Ukraine can be divided into 3 economic areas: Southwestern, Donets-Dnieper and Southern. The Southwestern Economic Area has a high population density, a dense network of roads and railways. This places the area in a favorable position with supplies of metal and fuel for its machine-building plants and the shipping of producis to consumers. The largest reserves of minerals are used in the chemical, gas, mining, timber, paper and porcelain industries.
Test instruments, machine-tools and electrical-engineering equipment are produced by the engineering industry of this area. Buses, river craft, trams, motorcycles, radio instrumentation, television sets and cameras are also produced here.
In the Carpathian zone the timber, furniture and paper industries have developed substantially.
The Donets-Dnieper Economic Area has rich mineral deposits. It has major industrial base with bias towards heavy industry. A large industrial output is yielded by the mining, ferrows metallurgy, chemical and machine-building industries. The Donets Basin contains a cluster of plants producing zinc, mercury, fertilizers, plastics. soda, acids and dyes.
The proximity of the Southern Economic Area to the sea is reflected in its industry, with shipbuilding its key sector. Local factories produce machinery for the power industry, tractors and harvester. Fishing and canning industries in the sea-side cities are developing. The food industry is allied with the cultivation of grapes, fruit and vegetables. The area, especially the Crimea, is a holiday playground.
Two interrelated processes are characteristic of Ukraine's economy today, namely its assertion as that of an independent state and its transformation from planned-centralized to market-controlled. These processes are rather complicated, but there are all prerequisites for their effective accomplishment.
Present-day independent Ukraine has a considerable potential to quickly develop its economy and this is explained not only by the favorable natural conditions, but also by the convenient geographical position in terms of international, trade exchanges.
Nowadays Ukraine is a democratic state, ruled by the law and created as an implementation of the people's sovereign right to self-determination.
Ukraine possesses a considerable economic, industrial and agricultural potential; it has gained a wide and positive experience in such industries as metallurgical, mining, energy production, chemical and metal-working.
Positive changes in Ukraine's economy began in 2000 thanks to the agrarian and administrative reforms, and to the continuing denationalization and privatization. According to the statistical data supplied by the government of Ukraine, the industrial and agricultural production has been growing ever since, and as a result, the income of the population has been growing as well. In the spring of 2002 the average monthly salary constituted 400 hryvnyas. Food and consumer industries have been improving particularly fast. Heavy-duty and super heavy aircraft, Ftuslan and Mrlya, made by the Antonov Factory in Ukraine are Ukraine's foremost competitive products at the world market. At present, apriority is given to the development of high-tech industries.
The past two years have amply demonstrated that Ukraine still has a considerable potential for further economic growth.
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