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Cars 4 Rental Information on Ukraine

General

Area: 603,700 sq km (233,090 sq miles).

Population: 49,291,200 (official estimate 2000).

Population Density: 81.6 per sq km.

Capital: Kyiv. Population: 2,620,900 (1998).

GEOGRAPHY: Ukraine is bordered by the Russian Federation to the north and east; Belarus to the north; Poland, the Slovak Republic and Hungary to the west; and Romania and Moldova to the southwest. It is a varied country with mountains in the west, plains in the centre and the Black Sea views to the south. The north of the state is dominated by forests. Its other two main features are wooded steppe with beech and oak forests and the treeless steppe. The River Dnieper divides Ukraine roughly in half, and flows into the Black Sea.

Government: Republic. Gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Head of State: President Leonid D Kuchma since 1994. Head of Government: Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich since 2002.

Language: Ukrainian is the sole official state language. A member of the eastern Slav languages and similar to Russian, it was discouraged for centuries by Tsarist and Soviet authorities. It is still widely spoken in western and central Ukraine, although Russian is spoken by virtually everyone. Russian is the main language spoken in Kyiv, eastern Ukraine and Crimea. The present government uses every opportunity to promote the revival of Ukrainian, particularly in schools. There are 12 million ethnic Russians in Ukraine, 500,000 Jews and more than 250,000 Crimean Tatars.

Religion: There are about 35 million Ukrainian Orthodox faithful, although the church is divided into a traditional pro-Moscow and a breakaway pro-Kyiv faction. 5 million Eastern-rite (Uniate) Catholics, subservient to Rome, are concentrated in western Ukraine and it is now several years since a Stalin-era ban on their church was lifted. There are also Protestant and Muslim minorities. Mass emigration has reduced the numbers of Jews, concentrated in Kyiv, Lviv and Odessa.

Time: GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).

Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz.

Communications:

Telephone

Ukraine has reliable communications with the West, and most major cities provide IDD facilities and can be dialled from abroad. Country code: 380. Outgoing international code: 810. Telephone counters in the central post offices of city centres are usually open 24 hours.

Mobile telephone

GSM 900/1800. Operators include Kyivstar (website: www.kyivstar.net), Ukrainian Mobile Comms (website: www.umc.com.ua) and Ukranian Radio Systems (website: www.welcome2well.com). Coverage is limited to Kyiv and other main urban areas.

Fax

Facilities are good and are available in most offices and hotels.

Telegram

These can be sent from central post offices in large cities 24 hours a day.

Internet

ISPs include UANet (website: www.ua.net) and Ukraine Intercom (website: www.ukrcom.net.ua). E-mail can be accessed from Internet cafes in Cherkassy, Kyiv, Lyiv and Odessa .

Post

Services are erratic. Letters to Western Europe can take 2 weeks or more. The main post office in Kyiv is located at Khreshchatik 22 and is open 24 hours. Post office hours: Generally 0800-1700.

Press

Widely read are the twice-weekly liberal Nezavisimost and the parliamentary daily Holos Ukrainy. The Russian press is also widely available. News from Ukraine is published in English and available in 70 other countries. Western newspapers are now available in Kyiv, but not in other parts of the country.

Radio: BBC World Service (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice) and Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov) can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online.

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Money

Currency: Hryvnya (UAH) = 100 kopiyok (singular: kopiyka). Notes are in denominations of UAH200, 100, 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1. Coins are in denominations of 50, 25, 10, 5, 2 and 1 kopiyok.

Currency exchange: Money should only be changed at currency booths on the street or in banks. It is advisable to keep receipts showing money changed. Changing money with black-market traders is not recommended and can be dangerous.

Credit & debit cards: Not readily accepted. Only a few restaurants and hotels will accept them.

Travellers cheques: Not generally advised. If taken, they should be made out in US Dollars.

Currency restrictions: The import of local currency is up to the amount declared on the Ukrainian Exit Customs Declaration. The export of local currency is limited to UAH85. The import of foreign currency is limited to US$10,000 and any amounts exceeding US$1000 require a special customs form. The export of foreign currency is limited to US$1000. Any higher amounts can be exported with special permission from the National Bank of Ukraine.

Exchange rate indicators
The following figures are a guide to the movements of the Hryvnya against Sterling and the US Dollar:

Date Aug ’03 Nov ’03 Feb ’04 May ’04
£1.00= 8.78 9.05 9.71 9.51
$1.00= 5.33 5.33 5.33 5.33

Banking hours: Mon-Fri 0930-1730.

