Kiev (Ukrainian: Київ - Kyiv) is capital and largest city of Ukraine with over 2.5 million inhabitants. The city is located in north central Ukraine on the Dnipro river.
Understand
Ukrainians are understandably very proud of their capital's role in establishing European civilisation in Eastern Europe.
Kiev is one of the oldest cities in Eastern Europe, its official history dating back to the 5th century, although settlement on this location was present since much earlier. By late 9th century Kiev became the chef-lieu of the emerging state of the Eastern Slavic tribes, and between the 10th and early 13th century, it reached its golden age as the capital of the first Ukrainian state known today as Kievan Rus, (Kyivan Ruthenia, or Rus-Ukraine), which predated modern Ukraine, Belarus and Russia.
In the middle of the 11th century Kievan Rus was overrun by the Mongols, and later this century Kiev became part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and later the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. In 1654 Kiev was liberated from the commonwealth by Cossack Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky, who then promptly signed the city over to ebecome a protectorate of Russia.
In 1775 was completely annexed by the Russian Empire. The city remained under Russian rule, with brief periods of independence in between 1918 and 1920. During these two centuries, Kiev experienced growing Russification and Russian immigration. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Kiev became the capital of independent Ukraine and is now quickly learning the role of a large European capital.
According to the last census (2001) Kiev has a population of 2,600,000, although it's generally acknowledged that, in 2006, that the population is over 3 million. About 85% declare themselves as Ukrainians, 12% as Russians, there are also Armenian, Azeri, Belarusian, Jewish, Georgian, Polish, Romanian and Tatar minorities. Today, not only has the population of Kiev likely increased, but also percentage of Ukrainians declaring Ukrainian nationality, as a result of the strong nationalist movement after the October 2004 Orange Revolution.
About 40% of the population has secondary education.
The average summer temperature is 24°C, and in winter is -4°C.
Russian is widely spoken in Kiev, particularly in business, including shops and restaurants. The common English name for the city, "Kiev," is a transliteration from the Russian language. The transliteration of the city's name from Ukrainian is "Kyiv", and this variation is used in many English language materials in Ukraine.
Many people in Kyiv are hospitable and will be eager to help you. However, if you're from Western Europe or North America, you may find service in restaurants and shops less attentive than you're accustomed to.
Get in
By plane
The Boryspil International Airport (KBP) (Міжнародний аеропорт "Бориспіль") is about 40 minutes from the city center. The city's second airport Zhulyany (IEV) (аеропорт "Жуляни"), used mostly for domestic flights, is located 20 minutes from city center.
Ukraine has two major international airlines - Ukraine International Airlines (Міжнародні Авіалінії України - Mizhnarodni Avialiniyi Ukrayiny) and Aerosvit (АероСвіт). These airlines have daily flights to major European cities. Aeroflot, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Czech Airlines, Delta, Finnair, KLM, Lufthansa, Malev and other airlines have scheduled flights to Borispol airport. Semi-Budget airlines flying to Kiev include AirBaltic and Estonian Air. There are occasional budget charters from Italy, and in summer, Ukrainian Mediterranean Airlines runs charters to destinations including Italy and Turkey. Aerosvit and Delta are the only airlines with non-stop service to North America.
The simplest way to get to the city center is by taxi. Going rate is $25, but they will try for more like $60 and you should be able to negotiate down to $40 or less. Most people will helpfully show you the way to the taxis if you speak English. There is also an 'official' taxi kiosk in the main arrivals hall (straight ahead of you when you come through the doors into the reception area) where the helpful ladies speak English and will arrange a 'real-price' taxi for you into Kyiv, thereby avoiding the chance of struggling with a rip-off taxi driver.If you do not go through the Taxi-kiosk you should be careful as the taxi drivers are usually thought to be with the mafia by the locals.
There is a regular bus service between airport and Kiev city center (ploshcha Peremohy (площа Перемоги) and Central Railway station (bus schedule)). Buses depart frequently and the cost is approximately four dollars. On average it takes 60-70 minutes to get to city center by bus.
By train
Kiev's central railway station, Kyiv-Passazhyrskyi (Київ-Пасажирський), is located close to city centre. The metro station "Vokzalna" (метро "Вокзальна") links to the railway station.
It has daily trains to all major cities and towns in Ukraine. International trains to Austria, Belarus, Germany, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia.
Railway timetable in English
Average travel time by train to some European cities:
Berlin - 24 hours, Moscow - 14 hours, Vienna - 33 hours, Warsaw - 18 hours
Average traveltime by train to some Ukrainian cities:
Lviv - 10 hours, Kharkiv - 8 hours, Simferopol - 18 hours
Trains can be booked in advance to Kiev from European cities such as Krakow from
http://bahn.de/
By car
The main route into Ukraine from the West is via Poland - the only 24 hour customs post is in Lvivska Oblast at a place called Kruskavetz , which as a 'place' is essentially just the customs post - and it's not marked on most maps either. The nearest significant town on the Polish side is Przemysl, and it's straightforward to find by following route # 4 (which passes through Przemysl). When you arrive, the road is fairly narrow (no motorway/autobahn this) with a queue of trucks and vans parked to the right of the road. Don't park behind the goods vehicles, slip up the side of them and then feed into the customs area when the guy flags you forward (for courteous Europeans, you're not jumping the queue - commercial traffic goes through a different process). If you're in an EU registered car then make for the EU-passports, passport control section. Thence to Ukrainian passport control and then Ukrainian customs and then you're through. It used to be a nightmare, with apocryphal tales of 5-6+ hours at the border, but the Ukrainians have made great advances in efficiency.
Once through, just follow the main road towards Lviv (Львів) on the E40 - this is the route right across Ukraine to Kiev (and thence on to the East). Stick to this - the main towns on the way are Lviv, Rivne (Рівне), Zhytomyr (Житомир). Watch out about 15-20 km inside Ukraine, The village is called Mostyska (Мостиська) as they have gone crazy about traffic calming measures here (speed bumps or sleeping policemen). They're like icebergs across the road, and very badly marked. And there are about 4 or 5 sets of them through the village. Other than that, take care on the road, which although the main East/West highway, and the main road route into the EU, still remains in a miserable condition. And you'll soon realize why Ukraine has such poor statistics in relation to driver and pedestrian fatalities and injuries. Drive defensively is the optimum advice re the roads, other road users and the walking, riding public.
By bus
International buses stop at the central station. There are busses coming in from Germany
By boat
It is possible to organize trips down the Dnipro to the Black Sea in the summer months. A travel agency in Ukraine can book these trips for you.
