Ukrainian people have always been native to Ukraine and lived on its territory for thousands of years. Ukrainians account for 77.8% of the total population of Ukraine (48,457,000 persons, 2001 census), and dominate in most regions of the country - with the exception of the autonomous Republic of Crimea. In certain areas, such as Volyn, Cherkasy, Poltava, Vinnytsia, Chernihiv and Ternopil, Ukrainians account for 90-96% of the total population. According to 2001 census, 37,541,700 Ukrainians and 4,830,000 people of Ukrainian origin live in Ukraine.

In terms of population, Ukraine ranks 5th in Europe (after Germany, Italy, Great Britain and France) and 21st in the world. Ukrainians are the second among Slavic people that belong to the East Slavonic subgroup of Indo-European ethno-linguistic family. Ukrainians represent a stable community and are hospitable, sincere and affable in nature.

Today there are an estimated 22,581,000 Ukrainians living outside of Ukraine. Among the nations with the high population of Ukrainians Russia (10,938,000) takes the first place. Substantial number of Ukrainians lives in the Former USSR countries and Eastern Europe. There are over 14,408,440 Ukrainians living in the Republics of the former Soviet Union and over 1,162,000 in Eastern Europe. Ukrainian community in the United States of America numbers over 2,230,000. Although the first Unites States census (1790) and the Civil War records contain Ukrainian names, larger Ukrainian immigration came later and can be divided into four phases: 1877-99, 1900-14, 1920-39, 1947-55, and an as yet unknown number after 1980.

Ukrainian Canadians total over 1,000,000 and are settled primarily in the provinces of Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. The first settlers came as early as 1874-75, but large-scale immigration began after 1895. Substantial Ukrainian communities exist in the United Kingdom, 35,000; in France over 30,000; in Germany over 20,000; Austria over 4,000; an estimated 45,000 in the former republics of Yugoslavia, Bosnia, Serbia and Croatia which used to be a vital Ukrainian community, and one of the oldest in the Diaspora, dating from the 18th century; and in smaller numbers in Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Switzerland. In South America the largest Ukrainian communities are in Brazil (350,000), and Argentina (220,000), with smaller groups in Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela. Ukrainian immigration in Australia numbers 30,300 and is of the post-World War II refugees.

For a very long time, Ukraine was divided among the bordering nations, where the policy was carried out to completely assimilate and denationalize Ukrainians. It was especially true in regions outside the ethnic Ukrainian mainland. This sparked considerable migrations of Ukrainians, and those, who had lived for ages on that territory gradually lost their ethnic identity under the threat of physical eradication, deportation or the restriction of rights.

Ever since the restoration of independence in 1991, Ukrainians have been consolidated - their ethnic consciousness as well as cohesion to all people who consider themselves members of the Ukrainian nation have developed.

The Crimean Tatars and Caraims are another group of people indigenous to Ukraine. As a nation they formed on the Ukrainian territory, on the Crimean Peninsula and both have suffered from forced deportation during the period of Soviet Totalitarianism (May 1944). Once Ukraine gained its independence, the Crimean Tatars and Caraims (as well as Greeks, Bulgarians and Armenians) began to return to the land from which they were deported. These ethnic groups live mostly in Simferopol, Bilohorodka, Bakhchisarai and the Dzhankoy districts of the autonomous Republic of Crimea.

Religion and church

Ukraine is a polyconfessional state, with over 70 religious organizations officially registered in the state. In recent years, there have been positive changes in the people’s attitudes towards the religious and spiritual values, which results in the rapid growth of a network of religious organizations. Unfortunately, the religion-and-church life is complicated by the protracted inter-church conflict. These disagreements are connected with the processes which go on in the other areas of social life, and make a package of extremely intractable problems.

The Orthodox Church
Orthodoxy is a historical and traditional religious doctrine in Ukraine. More than half of all the religious communities are formed by the Orthodox believers. This most influential confession is presently split into three denominations: the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (70% of all the Orthodox communities), the Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Kyiv Patriarchate (20%), and the Ukrainian Authocephalous Orthodox Church (7%).

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UPTs) has 6,882 parishes, 75 cloisters (2,300 monks), 35 dioceses. The Head is Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine Volodymyr (Sabodan).