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Health

Special Precautions Certificate Required
Yellow Fever No No
Cholera No No
Typhoid and Polio 1 N/A
Malaria No N/A

1: Typhoid may occur in rural areas.

Food & drink: All water should be regarded as a potential health risk. Water used for drinking, brushing teeth or making ice should have first been boiled or otherwise sterilised. Milk is pasteurised and dairy products are safe for consumption. Only eat well-cooked meat and fish, preferably served hot. Pork, salad and mayonnaise may carry increased risk. Vegetables should be cooked and fruit peeled.

Other risks: Widespread outbreaks of diphtheria have been reported in recent years. Tick-borne encephalitis occurs in forested areas. Visitors are advised to seek medical advice about immunisation and precautionary measures. Good personal hygiene and care with water and food supplies are essential. Hepatitis A may occur and precautions should be taken.

Health care: The health service does, in theory, provide free medical treatment for all citizens and travellers who become ill. However, as in most parts of the former Soviet Union, health care is a serious problem. For minor difficulties, visitors are advised to ask the management at their hotels for help. For major problems, visitors are well advised to seek help outside the country. Travel insurance is, in fact, compulsory for all travellers. It is advisable to take a supply of those medicines that are likely to be required (but check first that they may be legally imported) as medicines can prove difficult to obtain. Travellers are advised to contact their Embassy, in the first instance, for advice on where to get medical help.

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Climate

Temperate with warm summers; crisp, sunny autumns; and cold, snowy winters.

Required clothing: Lightweight clothes needed in summer, light- to mediumweight in the spring and autumn and heavyweight in the winter.

Passport/Visa

Passport Required Visa Required Return Ticket Required
British Yes Yes No
Australian Yes Yes No
Canadian Yes Yes No
USA Yes Yes No
OtherEU Yes Yes No
Japanese Yes Yes/1 No

Note: (a) Ukrainian visas are not valid in the Russian Federation, and Russian Federation visas are not valid in Ukraine. (b) As a general rule, visitors should apply for a visa before travelling.

PASSPORTS: Passport valid for at least 1 month beyond return date required by all.

VISAS: Required by all except the following:
(a) nationals of all CIS countries (except nationals of Turkmenistan who do need a visa);
(b) nationals of Mongolia, Hungary, Poland and Romania.

Types of visa and cost: Tourist: £25 (single-entry); £40 (double-entry). Business/Private: £30 (single-entry); £45 (double-entry); £120 (multiple-entry). Student: £10 (single-entry). Transit: £15 (double-entry); £60 (multiple-entry, business only).
Note: (a) A handling charge of £10 is also required from the Embassy for each application. (b) 1. For citizens of Japan visas are free of charge.

Validity: Single-entry: Up to 6 months from date of issue; Double-entry/Multiple-entry: 6 to 12 months; Transit: 5 days for each entry.

Application to: Consulate (or Consular section at Embassy); see Contact Addresses section.

Application requirements: (a) Valid passport/travel document with at least one blank page. (b) One completed application form. (c) Two recent passport-size photos. (d) Fee (postal order or company cheque only; if applying by post, enclose two separate postal orders or company cheques covering the handling charge and visa fee). (e) A contact telephone number. (f) Recorded, registered, self-addressed envelope for postal applications. Tourism: (a)-(f) and, (g) *Tourist voucher with confirmation of hotel booking. Business: (a)-(f) and, (g) *Letter of invitation from Ukrainian company or organisation stating purpose of the visit. (h) Copy of registration certificate of company or office in Ukraine. (i) *For multiple-entry visas, detailed letters from Ukrainian company and company in home country explaining necessity for multiple-entry visa. Private: (a)-(f) and, (g) *Letter of invitation from Ukraine (faxed copy is acceptable) issued by the Passport and Immigration Department of a local Police Station in the Ukraine. Student: (a)-(f) and, (g) The original invitation letter from the Ministry of Education of Ukraine. Transit: (a)-(f) and, (g) Photocopy of the visa (if required) of the country of destination.

Note: *Nationals of EU countries, Canada, Japan, Slovak Republic, Switzerland, Turkey and the USA applying for business or private visas do not require a letter of invitation. Nationals of these countries (except nationals of Slovak Republic and Turkey) may also provide a round-trip ticket from a Ukrainian airline company instead of a tourist voucher.

Working days required: 10 if submitted by post; 3 if submitted in person.

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