Get around
Kiev can seem almost as foreign as some Asian cities when you first arrive, as all signage is in Cyrillic script. Kiev is still largely a city where very few people know English, and the likelihood of encountering an English speaker is low - but not impossible. For the non-Russian or Ukrainian speaker, it's quite possible to get around easily, and it is a very interesting city to explore. And it never hurts to speak English - often, a shop assistant will ask customers if they can speak English and act as a translator.
It is advisable, however, to pick up a pocket Russian or Ukrainian phrasebook, and learn the Cyrillic alphabet, which can be fun and is easy to learn. Spend some time practising key words and phrases (e.g. 'hello', 'thank-you' and 'bill please'). Even what you regard as a feeble attempt at Ukrainian or Russian will amuse most people to the point where they are comfortable engaging in pantomime or trying out the little bit of English they know.
It is polite to chat loudly (e.g., in Metro) and wave one's hands.
Navigating
Pick up a "Kyiv Tour Guide" map book (Geosvit books - around US$3-4), which is available at a number of kiosks or at the central post office. Basic tourist maps are available at the baggage carousel at Boryspil Airport. If you are spending much time in Kiev, get the matching Ukrainian version of your map - many locals have as much trouble with the version that is transliterated to latin characters as you have with the version in the cyrillic characters. When asking for directions or setting out in a taxi, it helps to locate the place you want on the English map and then point out the same spot on the Ukrainian version.
By bus
There are two types of city-run buses available: bus (автобус) and trolleybus (тролейбус). These can be hailed from assigned stops, which are marked by a sign on an telegraph pole. These are often very crowded during peak hours, but then the norm is to push your way in. Once on board, you need to validate your ticket by punching a hole in it. If you can't get near the hole puncher, ask someone to validate your ticket for you. Cost for both is currently 50 kopecks and tickets are available from kiosks throughout the city.
You can also comfortably travel short distances on route taxis or mini-vans called "Marshrutky" (Маршрутки). These are private run vehicles that travel assigned routes, which are listed on the front of the bus. You can hail a Marshrutka from anywhere along the route. When you board, you pay the driver directly, or, if you're not near the driver, pass the money to the nearest passenger who will pass it to the driver. Your change will be returned in reverse order. When you are reaching your destination, simply yell out to the driver to stop (some 100 meters in advance). If you overshoot (mini-vans are quite material bodies having inertia, and not unlikely to move by central or left side of the road), you get a nice walk and a driver gets a little extra stress a day. The fare ranges from 75 kopecks to 2 UAH.
Marshruka routes can be hard to figure out, but they have a list of stops on the window and a Metro logo for the metro stops. The best way to figure out where these go is to ask some of the locals. Also, certain city maps feature the routes of the Marshrutky (better re-check, especially in case of last-year guide and time shortage). The one downside to using Marshutka's however is that they tend to be a little overpacked (understatement) and very hot.
By taxi
There are two types of taxi in Kiev - official company taxis, and 'gypsy' cabs.
As with many former Soviet cities, it's perfectly acceptable for any car to stop and pick you up if you hail a cab. An unmarked vehicle is a 'gypsy' cab. To hail a ride, simply stand with your arm out, palm down. When a car pulls over, negotiate a fare - as a rule of thumb, rides within the downtown are should not cost more than 15 UAH and moving across the city might be anywhere from 30 to 50 UAH (also depends on car model, day time, weather and traffic conditions, whether both of you need to get to at least same part of the city so choose proper street side, and to some degree on your gender and numbers -- generally, a few girls would find it way more easy to get by than several slightly drunk men; it's also safe enough compared to, e.g., New York for a single girl at 3AM to use this kind of transport when taxi's not available although don't count on this 100%).
Official company taxis can be hailed, or booked over the phone. There is usually someone who speaks English on the other end of the phone, simply ask 'pa angliskiy pazhalsta' (or, probably, "English please"). The operator will give you a quote, which will save you from the sometimes intimidating process of negotiating on the street.
However, fares do vary widely. On the same route, a local paid UAH15 and the driver quoted this author UAH60 and settled for UAH30. YMMV too.
By metro
The Metro (Ukrainian: Метро) is a very fast subway system, and is easy to navigate once you realize that all three metro lines (red, blue and green) go through city centre. In total there are 45 metro stations in Kiev as of January, 2007.
When you enter the Metro, you must purchase a token to travel from the cashdesk, Kasa (Ukrainian: каса). One token is valid for one trip, no matter how far you go. A token is 50 kopecks (8 eurocents/ 10 cents) and one needs to slip the token into the turnstyles to enter. (Just a note of caution, make sure you walk through the correct side of the turn style or you will be hit with a metal gate that will slam shut.) You can also obtain a monthly ticket with a magnet tape, which is only available for sale during the first week of the calendar month or the third week for half the price (actually not strictly so).
At platform level, all signage is in Cyrillic, so it's best to corrolate the Cyrillic station names on the wall to the transliterated names on your map book. Once inside the train, the metro route maps over each door have names transliterated into latin letters, and there is a station announcement as the metro approaches each station as well as TV screens in all carraiges that between stations show adverts, but flag up the impending station as it approaches it, and the next staion as it departs.
Metro stations where you can interchange have two different names - one for each line. If you're changing lines, the other station can usually be reached by an overpass in the centre of the platform.
Trains run every 30 sec. to 2:30 minutes in business hours and from 10 to 15 minutes from 11 p.m till 1 a.m. at the last station. Even so, they are often very crowded - there are a lot of reports of pickpockets and bag slashings, so keep your hands on your belongings. And be prepared to push, as this may be the only way you get on the train, during peak hours.
It's interesting to note that the Kiev metro has some of the deepest stations in the world. The Arsenal'na station (Ukrainian: Арсенальна) station is the deepest metro station in the world, at 107 meters deep, and the Universityet station (Ukrainian: Університет) has one of the longest escalators in the world (87 meters long).
If you enable "Cell Info Display" on your GSM phone, it will show you the name of the station (in transliterated Latin characters... (for UMC and Kyivstar) just like your map) when you are underground in the vicinity of a station. And your mobile/cell/handy should work on most of the network, including between stations.
By other
Other forms of public transport in Kiev include:
See
.
There are two parts to the modern complex: the upper lavra, owned by the state and consisting of a number of museums (entry fee); and the lower lavra, owned by the Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriach) and consisting of the caves (you'll need 1 UAH to buy a candle to enter). Do not miss the display of micro-miniatures in the upper lavra. It sounds lame, but it it fascinating.
