About our Mission Field
The countries in East-Central Europe have a rich and long history. They also have a fascinating and unique culture. Here are some interesting things you may not have known about Ukraine and Belarus. We've included links where you can learn more about each of the countries in which we are working.
UKRAINE
INTERESTING FACTS
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The country of Ukraine is the second-largest country in Europe after Russia. It has an area of 603,628 km² (233,062 mi²)
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The geographic centre of Europe is within the boundary of Ukraine
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Ukraine is bisected by the large Dniepr River running north to south, emptying into the Black Sea
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Ukraine’s government has both a president and a prime minister
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Ukraine is one of the largest exporters of grain in the world
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The national currency of Ukraine is called the Hryvnia
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Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, is one of the oldest cities in Europe, predating the existence of the countries of Ukraine and Russia. It has a population of 2.8 million (2013)
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Kyiv has the deepest metro station in the world
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The Ukrainian language uses the Cyrillic alphabet. Most Ukrainians in the east and central Ukraine speak Russian
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Milla Jovovich, Hollywood actress, and supermodel was born in Kyiv, Ukraine
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Mila Kunis, a Jewish actress, was born in Chernivtsi, Ukraine
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Ukrainians wear their wedding rings on their right hand instead of their left
BELARUS
INTERESTING FACTS
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40% of Belarus is covered with forests (over 140 thousand hectares)
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Belarus shares a border with Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia
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Belarus has the world’s largest population of bison, which primarily live in Belovezhskaya the largest ancient forest in Europe
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The Belarusian currency is called the Ruble
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Belarus was one of the first nations in Europe to have its own printed Bible (1517)
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Minsk is an older city than Moscow. It has been mentioned in historical records as early as 1067
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Minsk is a very green city with more than 844,000 trees
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The national library of Belarus in Minsk is one the largest in the world. It contains 8 million items of various media and the building is 72.6 metres high.
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Both Ralph Lauren and Kirk Douglas were born to Jewish immigrants from Belarus
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Isaac Asimov, writer of Science Fiction books like “I, Robot” was born in Belarus
POLAND
INTERESTING FACTS
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Poland is home to the world's biggest castle. The Malbork Castle, a Unesco World Heritage Site, is a 13th-century fortified monastery.
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Poland has a diverse landscape that includes sandy beaches, forests, lakes, mountains, and even a desert.
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Poland was invaded by the Nazi regime on Septemer 1st 1939 with the goal of exterminating the Poles.
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Although not directly a part of the Soviet empire, Poland was a Soviet satellite state known as the "Polish People's Republic"
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Poland id not even exist on any map for 123 years.
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Poland is a democratic government with a president as head of state and a prime minister as head of government.
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Poland's capital is Warsaw
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The Polish currency is called the Zloty
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The Diocesan Museum in Pelplin Poland contains one of nine copies of the Gutenburg Bible.
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Univeristy education is free in Poland.
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The city of Warsaw was almost completely destroyed during WWII.
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Poland has it's own language and has some similarities with Ukrainian
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Marie Curie was born in Poland, as was Frederic Chopin and Nicolaus Copernicus
