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Kiev Information
Kiev – Mail Order Bride
Kiev is a thriving city where many woman and marriage agencies are located. If your Mail Order Bride is from a smaller Ukrainian village Kiev provides an excellent retreat for you and your lady to learn more about each other.
Kiev – Short info
Kyiv is also known as Kiev. It has roughly 3 million people a large portion of available single women and sits on the Dnipro River. Kiev is the capital of Ukraine and has the highest standard of living out of all the regions and cities in the Ukraine. Kiev has many marriage agencies where women can sign up as a Mail Order Bride and post their profiles for foreign men to view. In the Ukraine a good salary is considered $1,000 per month. Primarily this salary can only be obtained in Kiev due to the concentration of business development. However, this also creates higher expectations in the mail order brides from this region.
The history of Kiev is that Kiev was the center of trade routes bewteeen the Baltic and the Mediterranean Sea during the 11th and 12th Century. In 1240 most of the city (and the country the called Kievan Rus) was destroyed by the Mongol invaders. The country was divided into principalities located to the west and north: Galicia, Volynia, Muscovy and later, Poland, Lithuania, and Russia.
As a result Kievan Rus which later became the modern Ukraine never reclaimed it’s position of importance it once held and it’s fate has been determined by the occupation of foreign powers.
During the World Wars Ukraine had many of it’s churches and art treasures destroyed. Then in 1986 a nuclear reactor at Chernobyl exploded and finally in 1991 the Ukraine proclaimed it’s independence. However, the Ukraine has continued to be dependent on Russia for fuel oil and the Russian government has used this leverage several times of the last 10 years.
The art and architecture in Kiev include The Cathedral of St. Sophia, the Ukrainian Baroque church of St. Andrew, the Percherska Lavra, the Monestery of the Caves, Cathedral of St. Volodymyr and many catacombs, bell towers and museum collections. Each of these points of interest make for excellent points where you may take your mail order bride. Keep in mind that for the poor regions of the Ukraine many mail order brides may never have traveled outside of their own region. As such, taking a mail order bride to sites and sound of Kiev is an excellent opportunity for the two of you to experience Kiev while bonding as a couple.
Shopping is plentiful in Kiev including Ukrainian pottery, embroidery, and handicrafts. Shopping is particularly plentiful in shops on Andrievsky Uzviz, at Percherska Lavra, and St. Sophia's church. In addition you can expect stores to stock Western food, alcohol, clothing, and electrical appliances. Most prices, in hard-currency stores, are higher than those in the West, and availability of stock is unpredictable so call ahead if you are traveling to Kiev from within the Ukraine for a specific item. Also, if you bring a Ukraine Mail Order Bride to Kiev this district will give you the opportunity to purchase a small Westernized gift for your Mail Order Bride to remember you by.
Some of the following information has been extracted, in part, From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Throughout this article you will note that there is different spellings of the word Kiev. Here is the lowdown on Kiev or Kyiv.
Kiev or Kyiv?
Kiev is the traditional English name for the city, but the Ukrainianized version Kyiv is gaining usage. The earliest known English-language reference is to Kiovia, in English traveller Joseph Marshall's book Travels (London, 1772).
The name Kiev was used in print as early as 1823 in the English travelogue New Russia: Journey from Riga to the Crimea by way of Kiev, by Mary Holderness. By 1883, the Oxford English Dictionary included Kiev in a quotation. This name was established on the basis of Russian orthography and pronunciation [kijef], during a time when Kiev was a city in a governorate of the Russian Empire. Ukrainian was considered a language of the village, and attempts to introduce it as a literary language were suppressed.
The spelling Kyiv, romanized version of the Ukrainian name for the city [?k?jiw], 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 its official language after 1991, and introduced a national Latin-alphabet standard for geographic names in 1995, establishing the use of the spelling Kyiv in official documents 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. The alternate romanizations Kyyiv (BGN/PCGN transliteration) and Kyjiv (scholarly) are also in use alongside Kiev in English-language atlases.
Kyiv and Kiev reflect the divergence of the Ukrainian and Russian languages from the single Old East Slavic form *Kijev?. According to the legendary account in the Primary Chronicle, the city is named after Kyi, who is said to have founded the city with his brothers Shchek and Khoryv, and their sister Lybid'.
Because of the historic change in the name you will notice that different mail order bride websites have different spelling of the cities name. Primarily, the spelling is driven by the location of the mail order bride website. By understanding the historic significance of the spelling you will be able to identify where a specific mail order bride website is headquaartered.
