1.BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Kyiv today is one of the largest European cities, the administrative, economic, scientific, and cultural-educational center of Ukraine.

Kyiv is the capital of Ukraine. The President, Verkhovna Rada (the Parliament), ministries and governmental agencies are based and work in Kyiv.

Kyiv is divided into 14 administrative-territorial districts (rayons). Respectively, there is the city state administration and 14 rayon state administrations in Kyiv.

A mighty economic potential is concentrated in Kyiv, including a multi-sector industry, construction complex, developed system of public utilities, transportation facilities, communication facilities, etc.

Kyiv is the financial center of Ukraine. The National Bank of Ukraine, the most potent commercial banks, the Ukrainian Inter-bank Currency Exchange, the Ukrainian Stock Exchange, the largest investment companies and funds, representative offices of foreign financial institutions are based in Kyiv.

Kyiv has a significant scientific potential which is mainly concentrated in the system of the National Academy of Sciences, universities, and former military-industrial complex.

The high economic status of Kyiv is partially attributable to its geographical location. The city is located at the intersection of the most important railways, automobile roads, and air routes of Europe and Asia. It has an access to the Black Sea via the river of Dnieper.

The acreage of Kyiv is 827 square kilometers. It lies on both banks of the river of Dnieper in its middle course, lower relative to the place where the Desna flows into the Dnieper.

The peculiarity and diversification of the natural conditions of Kyiv is attributable to its location at the border of two physico-geographical zones -- the forest-steppe zone and the zone of mixed forests.

The northern part of the city is located on the Polissya Plain, its southern-western part -- on the Prydnieper Hills, and its south-eastern part (the Left-bank portion) -- on the Prydniprovya Plain.

Within the borders of the city, there are significant natural and artificial forest-parks and parks. There are 214 square meters of green plantation per citizen of Kyiv. This is a top-level index in the world.

Population

The population of Kyiv was 2,630,000 as of 01.01.97.
Figure 1.1.

The number of the city's population is decreasing steadily. The acuteness of the demographic situation in Kyiv is suggested by the summary natality coefficient. In 1996, this coefficient was 1.2 (for simple reproduction, this coefficient must be equal to 2.1 to 2.2).

Figure 1.2.

The Climate of Kyiv

There are four microclimatic regions set off in Kyiv:

1. The right-bank part - from the western border of the city and north-west-ward to the large forest named Pushcha-Vodytsia. This is the warmest and the driest part of the city with less strong winds, especially in the eastern half. It is divided into western littoral part (Kurenivka, Obolon, Podil) and the rest of the right-bank portion of the city.
2. The Dnieper foodplain with islands and tributaries. This part is wetter and windier, especially in its upper and lower portions. Winters are colder here than in the other regions. A narrow portion of the foodplain (between the Underground Bridge and the Railroad Bridge) has its microclimatic peculiarities as well as the upper and lower portions of the foodplain.
3. The built up portion of the left-bank part of the city (apart from Mykilska Sloboda, Hydropark, Osokorky, Bortnychi). A peculiarity of this region is high enough summer temperatures and low winter temperatures, a great speed of winds and the lowermost humidity of the air. The following areas may be set off here: Rusanivka and Bereznyaky, and the central portion (between Darnitsya underground station and Leningradska square).
4. Suburban forests comprise the fourth microclimatic region. Here, summers are colder, winters are warmer; the air is always damper, and winds are not as strong.