Languages spoken in Ukraine

Capital:

Kiev

Population:

28700000

Description:

The main language spoken in Ukraine is:
Ukrainian - the sole official language, spoken by ~67.5% of the population; a member of the East Slavic language group.
Russian - a regional language, spoken by ~29.6%, particularly in the eastern regions.
Crimean Tatar, Moldovan/Romanian, and Hungarian are also spoken by smaller communities.
Ukrainian is the sole official language of Ukraine.

Geography

Location: Eastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Poland, Romania, and Moldova to the west and Russia to the east

Map references: Europe

Land boundaries:
border countries: Belarus, Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia

Geography - note: strategic position at the crossroads between Europe and Asia; the second-largest country in Europe after Russia; often called the "breadbasket of Europe" for its fertile agricultural land

People

Population: 32.9-40.1 million (figures vary significantly and remain highly uncertain due to the ongoing war, mass displacement, and territory not under government control; 2024-2025 est.); researchers project the population could fall to around 35 million by 2040, roughly 20% below pre-war 2021 levels of 42.8 million, given continued conflict and outmigration

Nationality:
noun/adjective: Ukrainian(s)

Ethnic groups: majority ethnic Ukrainian, with significant Russian, Belarusian, and Crimean Tatar minorities

Languages: Ukrainian (official) 67.5%, Russian (regional language) 29.6%, other (Crimean Tatar, Moldovan/Romanian, Hungarian) 2.9% (2001 est.); note: the ongoing war with Russia has shifted significant portions of the population, particularly in the east, and has accelerated a wartime shift toward Ukrainian-language use

Population distribution: more than two-thirds of the population lives in towns and urban areas

Government

Country name:
conventional short form: Ukraine

Data code: UP

Government type: semi-presidential republic; under martial law since Russia''s full-scale invasion in February 2022

National capital: Kyiv

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (since 2019)

Background: Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, following its 2014 annexation of Crimea and support for separatists in the eastern Donbas region; the war has caused massive civilian and military casualties, widespread destruction, and the largest refugee crisis in Europe since WWII, with millions of Ukrainians displaced internally and abroad; fighting continues along an extensive front line as of early 2026

Economy

Economy - overview: upper-middle-income economy severely disrupted by the ongoing war with Russia; massive infrastructure destruction, population displacement, and territorial loss have devastated agricultural, industrial, and energy sectors; substantial international financial and military support sustains the economy; historically a major global grain and steel exporter

GDP (purchasing power parity): $830.05 billion (2025f)

GDP - real growth rate: 4.5% (2026f)

GDP - per capita: $25,259 PPP (2025f)

Inflation rate: 12.6% (2025 est.)

Unemployment rate: 20.4% (2025 est.)

Currency: Ukrainian hryvnia (UAH)

Military

Military branches: Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU): Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air Forces, Air Assault Forces, Marine Corps, Special Operations Forces, Unmanned Systems Forces, Territorial Defense Forces (Reserves); Ministry of Internal Affairs: National Guard, State Border Guard Service, National Police (2025)

Military - note: the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been engaged in large-scale, continuous combat operations against invading Russian forces since February 2022, receiving substantial military assistance including weapons, training, and intelligence support from the US, EU, NATO members, and other partners (2025)

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