Historic Kiev
Kiev, also Kyiv, Kiyev; is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper river. Since 2001, when Kiev had it’s last official census Kiev has officially had 2,660,401 inhabitants. This fiqure is more likely to be 3.5 million or more currently. Administratively, Kiev is a national-level subordinated municipality, independent from surrounding Kiev Oblast. Kiev is an important industrial, scientific, educational and cultural center of Eastern Europe. It is home to many high-tech industries, higher education institutions, world-famous historical landmarks. The city has an extensive infrastructure and highly developed system of public transport, including a Kiev Metro system. Kiev is home to many marriage agencies that provide mail order bride listings to local, national and international mail order bride websites.
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. Kiev, like many Ukraine cities, has been accused of supporting the international woman sex slave trade but the city and country has taken great steps to eliminate such businesses. Appositively, with a poor national economy many of the nations smartest and most beautiful women are seeking to leave the country/city by means of mail order bride with Western European being the preferred relocation and USA being the secondary preference by most mail order brides.
Kiev is located on both sides of the Dnieper River, which flows south through the city towards the Black Sea. 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 (now lost mostly due to urbanization). 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. A legend survives that Russia sent it’s most beautiful women to the Ukraine so that Soviet Ship building men would follow. The grand-daughters of these women are suppose to be what makes up the bulk of the Ukraine Mail Order Bride industry.
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 (known as novostroikas) 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 popular to own a novostroika in Kharkivskyi Raion, Troyeshchyna, or Obolon along the Dnieper, as well as in some other better-established areas. However, if you have married a Mail Order Bride and are looking for a seconday home so you can visit your mail order brides family on a semi annual trip this area is not recommended. Many mail order brides will be just as happy in one of the poorer regions or oblast.
With the Ukrainian independence on the turn of the millennium, other changes came. Western-style novostroikas, 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.
However, if you are visiting the Ukraine on your own to visit a Mail Order bride she will be more than happy to find you much cheaper accommodations in the form of an apartment for rent. Many Ukrainians rent out their apartments and you can get some incredible bargains with this method. Additionally, monthly rent on an apartment may be as little as $240 USD which by American standards is quite low but not by Ukraine standards. As such many landlords use their apartments as quasi hotels and your Mail order Bride will know where and how to rent such bargains.
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. However, your mail order bride will know the best method of transportation and it is recommended that you allow your mail order bride to plan all outings including the use of public transportation. Your mail order bride will be able to plan such outings much cheaper than you as a foreigner.
Kiev is known as a green city, with two botanical gardens and numerous large and small parks all of which provide a romantic setting for you and your mail order bride. Notable among these are the World War II Museum, which offers both indoor and outdoor displays of military history and equipment surrounded by verdant hills overlooking the Dnieper river; the Hidropark: an island on the river and accessible by metro or by car, which includes an amusement park, swimming beaches, and boat rentals; and the Victory Park (Park Pobed), 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. If you are athletic your mail order bride can be impressed with your ice skating skills while simultaneously providing a romantic outing. 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. However, because of the masses of foreigners coming to such facilities they do not provide intimate settings for you and your mail order bride.
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. If your mail order bride wishes to cook you a meal she will most certainly by the ingredients from one of these outdoor markets.
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 kilometers. On this terrain, multiple "mini-villages" that represent the traditional countryside architecture of various regions of Ukraine are built. This is excellent for you to become visually acquainted with the region your mail order bride is from.
Kiev also has numerous game attractions like bowling, carts, paintball, billiards and even shooting from real weapons.
Transportation
Local transportation
Public transportation in Kiev includes metro (subway), buses, trolleys, 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 trolley bus 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. Your mail order bride will be able to navigate this system quite easily.
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. As a foreigner you will not be able to get free service but the general rates are quite reasonable. In purchasing tickets be sure to pay for both yours and your mail order bride and any friends or relatives she may have brought to accompany you on your trip.
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 to schedule 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. Do not attempt to book a gypsy taxi without the local knowledge of your mail order bride. She will know local rates and whether such taxi is legitimately charging you.
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, most reliable and unbeatingly safe in terms of traffic accidents. But the elektrichka cars are poorly maintained and are overcrowded in rush hours.
Once existing suburban riverboats service is now extinct due to lack of profitability, limiting Kiev's water transport for cargo and tourism uses. These waterways will provide you and your mail order bride some romantic settings.
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.