You can enter the caves in the lower part if you dress correctly (women MUST cover their hair and wear skirts, no shorts. Expensive scarves are for sale there). Women can only just get away with pants in the winter. Metro: Arsenal'na
Learn
There are a number of private schools where you can learn Ukrainian or Russian, either part-time or full time. There are also experienced teachers in the city - check out resources such as Kyiv: In Your Pocket, The Kyiv Post, and What's On Weekly for details of schools and teachers.
Do
Full day in Kiev:
While it is free to enter the caves, you must purchase a taper candle in order to light your way. The caves are not recommended for the claustrophobic or overly tall. Once you're in there, it's hard, even impossible to turn around and go back out - you have to keep going.
For the second half of the day, visit the museums and churches in the Upper Lavra. English speaking guides - both official and unofficial - are available to show you around the sights.
Metro: Percherska
Metro: Hidropark
Half day in Kiev:
Metro: Universityet
Work
Foreigners can sometimes find work teaching their native language (English, Swedish, whatever). Pay is usually decent enough to live on in Kiev if you get enough pupils and live by local standards.
As is the nature in a global economy, professionals with skills in demand, e.g. accountants and IT professionals, can easily be employed with global firms in Kiev, without knowledge of Russian or Ukrainian languages.
Getting a working permitt is a necessity for foreigner if they are going to be employed by any legal entity (Exceptions apply only for international institutions and representative offices of foreign companies). The working permitt is significantly different from the "classical" form as it is more of a hiring permitt. The potential employer has to apply with the labour administration for hiring an non-resident employee. With the application a complete cv as well as documents profing the professional education have to be submitted.
Buy
Go to Andriyivskyy Descent (Andriyivskyi Uzviz) for a nice collection of things. They sell traditional thing, old communistic goods (real good but also fake mass-produced), folkloric things, ...
Every sunday there's a market. The rest of the week there are a few people selling things, but it's usally not worth to go.
Money
The unit of currency is the Hryvnia (UAH) (гривня) and is about 5 UAH to the US Dollar. There are many exchanges that will convert USD or Euro to UAH, just look for signs with exchange rates posted on just about any block. Exchange rates vary a lot and deteriorate fast when you get into less competitive places or outside of standard business hours. You should also make sure to get a receipt when buying UAH. Do not change money at the airport unless you have to, since rates there are not as good as in the city centre.
It is often expected that one carries small change in Kiev. Most retail establishments will scowl at you if you try to pay for a UAH4 purchase with a UAH20 note. They generally keep very little change on hand and will always ask if you have the right amount of kopeks. The EU is currently investigating whether Ukraine has a kopek deficiency.
WellsFargo ATM cards do not seem to work in Kiev even on Plus network machines (under investigation). As a backup, it is possible to get dollars from most banks using a cash advance from a Visa or Mastercard. There is a small service charge (3%) to do this in addition to whatever your bank charges. Debit cards such as maestro do work in ATMs.
Cirrus/Maestro bank cards could be most effective way to get cash in Ukraine. Aval Bank ATMs do not charge additinal transaction cost to cash withdrawl transactions from foreign cards (unless you are withdrawing dollars). Your bank may charge you some amount for these transactions (e.g. Commonwealth Bank of Australia charges AUD $5). Most British banks charge about £1.50 for ATM transactions made outside of the UK.
Exchange rate in this case is usually better than in currency exchange booths.
For many people in Ukraine word ATM may sound unfamiliar - ATM is translated as bankomat (банкомат) and can be found everywhere.
Eat
In general, it is very cheap to dine in Kiev by US standards. So long as you stay away from the places that totally pander to tourists, the food is great and cheap. Try the Borscht and the Mlyntzi and then try absolutely everything else. Baked goods are cheap and great too. Even the ice-cream on the street is great. An especially distinctive one is to the right from Khreshchatyk subway exit - blue kiosk with varying lengh of queue.
When you see vendors selling some liquid from big yellow/blue tanks on the street, you can be sure that it is "Kvas," which is a brewed bread drink. Some people like it and others hate it. It tastes a bit like malt, and there is no alcohol. Try "Odyn Malenkyi" (one small) drink.
You should not drink the tap water. It is advisable to buy 5l. bottles in the supermarkets; they usually have English section for "ingredients". You can always order "Bonaqua" (sparkling mineral water), but beer is just about as cheap.
Budget
Fast-food chains:
For anyone near Kyiv-Mohyla university, there's a small cafetria-style place down a few steps on the ground floor of a building on the main square (near Illins'ka st).
Groceries
The leading supermarket chains are "MegaMarket" (МегаМаркет), "Furshet" (Фуршет), "Velyka kyshenya" (Велика кишеня), which are conveniently located to the city centre. The closest MegaMarket to town is on 50 Gorkoho (Горького). This MegaMarket is big but can get busy. Foodstuffs are available on the ground level, and non-food available on the first level. You have to go through the cashier on each level, which means two long lineups on busy days.
The closest Furshet to the city centre, and most central supermarket, is located on the basement level of the Mandrain Plaza, which is at the back of Bessarbabsky Square. This supermarket stocks many imported goods, and also has five restaurants.
Do not forget to buy a few big jugs of bottled water such as Staryi Myrhorod (Старий Миргород) or Truskavetska (Трускавецька). Kyivskij tort (київський торт) is another thing you should eat in Kiev if you love cakes. Dark rye bread, Ryazhenka (Ряженка, ukrainian style yogurt), Kvas (Квас, fermented drink made of bread) could be also be interesting things to taste.
Chocolates, cakes, lollies, crisps and biscuits/cookies are widely available at low cost and very popular with Ukrainians - after years of being deprived western brands, snackfoods are becoming big business.
Mid-range
It's also worth checking out pubs and restaurants that offer business lunches during weekday lunch. These are set menus that usually cost around 40 UAH, and include soup, salad, meat dish and a drink.
Splurge
Other top spots that this author has not visited include:
There's a german called Eric that owns a series of clubs, bars and restaurants (Eric's family ). They are frequented mainly by expats working in Kiev and very rich Ukranians.
The two restaurants are:
You can eat in the other venues as well, but they're not mainly intended as restaurants
National
There are many restaurants that claim serving authentic Ukranian food, but often they prepare cosak food.
