nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2%
Languages
Ukrainian (official) 67%, Russian 24%, other 9% (includes small Romanian-, Polish-, and Hungarian-speaking minorities)
Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects
Exports
ferrous and nonferrous metals, fuel and petroleum products, chemicals, machinery and transport equipment, food products
petroleum, bauxite and aluminum, steel, chemicals, agricultural products, basic manufactures
External Debt
$132,400,000,000 $
$63,740,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
hryvnia (UAH) per US dollar - 4.9523 (2008 est.), 5.05 (2007), 5.05 (2006), 5.1247 (2005), 5.3192 (2004)
bolivars (VEB) per US dollar - 2.147 (2008 est.), 2,147 (2007), 2,147 (2006), 2,089.8 (2005), 1,891.3 (2004) note: On 1 January 2008 Venezuela revalued its currency with 1000 old bolivares equal to 1 new bolivar
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.600%
0.700%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
27
1
Location
Eastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Poland, Romania, and Moldova in the west and Russia in the east
Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana
Area
603,550 km sq
912,050 km sq
Coastline
2,782 km
2,800 km
Climate
temperate continental; Mediterranean only on the southern Crimean coast; precipitation disproportionately distributed, highest in west and north, lesser in east and southeast; winters vary from cool along the Black Sea to cold farther inland; summers are warm across the greater part of the country, hot in the south
