Introducing Kiev

Kyiv, a transliteration of the Ukrainian Київ, has long been the city's official name. Kiev is a transliteration of the Russian Киeв, and is a common alternative English name for the region. In English-language guidebooks, the spelling of the city name is debatable.

The city was built on the banks of the Dnipro River. The city's name in Ukrainian is transliterated as "Kiev," and this variant is used in official English language materials in Ukraine, major English-speaking countries, and foreign organizations. For many Ukrainians, the spelling of the city's name is a sensitive political issue since the obsolete "Kiev" spelling is based on the Russian transliteration that was prevalent during the Soviet occupation and thus recalls Russian control over Ukraine. To avoid hurting anyone's feelings, it's best to use Kyiv while in Ukraine. The same is true for using "Ukraine" instead of the archaic "the Ukraine."

People in Kyiv are generally friendly and willing to assist you. However, if you don't speak Ukrainian or Russian, you may have difficulty getting service in restaurants and shops, though this is slowly changing among younger generations who have had more exposure to English.

Though 85 percent of residents claim Ukrainian ancestry, the majority of Kyivans speak Russian (though all Kyivans can understand and speak Ukrainian); Ukrainian is mainly spoken by immigrants from Western or Central Ukraine. Kyiv, like many former Soviet cities, is a multicultural city where you will undoubtedly encounter ethnic Russians (who make up about 13% of the city's population), as well as Armenians, Azeris, Belarusians, Georgians, and Tatars. There are also those who claim Jewish, Polish, Romanian, and Hungarian ancestry.

Officially, all signals are only in Ukrainian. Since 2011, signs with Latin transliteration have begun to appear throughout Ukraine.

Written on 02/17/2017 - 19:19 by Shawn Blake

Last modified on 04/25/2021 - 11:12

Places 47

Highlights
The Motherland Monument (Ukrainian: Батьківщина-Мати, Russian: Родина-мать) is a monumental statue in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine. The sculpture is a part of the Museum of The History of Ukraine in World War II, Kiev.[1] The stainless steel statue stands 62 m (203 ft) tall upon the museum building...
Highlights
Khreshchatyk (Ukrainian: Хрещатик, Khreshchatyk;) is the main street of Kyiv, Ukraine. The street has a length of 1.3 km (0.81 mi). It stretches from the European Square (northeast) through the Maidan and to Bessarabska Square (southwest) where the Besarabsky Market is located. Along the street are...
Highlights
Rare in its beauty and grace, the St. Andrew's Church, stands on a hill in the historic center of Kyiv. It is one of the most famous Orthodox temples in the Ukrainian capital. This amazing construction, rightfully considered to be a real work of art, is among the most remarkable of the city’s...

Articles 2

Currently there are no articles about Kiev.

Trip reports 0

Currently there are no trip reports about Kiev.

Photos