Drink
There are several nice places in Kiev to get a drink. From small cafes that are only frequented by locals (they look dirty at first sight) to expensive places. Most locals buy some drinks (beer or vodka) at a stall in the street and drink it in a park, leaving their bottle for the homeless to collect and cash in. With this they often buy some chips or other salted things (I think it's squid, not sure though tastes like seasalt).
As said in the Food section, Eric owns many venues. The prices are rather high for Kiev, which means quite reasonable by European standards. Beer is around $3, iirc.
There's another "brand" of cafes called "Babooin" ("Бабуин", means baboon). They have 3 places located over Kiev
Military-themed bar Blyndazh (Блиндаж, means "entrenchment") at the basement of 15 Mala Zhitomyrska (200 m. off Maidan). Small, cheap and popular, mostly student types.
There are two Belgian beer cafés. One is located across the road from the Golden Gate, close to the South Korean Delegation. The other is close to the olympic stadium. Prices range between normal western prices and splurge western prices. Service is in perfect english usually and they do serve belgian beer and traditional belgian food.
There are more theme cafés over Kiev, but they are often hard to find. Therefore try meeting english speaking people in the above mentioned cafes.
Clubs
Kiev has a nice club scene. Ranging from very cheap to overly-expensive you can find what you want.
Sleep
Budget
For any stay of more than a few days, it is possible to rent apartments in the city center through numerous brokers for rates of US$50-US$80/night (usually in USD Cash). The buildings are not fancy (alarming, actually), but generally have washing machines and cooking facilities. If you manage to avoid the hot-water shutdowns, they are really the way to go. The author had local contacts with ongoing relationships with apartment brokers. The price for a better grade of apartment seems to be closer to US$120/night for a 2-bedroom. You mileage may vary.
Rumor has it that there are less expensive hotels in this range, but those same rumors imply that the quality suffers a lot.
There is also an agency in the train station which rents apartments, hotels and rooms in Kiev at daily rates starting at 15 dollars or on a long term basis. The office is located in the south terminal of the main railway station in office 35 (on the 2nd floor above ticket counters 38-39). You'll be there in a few minutes if you're arriving by train.
From the Borispil airport you can take a bus marked "polit" (Ukrainian: політ) which will take you directly to the south terminal of the main train station for 4 dollars.
tel. +38(044)465-2808
The website is www.kvartburo.com.ua.
Mid-range
Splurge
The Premier Palace Hotel
The Opera Hotel
Contact
By phone
Mobile (cell) phones: GSM 900/1800 is used in Ukraine. This system is compatible with mobile phone networks used in Europe, most of Asia, Australia, New Zealand.
If you have unlocked GSM phone, you can get an ACE & BASE (Kyivstar), Sim-Sim, Jeans (UMC) or MOBI (WellCOM) SIM card for a few dollars at street vendors which will give you a local number and free incoming calls. If you don't have an unlocked phone already, new ones can be had for USD 15-20 and a touch cheaper if you buy a pay-as-you-go sim card at the same time. Incoming calls are free in Ukraine so in extremis you can just SMS/text a request for a return call for a small charge.
T-mobile customers can get their (3 or 4-band) phones activated for travel, but the rates are unfriendly. If this is you, use SMS when you can.
If you are roaming in Kiev, SMS messages do work well. They are confirmed to work for US and UK T-mobile customers as well as UK Vodaphone customers and local Kyivstar customers. do note that the size of the country and the relative low population desnities of rural areas means that there are many 'black-spots' where mobile/cell/handy's will not work. But of course these are away from the main cities/urban areas (and most of the main arterial road and rail routes also have reasonably consistent call signals)
If you are trying to call the US from your GSM phone, you may find that the access numbers for your calling card are blocked. Plan ahead and sign up with a callback service (such as UWT **warning, lead-time required**) before you start your travels and you can provoke them to call you (at much more favaroable rates) when you need to make a call.
By web
The easiest way to maintain internet connectivity if you use your own laptop is to buy a 7-day unlimited Lucky Internet callback card. They are about UAH36 at the street kiosks. When you dial in, you will be initially firewalled off from everything until you activate by visiting card.lucky.net.
Internet cafes have a good service. They usually have different types of computers with varrying prices.
A bit higher than the metrostation on ul Khmelnytskoho (on the left side at a corner) there is one that is very good, open 24 hours non stop. The cheapest computers cover your basic needs, the most expensive ones are usually for hardcore gamers.
Also most foreigner-friendly cafés (see "Drink" section above) propose free Wi-Fi.
Stay safe
The usual "don't be stupid" advice seems to be adequate. Avoid drinking the water from the tap - bottled water is cheap & available everywhere (Morshinska is my brand of choice, both with and without 'gas'). Kiev is a generally open and friendly city and stays lively until at least 11PM in most districts.
There are occasional (rare) reports of visitors being shaken down by corrupt officials, often customs officials. Naturally, the best protection is to make sure that you stay on the correct side of the law and - if there is any question - keep your cool and do not become argumentative. It seems that the cost of an error is surrendering the object in question and paying a "fine." The officials are skilled at ensuring that people who argue miss their flights.
Some thieves like to abuse naive tourists, for example by playing plain clothes cop. They are rarely aggressive and not sure. They will only go to you if you're walking alone and don't look too familiar with the town. A bit of resisting usually shakes them off. (but not too much; you never know)
There still is some corruption in Ukraine, some services might openly ask you to bribe them to process your request and denying it might make them refuse to help you.
The people are very tolerant and it is only reasonable to assume that they expect the same in return.
Cope
Kiev was part of the former USSR. Some things work well and other things may be broken. There is no point in stressing about this. Arrive with that realization and be prepared to roll with a few surprises. Also, bring basic things that may keep surprises from developing into serious problems. You should always have a flashlight, a few snack bars, and some toilet paper with you anyway.
Local people, however manage their lives without the above (except for toilet paper), as the "7/11" and kiosks can be found at virtually any public transport station, and 24-hours stores are a normal practice.
Get out
Kiev, also Kyiv (Ukrainian: , Kyyiv, IPA: ˈkɪjiw; Russian: , Kiyev; see also ) is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper river. In 2005 Kiev had 2,660,401 inhabitants, and this figure continues to grow.
Kiev is an important industrial, scientific, educational and cultural center of Eastern Europe. It is home to many high-tech industries, higher education institutions and world-famous historical landmarks. The city has an extensive infrastructure and highly developed system of public transport, including the Kiev Metro.
