the great divide.

WEST

· More likely to identify selves as ethnically Ukrainian

· In the past, has been under the political rule of Poland, Lithuania, Austria, and Romania

· Due to history, Western Ukrainians under a more liberal rule, a more tolerant political environment... therefore greater freedom to develop own political and social institutions

· Rural, less development

· Lower population density compared to the East

· Highly value ties with the European Union

EAST

· Throughout much of Eastern Ukraine’s history,

citizens were under the rule of tsarist Russia

· Eastern Ukrainians lived under a repressive political

system in the past (Russian/Soviet control)

· Left wing political systems in place throughout history –

Communist, Socialist roots

· Therefore more industrialized, urban

· Higher population density in comparison to the West

· Many people in the East continue to speak Russian rather than Ukrainian

· Maintaining ties to Russia is of higher importance (left wing tendencies)

ukraine: by the numbers.

1991. Ukraine gains independance after the dissolution of the USSR.

47 million. approximate population of Ukraine, as of 2006.

66. estimated life expectancy at birth, as of 2004.

7,000. annual number of deaths of children under the age of 5.

100,000. estimated number of street children within Ukraine.

29% of Ukrainians living below the poverty line, as of 1999.

20% of Ukrainian women who regularly face domestic abuse.

62,000. number of children found in residential institutions throughout Ukraine.

2004. year of the 'Orange Revolution,' in hopes of political and economical reform of the Ukrainian government.

487. number of HIV testing and counselling sites within Ukraine.

53,000. total number of Ukrainians in need of antiretroviral therapy (related to HIV) in 2005, according to the World Health Organization.

200,000. number of women over the age of 15 living with HIV, as of 2005.

sources: UNICEF, the World Health Organization