Ukraine

https://www.humantruth.info/ukraine.html

By Vexen Crabtree 2025

Ukraine
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	63rd best
Capital	Kiev
Land Area	579 320km²₁
Location	Europe
Population	44.2m₂
Life Expectancy	71.62yrs (2017)₃
GNI	$13 256 (2017)₄
ISO3166-1 Codes	UA, UKR, 804₅
Internet Domain	.ua₆
Currency	Hryvnia (UAH)₇
Telephone	+380₈

1. Overview

#russia

“Ukraine was the center of the first eastern Slavic state, Kyivan Rus, which during the 10th and 11th centuries was the largest and most powerful state in Europe. Weakened by internecine quarrels and Mongol invasions, Kyivan Rus was incorporated into the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and eventually into the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The cultural and religious legacy of Kyivan Rus laid the foundation for Ukrainian nationalism through subsequent centuries. A new Ukrainian state, the Cossack Hetmanate, was established during the mid-17th century after an uprising against the Poles. Despite continuous Muscovite pressure, the Hetmanate managed to remain autonomous for well over 100 years. During the latter part of the 18th century, most Ukrainian ethnographic territory was absorbed by the Russian Empire. Following the collapse of czarist Russia in 1917, Ukraine was able to achieve a short-lived period of independence (1917-20), but was reconquered and forced to endure a brutal Soviet rule that engineered two forced famines (1921-22 and 1932-33) in which over 8 million died. In World War II, German and Soviet armies were responsible for some 7 to 8 million more deaths. Although final independence for Ukraine was achieved in 1991 with the dissolution of the USSR, democracy and prosperity remained elusive as the legacy of state control and endemic corruption stalled efforts at economic reform, privatization, and civil liberties. A peaceful mass protest "Orange Revolution" in the closing months of 2004 forced the authorities to overturn a rigged presidential election and to allow a new internationally monitored vote that swept into power a reformist slate under Viktor YUSHCHENKO. Subsequent internal squabbles in the YUSHCHENKO camp allowed his rival Viktor YANUKOVYCH to stage a comeback in parliamentary elections and become prime minister in August of 2006. An early legislative election, brought on by a political crisis in the spring of 2007, saw Yuliya TYMOSHENKO, as head of an "Orange" coalition, installed as a new prime minister in December 2007. Viktor YANUKOVUYCH was elected president in a February 2010 run-off election that observers assessed as meeting most international standards. The following month, Ukraine's parliament, the Rada, approved a vote of no-confidence prompting Yuliya TYMOSHENKO to resign from her post as prime minister. In October 2012, Ukraine held Rada elections, widely criticized by Western observers as flawed due to use of government resources to favor ruling party candidates, interference with media access, and harassment of opposition candidates.”
CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₉

“Big, diverse and largely undiscovered, Ukraine is one of Europe´s last genuine travel frontiers, a poor nation rich in colourful tradition, warm-hearted people and off-the-map experiences. Ukraine is big. In fact it´s Europe´s biggest country (not counting Russia, which isn´t entirely in Europe) and packs a lot of diversity into its borders. You can be clambering around the Carpathians in search of Hutsul festivities, sipping Eastern Europe´s best coffee in sophisticated Lviv and partying on Odessa´s beaches, all in a few days.
A diverse landscape obviously throws up a whole bunch of outdoorsy activities. How about mountain biking or hill walking in the Carpathians, bird spotting in the Danube Delta or water sports on the Kyiv Sea? Many Ukrainians love nothing more than wandering their country´s vast forests, foraging for berries and mushrooms or picnicking by a meandering river.
History is all around you wherever you go in this vast land, whether it be among the Gothic churches of Lviv, the Stalinist facades of Kyiv, the remnants of the once-animated Jewish culture of West Ukraine or the more recent Soviet high-rises just about anywhere. After the latest political turmoils, this divided nation faces an uncertain future but its people share one thing: a talent for survival.”
"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₁₀

2. Ukraine National and Social Development

#economics #human_development #wealth

UN HDI (2021)₁₁
Pos.		Higher is better Value₁₁
1	Switzerland	0.962
2	Norway	0.961
3	Iceland	0.959
	...
74	Bosnia & Herzegovina	0.780
75	St Kitts & Nevis	0.777
76	Iran	0.774
77	Ukraine	0.773
78	Macedonia	0.770
79	China	0.768
80=	Moldova	0.767
80=	Palau	0.767
	Europe Avg	0.87
	World Avg	0.72
q=191.