Air transport
Passenger airlink to Kiev can be made through two of its airports: the Boryspil Airport, which is served by the most major international airlines from all parts of the world, and a smaller Zhulyany Airport, serving mostly domestic flights, and few flights to nearby countries. There is also a cargo airport in Kiev's north-western suburb of Hostomel. The international passenger terminal at Boryspil is quite small, yet modern. 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. It is most likely that your mail order bride will want to meet you at the Boryspil Airport.
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.
Demographics
As of the All-Ukrainian Census conducted in 2001, the population of Kiev is 2,611,000. According to the census, the number of men accounted for 1,219,000 thousand persons, or 46.7%, and that of women – 1,393,000 thousand persons, or 53.3%. This population difference between the number of men and women is, in part, what drives the mail order bride industry. Beautiful and intelligent women must look outside their country for marriage because of the lack of otherwise available men.
Since the 1989 census, the population of children has decreased, and the population of old people outside working age has increased significantly.
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.
The ethnic makeup of Kiev's residents, excluding the Ukrainian population is characterized by the following data: Russians - 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%).
The language structure of Kiev is characterized by the following data: the part of those whose native language is Ukrainian totals 92.3% of the population, up from 88.4% in 1989. The percentage of those whose native language is Russian, totals 7.2% of the population. However, it is most likely that your mail order bride will speak Russian. This is still the predominant language of the country despite the Ukraine governments attempt at promoting the Ukraine language.
The number of people with higher and complete secondary education accounts for 1,069,700 people, up significantly by 21.7% since 1989.
Culture
An important part of Kiev's culture is the many theatres in the city, which include: Kiev Opera House, Ivan Franko National Drama Theatre, Lesya Ukrainka National Academic Theatre of the Russian Drama, October Palace, National Philharmonic of Ukraine, and others. Other cultural items include the: Olexandr Dovzhenko Film Studios, and the Kiev Circus. The most important of the city's many museums are the Kiev State Historical Museum, the WWII museum, the Kiev State Museum of Ukrainian Art, and the Kiev State Museum of Russian Art. If you mail order bride is from Kiev it is likely that she will view this rich culture as normal.
Sports
Football (soccer) is probably the most popular spectator sport among the young in Kiev, followed by ice hockey. Kiev has many professional and amateur soccer clubs, including the Dynamo and Arsenal clubs, which both play in the top division. Other less prominent sport clubs in the city include: the Obolon soccer club and the Sokil hockey club. It is likely that your mail order bride will have no concept of American football. For this reason a football and football jersey make novel gifts.
The Olympic Stadium in 1980 following the reconstruction for the 1980 Summer Olympics
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.
Cuisine
Kiev is also a great place for the food lovers, and not only those who have been fond of Ukrainian cuisine. An increasing number of international travelers, as well as the interest with which the Ukrainian city dwellers approach, have spurred a steady growth of bars and diners ranging from Japanese sushi-bars to traditional Italian and Spanish restaurants.
While there is about as much contrast between these in terms of quality of food and pricing. Do not attempt to navigate the Ukraine eatery choices without the input of your mail order bride.
Architecture
Probably, Kiev 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 in the WWII museum are 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 Khoriv 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 Beregynia.
Climate
Kiev has a continental humid climate, although it has changed significantly during recent decades due to global climate changes. 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.
Because of the temperature changes most men searching for a mail order bride come in June, July, and August. This also the time when airlines will charge the most to visit your mail order bride in the Ukraine. For this reason it is suggested that you visit your mail order bride in the winter when competition is less and you can easily purchase a round trip ticket to the Ukraine for approximately $600.00.
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. For this reason it is likely that your mail order bride will have a college education. However, be sure to ask the number of years your mail order bride attended the university because Ukraine education for some professions is much less than by western standards.
While education remains largely in the hands of the state, private institutions are on the rise. Among private, higher education institutions that are gaining popularity and reputation are the Kyiv International University and the European University.
There are about 500 general secondary schools, evening schools for adults, and specialist technical schools. Some research establishments located throughout the city are headed by the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, which also maintains the largest of the city's many libraries. Kiev is also noted for its medical and cybernetic research.
On October 3, 2006, the United States Federal Government changed its official spelling of the city name to Kyiv.
Some proponents of the spelling Kyiv take exception with the use of Kiev as reflecting imposed Russification in Ukraine, and consider it inappropriate since the country's independence in 1991.
Government
The Kiev City Council (Ukrainian: Kyivrada) is the highest representative body of the city community. The members of city council are directly elected by Kiev's citizens, known as Kievans, and the council is chaired by the Mayor of Kiev.
Subdivisions of Kiev
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. For details on administration, see Legal status and local government of Kiev.
Besides these, Kiev is informally divided into informal, historical 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.
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