Symbols

The Geographical Position and the Population of Ukraine

Ukraine is our Motherland. Ukraine is one of the largest countries in Europe. It has an area of more than 603 thousand square kilometres. Such countries as France and Denmark could be placed on this territory.

Ukraine is divided into 24 regions and the Crimean autonomous republic (див. слайд презентації №3). It borders on Russia, Belarus, Moldova, Poland, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia.

95% of Ukraine is flat, the rest of it is mountains. The highest mountains are: Roman Kosh in the Crimea and Goverla in the Carpathians (див. слайд презентації №4). Ukraine is washed by the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. The main rivers are the Dnieper, the Dniester, the Bug and the Seversky Donets.

The population of Ukraine is about 46 million people. About 20% of them are old people. 63% of the Ukrainian population lives in cities and towns. The main industrial and cultural

centres are Kiev, Kharkov, Lviv, Dnepropetrovsk, Donetsk, Odessa. These cities have more than 1 million inhabitants.

Kiev

Kiev (or Kyiv) is the capital of Ukraine, its political, administrative, cultural and scientific centre. Kiev is over 1,500 years old.

According to the ancient legend Kiev was founded by 3 brothers: Kij, Shchek and Khoriv and their sister Libid in 482. They settled on the top of the hill above the Dnieper and called the city Kiev after the eldest brother (див. слайд презентації №5).

Kiev was a large cultural centre of the East Slavs and was called ‘the mother of all Russian towns’. Many historical places in Kiev remind us of its ancient history. Among them are the Golden Gate, St. Sophia’s Cathedral, St. Vladimir’s Cathedral, Kiev-Pechersk Lavra and many others (див. слайд презентації №6, 7).

At present Kiev has a population about 3 million people. Kiev is a modern city with many monuments, more than 100 museums, 33 theatres and large sports stadiums.

Symbols

The traditional Ukrainian symbols — trident and blue-and-yellow flag — were officially adopted in 1917–1920 and again after the Declaration of independence in 1991. The trident dates back to the times of the Kievan Rus' as a symbol of Volodymyr the Great. The colours of our national flag are symbols of blue sky above yellow field of wheat (див. слайд презентації №8).

The National Anthem of Ukraine dates back to the year of 1862, when young folklorist Pavlo Platonovich Chyubynsky wrote the poem “Ukraine is still alive…”. The poem was noticed by religious leaders of those times. One of them, Father Mykhailo (Verbytsky), known as a talented composer, wrote music to the poem (див. слайд презентації №9).

Another symbol of Ukraine is a snowball-tree. It is the symbol of noble love. You can find these trees everywhere. There are many beautiful songs about the snowball-tree. People often plant it near their houses (див. слайд презентації №10).

5. Закріплення нових лексичних одиниць:

· Письмове завдання у робочих зошитах (індивідуальна робота). Див. слайд презентації №11- 13.