The name of Kiev comes from the name of Kyi, one of four legendary founders of the city (brothers Kyi, Shchek, Khoryv and sister Lybid'). During its history, Kiev, one of the oldest cities in Eastern Europe, passed through several stages of great prominence and relative obscurity. The city is believed to have been founded in the 5th century as a trading post in the land of Early East Slavs. It gradually acquired eminence as the center of the East Slavic civilization, becoming in the tenth to twelfth centuries a political and cultural capital of Rus', a medieval East Slavic state. Completely destroyed during the Mongol invasion in 1240, the city lost most of its influence for the centuries to come. It was a provincial capital of marginal importance in the outskirts of the territories controlled by its powerful neighbors: first the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, followed by the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and, finally, Russia. The city prospered again during the Russian industrial revolution in the late 19th century. After the turbulent period following the Russian Revolution of 1917, from 1921 onwards Kiev was an important city of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, and, since 1934, its capital. During World War II, the city again suffered significant damage, but quickly recovered in the post-war years becoming the third most important city of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
Kiev remains the capital of Ukraine, independent since 1991 following the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Environment
Geography
Kiev is located on both sides of the Dnieper River, which flows south through the city towards the Black Sea. Its geographic coordinates are . Geographically, Kiev belongs to the Polesia ecological zone (a part of the European mixed woods). However, the city's unique landscape distinguishes it from the surrounding region. The older right-bank (western) part of Kiev is represented by numerous woody hills, ravines and small rivers. It is a part of the larger Prydniprovska (near-Dnieper) upland adjoining the western bank of the Dnieper. The city expanded to the Dnieper's left-bank (to the east) only in the 20th century. Significant areas of the Dnieper valley were artificially sand-deposited, and are protected by dams.
The Dnieper River forms a branching system of tributaries, isles, and harbors within the city limits. The city is adjoined by the mouth of the Desna River and the Kiev Reservoir in the north, and the Kaniv Reservoir in the south. Both the Dnieper and Desna rivers are navigable at Kiev, although regulated by the reservoir shipping locks and limited by winter freeze-over.
Climate
Kiev has a continental humid climate, although it has changed significantly during recent decades. The warmest months are June, July, and August, with mean temperatures of 13.8 to 24.8°C (56.9 to 76.7°F). The coldest are December, January, and February, with mean temperatures of −4.6 to -1.1°C (23.7 to 30.0°F). The highest ever temperature recorded in the city was 39.4°C (103.0°F) on 31 July 1936. The coldest temperature ever recorded in the city was -32.2°C (-26.0°F) on 7 & 9 February 1929. Snow cover usually lies from mid-November to the end of March, with the frost-free period lasting 180 days on average, but surpassing 200 days in recent years.
History
Kiev is one of the oldest and most important cities of Eastern Europe with a pivotal role in the development of the medieval East Slavic civilization as well as in the modern Ukrainian nation.
People have lived on the site of Kiev since before the existence of any historic records. The settlement at the site of the modern city may have been founded as early as the fifth or the sixth century AD. With the exact time of city foundation being hard to determine, May 1982 was chosen to celebrate the city's 1,500th anniversary.
During the eighth and ninth centuries, Kiev was an outpost of the Khazar empire. Starting from some point during the late ninth century Kiev was ruled by the Varangian nobility and became the nucleus of the Rus' polity, which became known as Kievan Rus' during the Golden age of Kiev (eleventh to early twelfth centuries). In 1240 the Mongol invasion of Rus led by Batu Khan completely destroyed Kiev, an event that had a profound effect on the future of the city and the East Slavic civilization. At the time of the Mongol destruction, Kiev was reputed as one of the largest cities in the world, with a population exceeding one hundred thousand.
From 1362, the area, with a largely diminished city, was conquered by Gediminas for the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. From 1569 the city was controlled by the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, as a capital of Kijów Voivodeship, transferred by then to the Polish Crown. In the 17th century, was Kiev was transferred under rule of Russia. In the Russian Empire Kiev was a primary Christian center, the attraction of piligrims and the craddle of many of the empire's most important religious figures, but until the 19th century the city's commercial importance remained marginal.
Kiev prospered again during the Russian industrial revolution in the late nineteenth century when it became the third most important city of the Russian Empire, the major center of commerce of the Empire's southwest. In the turbulent period following the 1917 Russian Revolution, Kiev became the capital of several short-lived Ukrainian states and was caught in the middle of several conflicts: the Great War, the Russian Civil War, and the Polish-Soviet War. From 1921 the city was part of the Soviet Union, and since 1934, the capital of Soviet Ukraine. The city boomed again during the years of the Soviet industrialization as it population grew rapidly and many industrial giants were built that exist to this day.
In World War II, the city again suffered significant damage, but quickly recovered in the post-war years, becoming once again the third most important city of the Soviet Union. The catastrophic accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant located only some 100 km to the north from the city affected the city, which had surpassed two million inhabitants, but to a lesser extent than it was feared as the northward wind blew the most substantial radioactive debris away from the city.
In the wake of the collapse of the Soviet Union the Declaration of Independence of Ukraine was proclaimed in the city by the Ukrainian parliament on August 24, 1991. Kiev now remains the capital of independent Ukraine.
Government
The municipality of the city of Kiev has a unique legal status within Ukraine compared to the other administrative subdivisions of the country. The most significant difference is that the city is subordinated directly to the national-level branches of the Government of Ukraine, skipping the provincial level authorities of Kiev Oblast. Additionally, the leading governmental position is held by the locally elected, rather than appointed, figure, the Mayor of Kiev, and the municipal self-governance institutions have a higher than elsewhere in Ukraine latitude in the local affairs.
Subdivisions
Administratively, the city is divided into "raions" ("districts"), which have their local governments with jurisdiction over a limited scope of affairs. Presently, there are 10 raions.
Besides these, Kiev is informally divided into historical or territorial neighborhoods, each housing from about 5,000 to 100,000 inhabitants.
The natural first level of subdivision of the city is into the Right Bank and the Left Bank of the Dnieper. The Right Bank, located on the west side of the river, contains the older portions of the city.
:''See also: :Category:Neighborhoods and raions of Kiev city|Category:Neighborhoods and raions of Kiev
Demographics
As of the All-Ukrainian Census conducted in 2001, the population of Kiev is 2,611,300. Please consult the table to the right for Kiev's historical populations. According to the census, the number of men accounted for 1,219,000 persons, or 46.7%, and that of women – 1,393,000 persons, or 53.3%. The comparison with the results of the previous census (1989) shows the trend of population aging which, while common for the country overall, is partly offset in Kiev by the inflow of the migrants of the working age.
