The largest country on the European continent, The Ukraine has a long history dating back to the founding of the state of Kievan Rus' in the late ninth century, which lasted for over 300 years. One of the low-points of Ukrainian history is known as "The Ruin", a devastating 30-year war for control of the Ukraine fought between Russia, Poland, Turks and Cossacks (1657-1686). The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic was formed in 1922, and the Ukraine did not re-gain full independence from the Soviet Union until 1991. Ukraine has a rich culture, influenced by its neighbours to both the west and east. One artisitic tradition is pysanky -- the traditional Ukrainian "Easter" egg -- which dates back thousands of years (well before the arrival of Christianity).
Ukraine on Wikipedia
