Ukraine in the world.

To have an idea of Ukraine’s political and economic potential, its human and natural resources, to determine the place and role of Ukraine in the world one should get acquainted with some objective data.

Ukraine is one of the largest country in Europe. The village of Dilove (district of Rakhiv, province of Transcarpathian) is considered to be the geographical centre of Europe.

The country occupies a territory of 603,700 square km. Its population is around 47 million people,more than 74% of whom are Ukrainians.

For comparison, the population of Germany is 79 million people, Great Britain – 56 million,Poland – 39 million, Finland – 5 million peopke.

10 million ethnic Ukrainians live outside the country on the territories of the former Soviet Union, and close to 5 million live in other foreign countries. The Ukrainian Diaspora is the strongest in Canada and the USA.

Ukraine has 5% of the world's mineral resources. There are 80 different types, including coal, iron, ore, titanium, granite and marble.

Occupying 0.45 per cent of all earth’s surface and being populated by 0.8 per cent of all earth’s dwellers, Ukraine produces almost 5% of the world output. It is the first in Europe in iron ore extraction, production of steel, mineral fertilizers, sugar and grain, the second in coal mining, and the third in producing concrete, electric energy and equipment.

Nowadays the emergence of Ukraine as a free and independent country arouses great enthusiasm in the European Community and its member states. There is no doubt about the importance of an independent, stable and prosperous Ukraine for the stability and prosperity of Europe as a whole.

European integration is a key priority in the foreign policy of Ukraine that integrates the whole complex of efforts both inside the country and beyond its borders. They are aimed at moving Ukraine closer to the EU and creating preconditions necessary for the future accession of the state to the EU. Euro-Atlantic integration lies in protecting Ukraine’s security interests, participating in building up Euro-Atlantic zone of stability and security, gradual integration into NATO.

At the level of bilateral relations Ukraine strives to use all potential of its strategic partnership that is based on mutual interests and common approaches in finding ways of solving the problems with the USA, Russia and Poland. Ukraine’s incentive is to establish and maintain friendly relations with the neighboring states respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of these countries. Ukraine established diplomatic relations with more than 170 states; 118 diplomatic missions represent the interests of Ukraine in almost 80 countries.

Ukraine conducts active multilateral policy in the framework of global and regional organizations. At present Ukraine is a member of 80 international organizations and financial institutions.

Ukraine has concluded more than 3000 bilateral and 350 multilateral agreements. Most of Ukrainian bilateral agreements cover such sphere as economy and trade, customs cooperation, mutual attraction and protection of investments. These are also the agreements on fighting organized crime and illegal drugs’ trafficking, avoiding double taxation etc.

The EC’s aim in its relations with Ukraine is to contribute to the development of Ukraine as a stable, independent, democratic, and market-oriented state with balanced relations with Russia and the West.