Key facts
Ukraine is a country located in Eastern Europe. There are 7 countries (Belarus, Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia) that Ukraine shares its borders with. The official language of Ukraine is Ukrainian. Unfortunately, if you speak English, it might be problematic to communicate fluently unless you know Ukrainian.
In the EF English Competency Index (EF EPI), which assesses the language proficiency of non-native speaking countries, Ukraine was ranked 40th out of 100 countries in 2021.
The national currency in Ukraine is Ukrainian hryvnia (UAH). The hryvnia (₴) is subdivided into 100 kopiyka.
Ukrainian
Banknotes
₴1₴2₴5₴10₴20₴50₴100₴200₴500
Ukrainian
Coins
125102550₴1
Check with your bank before your trip to find out if there are any fees for using your card abroad. Some banks do not charge fees when you use a foreign ATM or pay in foreign currency, but others may charge a fixed cost for each transaction or allow a limited number of free withdrawals. The travel card provided by Wise.com, Revolut or Monose might be an excellent option to cut down on transaction fees.
Ookla® Speedtest The average fixed internet speed in Ukraine is 144.47 Mbps and mobile is 30.35 Mbs.The global average is 192.62 Mbps and 126.54 Mbps respectively.
ATM Density Ukraine has more ATMs than most other countries.91.24 ATMs per 100,000 people.The global average is 39.49.
SIM Registration In order to purchase a SIM card in Ukraine, a passport or ID is required as identification.
Socket types
There are 2 socket types used in Ukraine. Type C is a popular socket type throughout Europe (except the United Kingdom), Russia, and certain Asian countries.
The sockets’ shapes and voltage differ from country to country and a travel plug adapter may be required. Portable devices, such as phones, notebooks or tablets, usually handle the entire range of voltages used across the world (110-240V).
Public holidays
In the year 2024, Ukraine will celebrate 11 national public holidays. The next one Defender of Ukraine Day will take place on October 14.
| Date | Holiday name | |
|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2024Moving holiday | New Year’s DayНовий Рік | |
| January 7, 2024Moving holiday | (Julian) ChristmasРіздво | |
| March 8, 2024Moving holiday | International Women’s DayМіжнародний жіночий день | |
| May 1, 2024Moving holiday | International Workers’ DayДень праці | |
| May 5, 2024Moving holiday | Easter SundayВеликдень | |
| May 9, 2024Moving holiday | Victory day over Nazism in World War IIДень перемоги над нацизмом у Другій світовій війні | |
| June 23, 2024Moving holiday | PentecostТрійця | |
| June 28, 2024Moving holiday | Constitution DayДень Конституції | |
| August 24, 2024Moving holiday | Independence DayДень Незалежності | |
| October 14, 2024Moving holiday | Defender of Ukraine DayДень захисника України | |
| December 25, 2024Moving holiday | (Gregorian and Revised Julian) ChristmasРіздво |
Sources
- EF English Proficiency Index (EF Education First)
- Speedtest Global Index® (Ookla®)
- Automated teller machines (ATMs) (per 100,000 adults) (The World Bank Group)
- Registration Policies Per Country (Prepaid Data SIM Card Wiki)
Tourism
What hotel chains are present in Ukraine?
There are no Mariott hotels in Ukraine.
The Hilton hotel chain operates in Ukraine.
The IHG hotel chain operates in Ukraine.
There are no Best Western hotels in Ukraine.
There are Radisson hotels in 3 cities.
The Accor hotel chain operates in Ukraine.
What fast food chains are present in Ukraine?
The McDonald’s chain operates in Ukraine.
The KFC chain operates in Ukraine.
The Burger King chain does not operate in Ukraine.
The Subway chain does not operate in Ukraine.
The Domino’s Pizza chain operates in Ukraine.
The Starbucks chain does not operate in Ukraine.
Sources
- Country by National Dish (Samson Daniel)
Weather
What is the weather like in Kiev?
Weather data for Kiev (capital city) by Open-Meteo.com
Transport
Railways There are passenger trains operating between some cities.
Subway Systems The subway system is available in Dnipro, Kharkiv, Kyiv.
Sources
- List of high-speed railway lines (Wikipedia)
- List of metro systems (Wikipedia)
- Left- and right-hand traffic (Wikipedia)
- The Global Enabling Trade Report 2016: Road connectivity (World Economic Forum)
Safety
Emergency phones in Ukraine
Sources
- Ukraine Travel Advisory (United States: Department of State)
- Travel Advice for Ukraine (United Kingdom: The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office)
- Mortality caused by road traffic injury (The World Bank Group)
- Corruption & Economic Crime (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime)
Smoking & Alcohol
Smoking ban Smoking is forbidden in all public indoor locations, with limited exceptions.
Cananbis legality Recreational usage: Illegal
Medical usage: Legal in certain circumstances
Import of alcohol beverages and tobacco products to the custom territory of Ukraine is prohibited to citizens who are under the age of 18.
Alcohol allowance
- 5 liters of beer, 2 liters of wine, 1 liter of strong alcohol beverages (containing more than 22% of alcohol).
Tobacco allowance
- 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 grams of tobacco or these products in sets of a total weight not exceeding 250 grams.
Sources
- Prohibitions and restrictions (State Fiscal Service of Ukraine)
- List of smoking bans (Wikipedia)
- Legality of cannabis (Wikipedia)