According to the census data, more than 130 nationalities and ethnic groups reside within the territory of Kiev. Ukrainians constitute the largest ethnic group in Kiev, and they account for 2,110,800 people, or 82.2% of the population. Russians comprise 337,300 (13.1%), Jews - 17,900 (0.7%), Belarusians - 16,500 (0.6%), Poles - 6,900 (0.3%), Armenians - 4,900 (0.2%), Azerbaijanis - 2,600 (0.1%), Tatars - 2,500 (0.1%), Georgians - 2,400 (0.1%), Moldovans - 1,900 (0.1%).
Both Ukrainian and Russian are commonly spoken in the city, with Russian being more widely used despite the fact that Ukrainian is claimed as their native tongue by almost three times as many residents as those who claim Russian. According to a 2006 survey, Ukrainian is used at home by 23% of Kievans, as 52% use Russian and 24% switch between both.
1,069,700 people have higher and complete secondary education, a significant increase 21.7% since 1989.
Modern Kiev
Modern Kiev is a mix of the old and the new, seen in everything from the architecture to the stores and to the people themselves. Experiencing fast population growth between the 1970s and the mid-'90s, the city has continued its consistent growth after the turn of the millennium. As a result, Kiev's "downtown" is a dotted picture of new, modern buildings amongst the pale yellows, blues and grays of the older apartments. Urban sprawl has been gradually reducing, while population densities of suburbs started increasing. The most expensive properties are located in the Pechersk, and Khreschatyk area. It is also prestigious to own a property in newly constructed buildings in Kharkivskyi Raion or Obolon along the Dnieper, as well as in some other better-established areas.
With the Ukrainian independence on the turn of the millennium, other changes came. Western-style residential complexes, hip nightclubs, classy restaurants and prestigious hotels opened in the center. Music from Europe and North America started rising on Ukrainian music charts. And most importantly, with the easing of the visa rules in 2005, Ukraine is positioning itself as a prime tourist attraction, with Kiev, among the other large cities, looking to profit from the new opportunities. The center of Kiev has been cleaned up and buildings have been restored and redecorated, especially the Khreschatyk street and the Independence Square. Many historic areas of Kiev, such as Andriyivskyy Descent, have become popular street vendor locations, where one can find traditional Ukrainian art, religious items, books, game sets (most commonly chess) as well as jewelry for sale.
Culture
An important part of Kiev's culture is the many theatres in the city, which include: Kiev Opera House, Ivan Franko National Academic Drama Theater, Lesya Ukrainka National Academic Theater of Russian Drama, the Kiev Puppet Theater, October Palace, National Philharmonic of Ukraine and many others.
Other cultural items include the Olexandr Dovzhenko Film Studios, and the Kiev Circus. The most important of the :Category:Museums in Kiev|city's many museums are the Kiev State Historical Museum, Museum of the Great Patriotic War, the National Art Museum, the Museum of Western and Oriental Art and the National Museum of Russian art.
In 2005 Kiev hosted the 50th annual Eurovision Song Contest as a result of Ruslana's Wild Dances being victorious in 2004.
:''See also: :Category:Kiev city culture|Category:Kiev culture
Sports
Football (soccer) is the most popular spectator sport in Kiev, followed by basketball and ice hockey. Kiev has many professional and amateur soccer clubs, including the Arsenal and Dynamo, which both play in the top division of the Ukrainian Premier League. Other less prominent sport clubs in the city include: the FC Obolon Kyiv soccer club, the HC Sokil Kyiv hockey club and BC Kyiv basketball club.
During the 1980 Summer Olympics held in the Soviet Union, Kiev held the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament at its Olympic Stadium, reconstructed for the event. The stadium is the largest of Ukrainian stadiums, as well as among Kiev's 15 stadiums/sport complexes. Initially constructed for audience of 100,000, following the installation of individual seats it can now accommodate 83,053 spectators. Other notable sport stadiums/sport complexes in Kiev include the Lobanovsky Dynamo Stadium, the Palace of Sports, among many others.
Kiev does not only host field games and indoor sports, but also aquatic sports, which take place on the Kiev Reservoir at Vyshhorod, and on Trukhaniv Island in the Dnieper river, opposite the city center, where there are many fine beaches and recreational facilities. In addition to that, cross country bicycling is another favorite sport, also taking place on the Trukhaniv Island.
Together with a few other cities of Poland and Ukraine, Kiev will house the 2012 UEFA European Football Championship. Three group matches, a quarter final and the final are scheduled to be played at Kiev NSK Olimpiyskyi stadium.
:''See also: :Category:Sport in Kiev city|Category:Sports in Kiev
Architecture
Probably, Kiev's most famous historical architecture complexes are St. Sophia Cathedral and Kiev Pechersk Lavra (Monastery of the Caves), which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Noteworthy historical architectural landmarks also include the Mariyinsky Palace (designed and constructed from 1745 to 1752, then reconstructed in 1870), several Orthodox churches such as St. Michael's Cathedral, St. Andrew's, St. Vladimir's, the reconstructed Golden Gate, and others.
The cylindrical Salut hotel, located across from Glory Square and an eternal flame at the World War Two memorial Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The giant highly visible from the Dnieper hills Mother Motherland statue standing at the Museum of the Great Patriotic War is one of Kiev's well recognized modern landmarks.
Among Kiev's best-known monuments are Mikeshin's statue of Bohdan Khmelnytsky astride his horse located near St. Sophia Cathedral, the venerated Vladimir the Great (St. Vladimir), the baptizer of Rus', overlooking the river above Podil, the monument to Kyi, Schek and Khoryv and Lybid, the legendary founders of the city located at the Dnieper embankment. Finally, two elevated on the tall columns modern monuments to the city protectors are located at the Independence Square in the city center: the historic protector of Kiev Michael Archangel and a modern invention, the goddess-protector Berehynia.
:''See also: :Category:Buildings and structures in Kiev city|Category:Buildings and structures in Kiev
= Architectural monuments =
Image:StMichaelCathedral.jpg|The St. Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral, 1998 reconstruction.
Image:Uspensky Sobor.jpg|The Holy Dormition Cathedral of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, post-1991 reconstruction.
Image:Andreevskaja cerkov.jpg|The St.Andrew's Church.
Image:Kiev Sofiakathedraal.jpg|The St. Sophia Cathedral.
Image:Vladimirsky Sobor.jpg|The St Volodymyr's Cathedral.
