Ukraine is the largest state in Europe; bordered by Russia in the east, Belarus in the north, Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary in the west, Romania and Moldova in the southwest and washed by the Black and the Azov seas in the south. The country occupies an area of 603,7 square kilometers while its territory is divided into 24 regions and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. The city of Kyiv is both the capital and the largest city of Ukraine.

The greatest river of Ukraine is the Dnipro, which is 2201 kilometers long, and it flows for 981 kilometers through the territory of the country.

Ukraine is a presidential-parliamentary republic with a population of about 47 millions people. Whilst Ukrainians constitute 73% of the total population of the country, 14 million, [27%] Ukrainian citizens are representatives of other nationalities: Russians, Byelorussians, Moldavians, Bulgarians, Poles, Hungarians, Romanians, Greeks and others.

The Ukrainian language is the only official language in Ukraine, although Russian is also widely spoken, especially in the eastern and southern part of the country. The dominant religion is Orthodox Christianity, which has heavily influenced Ukrainian architecture, literature and music. Other religions are also represented in the country.

Ukraine is a wonderful place to visit, as it offers cultural and architectural diversity and warm hospitality. The authenticity of cultures and arts are represented in the precious treasures that can be found throughout different parts of Ukraine.

Peace-loving Ukraine welcomes the opportunity to host The Fourteenth Annual Conference and General Meeting of the International Association of Prosecutors.

Kyiv is the historical, political, cultural, and scientific capital of Ukraine. Archeological discoveries around Kyiv date human habitation back to the time of the Stone Age (40,000 to 10,000 B.C.). A settlement existed in some form as far back as the first century A.D.

Name. The name Kyiv is said to derive from the name of Kyi, one of four legendary founders of the city (brothers Kyi, Shchek, Khoryv and sister Lybid). For centuries, Kyiv has been called the golden-domed city because of the numerous church cupolas covered with gold leaf.

Location. Kyiv, situated on the bank of the Dnipro River, is indeed a major road and rail junction. By highway, Kyiv is about 480 km (300 miles) from Odesa, 544 km (338 miles) from Lviv, and 487 km (302 miles) from Kharkiv.

Population. Kyiv is Ukraine’s most populous city, with almost 3 million residents. The city is growing rapidly, as well-educated young people from around the country move there for the greater opportunities it offers.

Business and Industry. As the administrative centre of its oblast (region) and the capital of Ukraine, Kyiv has a great number of government workers. It is the seat of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences and has numerous research and educational institutions. Kyiv is rich with cultural and entertainment opportunities, from classical music, theatre and folk dance to a lively nightclub scene and sports activities. The major economic activity is heavy industry, especially machine building and metalworking and the manufacture of chemicals and wood products. Nevertheless Kyiv is a very green city, with more than 300 parks and gardens.

All foreigners wishing to enter Ukraine must have a passport valid for at least six months from the date of arrival along with onward/return tickets. You can enter Ukraine visa-free and stay 90 day if you are a citizen of any EU country, Canada, USA or Japan. Everyone else still needs a visa from a Ukrainian Embassy or Consulate abroad before traveling. Please be informed that Ukraine does not grant visas on arrival so please contact the Ukrainian authority in your country well before the Conference in order to check which documents you require to enter Ukraine. It is advisable to check in advance the customs regulations (browse the Boryspil Airport website at www.airport-borispol.kiev.ua) as rules and regulations may change.

Air Transportation

Air transport is the easiest and most comfortable means of travel to Ukraine. A number of carriers offer international direct flights to Kyiv from Amsterdam, Ashgabat, Baku, Bangkok, Barcelona, Beijing, Beirut, Brussels, Budapest, Cairo, Copenhagen, Delhi, Dubai, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Helsinki, Istanbul, Lisbon, Ljubljana, London, Madrid, Milan, Minsk, Moscow, Munich, New York, Oman, Paris, Prague, Riga, Rome, St. Petersburg, Sharjah, Stockholm, Tallinn, Tbilisi, Tel Aviv, Toronto, Vienna, Vilnius, Warsaw, Yerevan, Zürich. Many of the world's major carriers connect Kyiv via regional air hubs in Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Munich, Paris and Vienna. International airlines representatives available in Kyiv are Lufthansa, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Air France, British Airways, Austrian Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Malev, CSA Czech Airlines etc. Most of these airlines offices are located in Kyiv Boryspil International Airport.