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Kyiv Patriarchate (UPTs-KP) runs to 1,529 parishes, 15 cloisters (47 monks), 23 dioceses. The Head of this church is Patriarch of Ukraine-Rus Filaret (Denysenko).

The Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (UAPTs) has 1,167 parichse, 1 cloister (no monks yet), 7 dioceses. The Head is Patriarch of All Ukraine Dymytrii (Yarema).

The principal differences among the Orthodox Churches stems from the question of attaining the full canonical independence by Ukrainian Orthodoxy. The UPTs Episcopate views that autocephalia is possible only in the manner strictly specified by the ecclesiastical-and-cannon law. That is, it should be declared by the Particular Council of the Russian Orthodox Church and recognized by World Orthodoxy. On this basis, the UPTs, at its Council in December 1996, declared it untimely to present in any form the problem of acquisition of autocephalia. The hierarchy of the UPTs-KP and UAPTs, the relations between which are not benevolent, believe that the mere declaration of autocephalia would be sufficient without any consent or approval. These two Churches claim the national role and reject the right of the Moscow Patriarchate to solve the question of autocephalia.
The relations of the Orthodox Churches indirectly reflect the all-Ukrainian political, social and cultural situation. Inter-church conflicts build up tension in society.

The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGKTs) and Roman Catholic Church (RKTs)

The sphere of influence of Orthodoxy and Catholicism crossover in Ukraine. Throughout its history, Ukraine was a scene of their struggle.

The western territories of the former Kyiv Rus, which adopted the Christian faith from the Byzantine (Eastern) Church were part of Poland, the Austro-Hungarian and Russian Empires.

The Berest Union of 1596 initiated the establishment of the UGKTs which was actively implanted in the territories of former West Ukraine, West Bielorus and East Poland under the administrative influence of the Polish kings. The UGKTs was banned in 1946, then legalized in December 1989, and since then has completely restored its structure. Almost all of this Church (97%) is concentrated in Halychyna (Western Ukraine). After the UGKTs Council on November 25, 1995 in Vatican, Pope John Paul II complied with the insistent appeals of the Greek-Catholic believers and extended the UGKT Head’s jurisdiction over the entire territory of Ukraine and established the Kyiv-Vyshhorod Exarchate, with an Episcopal pulpit in Vyshhorod.

Presently, the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church has 3,048 parishes, 55 cloisters (1,292 monks). The Head is Supreme Archbishop Cardinal Lyubachivsky, a national of Canada. For reasons of poor health of the Cardinal, the duties of the Head are fulfilled by Assistant-Bishop Liubomyr Guzar (a US national).

The structure of the Catholic Church in Ukraine is one of the best organized. It has 716 parishes, 24 cloisters (229 monks). The Head is the Metropolitan of the RKTs in Ukraine, Archbishop Marian Yavorskyi, a national of Poland. Nearly half of the RKT communities function is the western region of Ukraine, though the Church has spread eastward.

The Protestant-oriented Churches have developed a network of centers as well. Approximately each fifth religious community is formed by Protestants. In particular, the All-Ukrainian Union of the Evangelical Baptist-Christians (VS YeKhB) has 1,580 communities and 25 separate administrations. The Head of the VS YeKhB is G.I. Komendant. The All-Ukrainian Union of the Evangelical Faith Christians (Pentecostals) comprises 885 communities, 25 administrations, and the Head is M.A Melnyk.

The Church of the Seventh Day Adventists comprises 543 communities, 10 administrations and the Head is M.M. Murha.

Both the traditional Protestant organizations and the latest “Christian Churches” are closely connected with their centers abroad, for the most part in America.

There are 85 Judaic communities in Ukraine. There are two acting Heads: the Chief Rabbi of Ukraine Yacob Blaih and Moshe Asman.

There are 236 Muslim communities is Ukraine. At the Congress of Muslims n September 1994, the Lebanese national, Sheik Ahmed Tamim was elected the Chief Mufti of Muslims of Ukraine. Though the Crimean Tatars consider themselves to be independent, they have their own leader: the Chief Mufti of the Clerical Administration of the Muslims of the Crimean, Khoja Nuri Mustafaiev.