Image:Bogorodica-Pirogoscha.jpg|The Church of Bogoroditsa Pirogoscha in the Podil raion, 1998 reconstruction
Image:Olga Monument.jpg|Monument to Princess Olga
Image:Kiev gate 2001 07 09.jpg|The Zoloti Vorota, 1982 reconstruction.
Image:Verkhovna Rada face.jpg|The Verkhovna Rada building, the Ukrainian parliament.
Image:KievOpera.jpg|The National Opera of Ukraine.
Image:National Bank of Ukraine.jpg|National Bank of Ukraine.
Image:House with chimaeras.jpg|"The House With Chimaeras"
Image:Kiew Hoehlenkloster Turm.jpg|Pechersk Lavra
Image:Kiew Höhlenkloster Eingang.jpg|Pechersk Lavra
Transportation
Local transportation
Public transportation in Kiev includes metro (subway), buses, trolleybuses and trams. The publicly owned and operated Kiev Metro system is the fastest, the most convenient and affordable network that covers most, but not all, of the city. The metro is regularly expanding towards the city limits to cover the growing demand, while the other kinds of public transport are not that well maintained. In particular, the public bus service fails to maintain its schedule. Public electric trolleybus and tram lines are more reliable, but are also technically obsolete and underfunded. The historic tram system, which once were a maintained and densely-developed method of transport, are now gradually being phased out in favor of buses and trolleys.
One unusual mode of public transportation Kiev has is a funicular, that climbs on the steep right bank of the Dnieper River. It provides transport to 10,000-15,000 passengers daily.
All public road transport in Kiev is operated by the united Kyivpastrans municipal company. It is heavily subsidized by the city as large groups of passengers (pensioners, etc.) are granted free service on its lines.
A simple distance-regardless tariffs system exists in Kiev public transport: the tickets for ground transportation are bought for each entrance into the vehicle. Discount passes are available for scholars and students. Pensioners use public transportation free. Monthly passes, which are sold at the price of 60 rides, are also available in all combinations of public transportation: metro, bus, trolley, tram.
Recently, privately owned minibuses, marshrutkas, occupied Kiev's streets. They provide good coverage of smaller residential streets and have routes that are convenient for the residents. Minibuses take fewer passengers, run faster, stop on demand and are more available, although with an increased frequency of accidents. Ticket price and itinerary of private minibuses are regulated by city government, and the cost of one ride, while higher than on public buses, is still far lower than the Western European standard.
The taxi market in Kiev is intensive but not adequately regulated. In particular, the taxi fare per kilometer is not regulated. There is a strong competition between private taxi companies. Many allow scheduling a pick-up by phone. Also, it is quite common for a local with a car (or even people from other parts of Ukraine) to provide taxi service unofficially. Traffic jams and lack of parking space are the growing problems for taxi service in Kiev. Current regulations allow for parking on pavements, which pedestrians may find inconvenient.
Suburban transportation
Suburban transportation is provided by buses and short-range trains (elektrichkas). There are a few bus stations inside the city providing suburban transportations. Private minibuses (marshrutkas) provide faster and more frequent suburban service, currently winning the competition against large buses.
Elektrichkas are serviced by the publicly owned Ukrzaliznytsia company. The suburban train service is fast, and unbeatingly safe in terms of traffic accidents. But the trains are not reliable, as they may fail significantly behind schedule, may not be safe in terms of crime, and the elektrichka cars are poorly maintained and are overcrowded in rush hours.
There are 5 elektrichka directions from Kiev:
More than a dozen of elektrichka stops are located within the city allowing residents of different neighborhoods to use the suburban trains.
Once existing suburban riverboats service is now extinct due to lack of profitability, limiting Kiev's water transport for cargo and tourism uses.
Railways
Railways are Kiev’s main kind of outer transport connection. The city has a developed railroad infrastructure including a long-distance passenger station, 6 cargo stations, depots, and repairing facilities. However, this system still fails to meet the demand for passenger service. Particularly, the Kiev Passenger Railway Station is city's only long-distance passenger terminal (vokzal). There is construction underway for a new Darnytsia Railway Station on the left-bank part of Kiev, which may easer the tension of the central station. Bridges over the Dnieper River are another problem restricting the development of city’s railway system. Presently, only one rail bridge out of two is available for intense train traffic. A new combined rail-auto bridge is under construction, as a part of Darnytsia project.
Air transport
Passenger air link to Kiev can be made through two of its airports: the Boryspil Airport, which is served by the many international airlines, and a smaller Zhulyany Airport, serving mostly domestic flights, and few flights to nearby countries. There is also Gostomel cargo airport in Kiev's north-western suburb of Hostomel. The international passenger terminal at Boryspil is quite small, yet modern. A new section of the international terminal was opened in 2006. There is a separate terminal for domestic flights within walking distance. Passengers traveling to other cities within Ukraine by air usually stop for a connection at Boryspil, as the other airports in Ukraine such as in Donetsk, Simferopol, Odessa, provide very limited international connections.
Kiev is one of the centers of world aviation industry, being a home for Antonov aircraft manufacturing company. Currently, there are expansion plans for the city's international airport, with construction to begin within the coming years.
:''See also: :Category:Transport in Kiev city|Category:Transport in Kiev
Tourism
Attractions in Kiev
It is said that one can walk from one end of Kiev to the other in the summertime without leaving the shade of its many trees. Most characteristic are the horse-chestnuts (каштани, kashtany).
Kiev is known as a green city with two botanical gardens and numerous large and small parks. The green nature of the city is probably most notable by the overgrown and mostly untouched by urbanization hills on the right bank along the Dnieper river. There the World War II Museum is located, which offers both indoor and outdoor displays of military history and equipment surrounded by verdant hills overlooking the Dnieper river.
Among the numerous islands, Venetsianskyi (or Hidropark) is the most habitable. It's accessible by metro or by car, and includes an amusement park, swimming beaches, boat rentals, and night clubs. The Victory Park (Park Peremohy) located near Darnytsia subway station is a popular destination for strollers, joggers, and cyclists.
Boating, fishing, and water sports are popular pastimes in Kiev. Since the lakes and rivers freeze over in the winter, ice fishermen are frequently seen, as are children with their ice skates. However, the peak of summer is when masses of people can be seen on the shores, swimming or sunbathing, with daytime high temperatures sometimes reaching 30 to 34 °C.
The center of Kiev (Independence Square and Khreschatyk Street) becomes a large outdoor party place at night during summer months, with thousands of people having a good time in nearby restaurants, clubs and outdoor cafes. The central streets are closed for auto traffic on weekends and holidays.
