Industry of Ukraine
Ukraine’s present-day economy was developed as an integral part of the larger economy of the Soviet Union. By the mid-80s a multi-branch, developed industry was created in Ukraine covering about 20 major industries, namely ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, chemical and petrochemical and mining industries, heavy industry which includes machine-building, shipbuilding, aerospace and motor industries. Forest, light, food and other industries also play a great role in the development of the national economy. Metallurgy is the largest key industry in the economy of Ukraine. Its importance is due to the fact that the machine building and metal-working industries depend on the production of ferrous and non-ferrous metals. Three metallurgical regions were developed in Ukraine: Transdnipro, Donetsk, and Transazov. Non-ferrous metallurgy includes ore extraction and enrichment, non-ferrous metal production, and secondary raw material processing. Most prominent in the non-ferrous metallurgy industry is aluminum production. The metallurgy sector includes 14 integrated steel making plants, 7 pipe plants, 16 merchant-coke plants, 17 refractory production plants, 3 ferroalloy plants, 20 non-ferrous metallurgical works and other enterprises. The vast majority of metallurgy enterprises of Ukraine are powerful integrated companies that produce over five million tons of metal per year. They manufacture cast iron, solar cells, steel, rolled stock, steel bars and pipes. The largest of them are Azovstal, Zaporizhstal, Dniprospetsstal and Kryvorizhstal. Another important branch of the economy is mining. The industrial heartland of the country is the Donets Coal Basin, which is also called the Donbas. Here rich deposits of coal and iron ore are found. There are four iron-ore basins in Ukraine: Kryvy Rih, Kremenchuk, Bilozerske and Kerch basins. There are two manganese ore basins, one in Nikopol and the other in Velyky Tokmak. The 3 major natural-gas and petroleum producing areas in Ukraine are the Subcarpathian region, the Dnipro-Donets region and the Crimean region. Ukraine has important deposits of titanium, bauxite and mercury ores. A large deposit of wax is near the city of Boryslav. There are large deposits of potassium salt in Subcarpathia and rock salt in the Donets Coal basin. Attainments of the heavy industry are known far outside Ukraine. Zaporizhzhia’s Motor-Sich plant manufactures aircraft engines. One of the world largest aerospace concerns, “Pivdenniy Machine-building Plant”, operates out of Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv’s turbines are known around the world. Among manufactured items there are locomotives, passenger cars, ships, aircrafts, cars, urban transport, motor vehicles, rubber tires, refrigerators, washing machines, televisions, radio and electronic equipment. “Azovmash”, “Kryukov Railway Car Works”, “Lviv Bus Works” and “Chornomorsky Shipyard” rank with the largest enterprises of Europe. Ukraine has a sizable industry devoted to chemical products. This includes the manufacture of mineral fertilizers, sulfuric acid, coke products, synthetic fibers, caustic soda, and petrochemicals. The industrial plants are mainly in Kyiv, Korosten, Sumy, and Fastiv. A high-capacity chemical plant is located in the city of Kalush. Besides, our country is the world’s largest producer of sugar beets, though wheat, barley and buckwheat are also grown. Cattle and pigs are raised throughout Ukraine, while chicken, geese and turkey are kept for meat and production. Bees are kept in all parts of Ukraine for honey and wax. Nowadays, Ukraine is known as a powerful industrial and agricultural country with great prospects.
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