Ukraine

Kiev is the capital and largest city of Ukraine. Kiev boasts of one of the densest metro networks in Eastern Europe. The Kiev Metro is the most famous and the most reliable metro system in Kiev, with its network covering most of the city.

The Kiev Metro is about 41 miles long, and its 51 stations found in all regions of the city allow the metro to carry 1 million passengers each day. Some beautiful places to visit in Kiev; Maidan Nezalezhnosti, Kyiv Monastery of the Caves, and Saint Sophia Cathedral.

Ukraine's climate is continental and temperate; it has a cold white winter and a warm summer. The spring and autumn seasons seem short and mild, but they can also be quite warm.

Ukraine's weather, however, varies from region to region, as with many aspects of the country.

The most famous languages of Ukraine are Ukrainian and Russian. Ukrainian is the official language and widely spoken language by about 67.5% of the population of Ukraine as their native language, following Russian, spoken by about 29.6% native speakers. Russian is also spoken as a second language by most Ukrainian speakers.

1. Ukraine has extensive tracts of land dedicated to the growth of sunflower plants. It is estimated that the total size of Ukraine's sunflower farmlands could cover the entire territory of Slovenia. (https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/top-10-interesting-and-unique-facts-about-ukraine.html)
2. Ukraine is the largest country in Europe. At 603,628 sq. km., it stretches from Russia in the east to Poland in the west, with the Black Sea running along its southern border. It's nearly three times the size of the UK and beats the second biggest country, France, by 50,000 sq. km. The state is divided into 24 oblasts (counties). 12 facts about Ukraine: https://vidviday.ua/blog/en/12-facts-about-ukraine/
3. Arsenalna, along Kyiv's Sviatoshynsko-Brovarska train line, is the world's deepest metro station at 105.5 meters below the ground. Staring down from the top of the steep escalator to the metro's darkness below can be pretty scary. However, their construction took place during the cold war era; the threat of nuclear bombs meant such deep-lying stations could protect the citizens of Kyiv from such disaster. Thus, the influence of conflict in the 20th century can be seen, even in such mundane activities as the morning commute to work. 12 facts about Ukraine: https://vidviday.ua/blog/en/12-facts-about-ukraine/
4. The Antonov An-225 Mriya was built in Kiev, Ukraine, while still a part of the Soviet Union. It has an empty weight of 285,000 kg and a wingspan of 88.4 meters. It is the heaviest aircraft ever built. It also has the largest wingspan of any operational aircraft.
5. The Ukrainian folk instrument trembita is considered the world's largest musical instrument.

• Catherine's Day is a female holiday in Ukraine; it is dedicated to the St. Catherine of Alexandria – Christian Saint, who died in the early 4th century at the hands of a pagan emperor. Traditionally, the unmarried girls gather for special evenings devoted to good food, plenty of girls' gossip, and fun fortune-telling customs.
  
•  Traditionally, Ukrainian people use the unique centerpiece; the house's centerpiece is 'didukh', a sheaf of wheat that means 'grandfather's spirit' and symbolizes the staff of life. 
• The Christmas Dinner in Ukraine usually consists of 12 vegan dishes, with kutya – cooked wheat mixed with poppy seeds, honey, and raisins – being the main treat of the holiday. The traditions of house-to-house caroling are kept up, but even the most famous of them are an intricate mix of Ukraine's pagan and Christian heritage. 
• Ukrainian celebrate New Year twice. The first one follows the Gregorian calendar and falls on January 1st, and the second one follows the Julian calendar and falls on January 14th.
• A widespread Ukrainian custom is Maslenitsa week.   Maslenitsa is a festive event. People serve freshly baked pancakes every Day, visit each other, sled, ski, and enjoy life. The pancake was considered a sun symbol (yellow, round, and hot); therefore, it meant seeing the end of winter and the start of spring. 
• Ukrainians are very friendly and welcoming. They love large groups and gatherings, always help each other and consider all people around them to be their best friends. 
• A funny custom in Ukraine is to put a piece of burnt paper in a glass of champagne and drink it at the New Year. It is believed that a written and swallowed wish will come true.