Wide varieties of farming products are available in many of Kiev's farmer markets with the Besarabsky Market located in the very center of the city being the most famous one. Each residential region has its own market, or rynok. Here one will find table after table of individuals hawking everything imaginable: vegetables, fresh and smoked meats, fish, cheese, honey, dairy products such as milk and home-made smetana (sour cream), caviar, cut flowers, housewares, tools and hardware, and clothing. Each of the markets has its own unique mix of products. There is also a popular book market by the Petrivka metro station.
At the city's southern outskirts, near the historic Pyrohiv village, there is an outdoor museum, officially called the Museum of Folk Architecture and Life of Ukraine It has an area of 1.5 square kilometres. On this terrain, multiple "mini-villages" that represent the traditional countryside architecture of various regions of Ukraine are built.
Kiev also has numerous game attractions like bowling, carts, paintball, billiards and even shooting from real weapons.
:See also: :Category:Visitor attractions in Kiev city|Category:Visitor attractions in Kiev
Views of Kiev
Image:Andriyivskyy Uzviz.jpeg|General view of the Andriyivskyy Descent.
Image:Podol.JPG|The Kontraktova Square of the Podil raion.
Image:Kreschatik.JPG|Khreschatyk, the best known street in Kiev.
Image:Ukraine elections massprotest 20041122.jpg|Orange Revolution protesters gather at Maidan Nezalezhnosti.
Image:Trapeznaja Lavry.JPG|The Refectory of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra.
Image:Kiev History Museum.jpg|The Museum of History.
Image:Founders of Kiev.jpg|The founders of Kiev, Kyi, Schek and Khoriv.
Image:Kiev railway station 1.JPG|The new Terminal to the Kiev Passenger Railway Station.
Economy
Kiev, as the capital of Ukraine, has major administrative functions, with considerable status in the offices of the ministries responsible for the economy of Ukraine. Factories in Kiev are found in all parts of the city, with locations of major concentrations of industrial organizations located to the west of the city center and on the left bank of the Dnieper River.
:See also: :Category:Economy of Kiev city|Economy of Kiev, Economy of Ukraine
Industrial organizations
The Kiev engineering plants, create their equipment based on metal from the iron and steel areas of Dnipropetrovshchyna and the Donbas coalfield. These plants in Kiev make equipment for chemical works, such as conveyor lines for vulcanized rubber, linoleum, fertilizer factories, and also metal-cutting machines. Other engineering products of Kiev area include aircraft (see: Antonov), hydraulic elevators, electrical instruments, armatures, river-and-sea crafts, motorcycles, and cinematography apparatuses.
Another important sector is the chemical industry, which produces resin products, fertilizers, plastics, and chemical fibers, made at the Darnytsky Raion viscose plant on the left bank of Kiev. Lumber milling and the production of bricks and reinforced concrete items are another well developed industry. Consumer manufactured goods include cameras (see: Kiev-Arsenal (photo camera), thermos flasks, knitwear, footwear, a range of foodstuffs, and hand watches. Kiev is also a large publishing centre.
Power production
Kiev is supplied by electricity primary from the Kiev Hydroelectric Power Station, completed in 1968, just upstream of the city at Vyshhorod, on the Kiev Reservoir, and from Trypillia thermal electric station. Nowadays, all but a few regions of Ukraine are interconnected by the Ukrainian electric power grid. Following the Chernobyl accident the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant located 100 km north of Kiev has been closed. Kiev also receives its power supply in the form of natural gas, piped from Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhhorod pipeline.
Education
Kiev hosts many universities, the major ones being Kiev National Taras Shevchenko University, the National Technical University "Kiev Polytechnic Institute", and the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy. The total number of institutions of higher education in Kiev approaches 200, allowing young people to pursue almost any line of study.
There are about 500 general secondary schools, evening schools for adults, and specialist technical schools. Scientific research is conducted in many of the institutes of the higher education and, additionally, in many research institutes affiliated with the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences and several of Ukrainian industrial ministries. Kiev is also noted for its research in medicine and computer science.
There are many libraries in the city with the Vernadsky library affiliated with the Academy of Science being the largest and most important one.
:''See also: :Category:Education in Kiev city|Category:Education in Kiev
City name evolution
Currently, Kiev is the traditional English name for the city, but the Ukrainianized version Kyiv is gaining usage.
As a prominent city with a long history, its English name was subject to gradual evolution. The early English spelling was derived from Old East Slavic form Kijevъ (spelled Кієвъ). According to the legendary account in the Primary Chronicle, the city is named after Kyi (Кий), who is said to have founded the city with his brothers Shchek and Khoryv, and their sister Lybid'.
In the middle ages the city was mentioned in published sources as Kiou, Kiow, Kiew, Kiovia. On one of the oldest English maps of the region Russiae, Moscoviae et Tartariae published by Ortelius (London, 1570) the city is spelled as Kiou. On the map by Guillaume de Beauplan (1650) the name of the city was given as Kiiow, and the region was named as Kÿowia. In English traveller Joseph Marshall's book Travels (London, 1772) the city is referred as Kiovia.
The name Kiev was used in print as early as in 1804 in the John Cary's "New map of Europe, from the latest authorities" in "Cary's new universal atlas" published in London. The English travelogue titled New Russia: Journey from Riga to the Crimea by way of Kiev, by Mary Holderness was published in 1823. By 1883, the Oxford English Dictionary included Kiev in a quotation. This name was established on the basis of Russian orthography and pronunciation , during a time when Kiev was a city in a governorate of the Russian Empire.
At the same time the spelling Kyiv, romanized version of the Ukrainian name for the city ˈkɪjiw, has been used in English-language publications of the Ukrainian diaspora and in some academic publications concerning Ukraine during much of the twentieth century. Newly-independent Ukraine declared Ukrainian the only official language after 1991, and introduced a national Latin-alphabet standard for geographic names in 1995, establishing the use of the spelling Kyiv in all official documents issued by the governmental authorities since October 1995. The spelling is used by the United Nations, NATO, some foreign diplomatic missions and a number of media organizations, notably in Canada. On October 3, 2006, the United States federal government changed its official spelling of the city name to Kyiv. The alternate romanizations Kyyiv (BGN/PCGN transliteration) and Kyjiv (scholarly) are also in use alongside Kiev in English-language atlases. This, however, did not affect the usage of most major players in the English language news media market: CNN, BBC, Associated Press and most major live and print media continue to use Kiev to this day.
References
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External links
General
Kiev or Kyiv?
Official documents:
Non-official documents:
