. – Kyiv, 1998.

5. Golovatenko "History of Ukraine: problems are debatable". – Kyiv, 2000.

6. Butromeev "Ukrainian history for all".