The easiest way to get from the airport to the city centre is to take a taxi. It is advisable to have small change as taxi drivers are often short of change.

Taxis are operated from all major hotels and the airport with rate varying according to the distance. At all major airport terminals you can direct your inquiry about local transportation to the information counter. Furthermore, car rentals (Europcar, Hertz etc.) are also available in Kyiv at reasonable rates. It will take you 30-45 minutes to get to the city centre and will cost you approximately 200 UAH. Also buses and minivans leave roughly every 30 minutes from in front of the airport. They charge 30 UAH and will drop you off about an hour later at the central railway station.

Local Transportation

 

Traveling around Kyiv is very convenient. An efficient public transportation network can get you to any place in the city. The jewel of the transport system, the underground (metro) is both cheap and fast. While vehicles are snarled by traffic jams above ground, underground trains deliver passengers in a more timely and reliable fashion. One ride costs 1.70 UAH, for which you receive a blue plastic token to insert into a machine. Tokens can be bought from cashier windows, or many stations have 2 and 5 UAH bill machines which dispense the appropriate number of tokens. The other way to get around this big city is the so-called marshrutka – minibuses which follow routes much like the regular buses. You can generally flag them down or ask them to stop at places other than the specified bus-stops. The fare is fixed no matter how far you want to go and varies from 1.50 UAH to 2.50 UAH.

Climate

 Ukraine mostly has a temperate continental climate, although a more Mediterranean climate is found on the southern Crimean coast. Summers are moderately warm, but usually not hot, with an average July temperature of 25.3°C (66.7°F).

Winters are moderately cold, with the average January temperature of -6°C (21°F). The average September temperature during the day is 17.5 °C (63°F) and at night it drops to 5°C (41°F). There is usually snow cover from mid-November until the end of March. To check current weather conditions in Kyiv, you can browse at www.weather.com.ua or any other related Internet web-page.

Clothing

Dress is normally casual for the Central European weather conditions. In September days are still warm but it is advisable to have warm clothes for the evening.

Time Zone

 

Kyiv is in the standard time zone which is GMT+2 hours.

Currency

The local currency is Hryvna (UAH). Most foreign currencies are easily changed at airports, banks or hotels, though those mostly used are US dollars and EURO. 

The currency exchange rate fluctuates regularly, to check the present rate please browse at www.finance.i.ua. 

Banking hours are from 09:00 to 18:00 on Mondays to Fridays, and from 09:00 to 12:00 on Saturdays. Banks in hotels usually stay open longer hours. ATMs are available in many places, servicing VISA, MASTER CARD and more.

Travelers’ checks are accepted by banks and hotels in main cities, including Kyiv. The use of travelers’ checks in Ukraine is as popular as in any other country. According to Ukrainian banking regulations, payment by credit cards should be charged in local currency.

Electric Current

Country Code (Ukraine): 380

City Code (Kyiv): 44

To call a number inside Kyiv, just dial the number.

International Calling Cards are also available at all post offices and in hotels.

Safety

Increasingly, personal safety and security are becoming critical concerns of international travelers. The situation in Ukraine remains calm and stable.

To ensure maximum security during the conference, each participant will be provided with badge at registration. All participants are requested to wear their badge visibly at all times during the conference and social programmes. Only badge holders will be admitted to the conference venue.

Insurance & Liability

Participants and accompanying persons are advised to secure their own insurance. The IAP, the host, and the organizers are not responsible for medical, personal or travel emergencies. Please ensure that your policy will cover all cancellation charges in the event of such an emergency.

Business Hours

Business offices are open from 09:00 till 18:00 from Monday to Friday.

Shopping

Kyiv has various shopping spots. Main tourist roads are often lined with shops and stalls selling crafts of all types. In Kyiv city centre next to the conference hotels you’ll find such shopping spots as Arena City, Mandarin Plaza, Globus, Kvadrat. In Podil which is the ancient centre of Kyiv you will find a lot of hand-made goods, including pictures, art craft, national items and so on. Andrew’s Descent (Andriivskyi Uzviz) is a cultural and architectural site where you can find and buy any item, ranging from paintings and antiques to traditional Ukrainian woodcarving and clay.