Ukraine came to international attention in late 2004 when 10 days of mass protests over electoral fraud led to a re-run of the presidential election and the eventual declaration of Viktor Yushchenko as president. The people's 'Orange Revolution' undoubtedly raised Ukraine's profile abroad and the country is beginning to find its place on the tourist map.

Ukraine first came under Russian suzerainty in the 1650s, as an alternative to invasion by the Poles. Although part of Ukraine was annexed by Poland shortly afterwards, the whole of Ukraine was taken over by Russia after the partition of Poland at the end of the 18th century. When the empire of the Tsar collapsed in 1917, Bolshevik forces consolidated their control over Ukraine and the republic was incorporated into the Soviet Union. The failed Moscow coup of August 1991 spelt the end for the USSR; shortly afterwards the Ukrainian Supreme Soviet made a declaration of full independence.

The dominant figure in Ukrainian politics used to be Leonid Kuchma, who held the presidency from 1994 to 2004. However, Kuchma's increasingly autocratic and repressive leadership style and rapidly deteriorating relationship with parliament reached the point where he was on the verge of declaring a state of emergency in 2003.

Constitutionally barred from standing at the November 2004 presidential poll, he concentrated on making life as difficult as possible for his probable successor - Viktor Yushchenko. The poll itself was surrounded in controversy with Yushchenko narrowly surviving a dioxin poison attack during the run-up. The country came to the brink of collapse when Yushchenko's opponent, Viktor Yanukovych, seemed to have won the presidential elections. This instigated mass protests on both sides and the so-called Orange Revolution.

Going back further in time, the country's rich history and its natural beauty are two of the biggest attractions. More than 500 of the cities date back some 900 years. Cities such as these – as well as many others which are only a few hundred years behind them – are enriched with monuments, buildings, archaeological sites and incredible palaces.

Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, is the origin of the Kyiv Rus State, founded in the eighth and ninth centuries and the third-largest city in the CIS. Striking examples of baroque and renaissance architecture can be found in Lviv, one of Europe's oldest cities, while Odessa is probably best known for the Potemkin Stairway, but is also home to one of the world's largest opera houses.

Ukraine is a varied country whose landscapes range from the spectacular Carpathian Mountains in the west to the central plains to the stunning Black Sea views in the south. The coastal resorts of the Crimea were once a favorite destination for Kremlin leaders; Yalta, the 'Pearl of the Crimea', attracts the bulk of summer visitors, while the nearby vineyards provide plenty of wine tasting opportunities.

Geography
Ukraine is bordered by the Russian Federation to the north and east; Belarus to the north; Poland, the Slovak Republic and Hungary to the west; and Romania and Moldova to the southwest. It is a varied country with mountains in the west, plains in the center and the Black Sea views to the south. The north of the state is dominated by forests. Its other two main features are wooded steppe with beech and oak forests and the treeless steppe. The River Dnieper divides Ukraine roughly in half, and flows into the Black Sea.