Gross National Income Per-Capita (2021)₁₁
Pos.		Higher is better PPP $₁₁
1	Liechtenstein	$146 830
2	Singapore	$90 919
3	Qatar	$87 134
	...
86	Palau	$13 819
87	Grenada	$13 484
88	Gabon	$13 367
89	Ukraine	$13 256
90	Armenia	$13 158
91	Turkmenistan	$13 021
92	Iran	$13 001
93	S. Africa	$12 948
	Europe Avg	$40 512
	World Avg	$20 136
q=193.

Social & Moral Development Index₁₂
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₁₂
1	Denmark	26.9
2	Norway	29.1
3	Sweden	29.9
	...
60	Peru	78.1
61	Tunisia	78.4
62	Moldova	78.5
63	Ukraine	78.5
64	Barbados	78.8
65	Seychelles	78.9
66	Northern Cyprus	79.1
67	China	79.9
	Europe Avg	55.7
	World Avg	89.0
q=200.

The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: Which are the Best Countries in the World? The Social and Moral Development Index.

3. Ukraine's Demographics and Migration

#birth_control #demographics #fertility #health #immigration #life_expectancy #longevity #migration #overpopulation #population #yemen

Population Datasets:

Ukraine's population is predicted to fall to 40 515 000 by 2030. This country has a fertility rate of 1.27. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population will grow, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity - the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate (two new children for each set of parents who die), which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1, once you take mortality into account₁₃. The highest fertility rate ever detected in a single year was in Yemen in 1985, at 8.86.₁₄

Population₂
Pos.		2018 Population₂
1	China	1.4b
2	India	1.4b
3	USA	327.1m
	...
29	Colombia	49.7m
30	Spain	46.7m
31	Argentina	44.4m
32	Ukraine	44.2m
33	Uganda	42.7m
34	Algeria	42.2m
35	Sudan	41.8m
36	Iraq	38.4m
	World Avg	39.0m
q=195.

Life Expectancy Higher is better₁₁
Pos.		2021 Years₁₁
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
97	Bulgaria	71.8
98	Georgia	71.7
99	St Kitts & Nevis	71.7
100	Ukraine	71.6
101	Bahamas	71.6
102	Tajikistan	71.6
103	Seychelles	71.3
104	St Lucia	71.1
	World Avg	71.28
q=195. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best₁₅
Pos.		2022₁₅
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
125	Syria	2.70
126	Philippines	2.73
127	Lithuania	1.27
128	Ukraine	1.27
129	Poland	1.26
130	Japan	1.26
131	Botswana	2.75
132	Djibouti	2.76
	World Avg	2.47
q=208. Also scored for 1960s-2010s.

Old-Age Dependency Ratio Lower is better₁₆
Pos.		2016 Per 100₁₆
1	Uganda	04.3
2	Mali	04.5
3=	Chad	04.7
	...
141	Georgia	29.7
142	Montenegro	30.0
143	Belarus	30.3
144	Ukraine	30.8
145	Australia	31.3
146	Slovakia	31.6
147	Albania	31.8
148	Norway	32.2
	World Avg	18.3
q=185.

Migration Datasets:

Immigrants₁₇
Pos.		2017 %₁₇
1	UAE	88.4%
2	Kuwait	75.5%
3	Qatar	65.2%
	...
52	Denmark	11.5%
53	Belarus	11.4%
54	Montenegro	11.3%
55	Ukraine	11.2%
56	Belgium	11.1%
57	Greece	10.9%
58	Malta	10.6%
59	Italy	10.0%
	World Avg	9.4%
q=195.

Emigrants₁₈
Pos.		2010 %₁₈
1	Dominica	104.8%
2	Palestine	68.4%
3	Samoa	67.3%
	...
43	Equatorial Guinea	14.9%
44	Seychelles	14.6%
45	New Zealand	14.5%
46	Ukraine	14.4%
47	Israel	14.0%
48	Swaziland	13.4%
49	Lithuania	13.2%
50	Romania	13.1%
	World Avg	11.5%
q=192.

4. Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

#equality #freedom #gender_equality #human_rights #morals #politics #prejudice #tolerance #ukraine #ukraine_human_rights

Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2025)₁₉
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₁₉
1	Sweden	7.8
2	Netherlands	8.7
3	Denmark	8.8
	...
59	Barbados	73.2
60	Mauritius	74.9
61	Romania	75.0
62	Ukraine	75.3
63	Panama	75.3
64	Ecuador	75.4
	Europe Avg	47.37
	World Avg	89.80
q=199.

Ukraine does relatively well in ensuring human rights and freedom, compared to many other countries. Ukraine does better than average when it comes to its nominal commitment to Human Rights₂₀, the rate of gender bias (from 7 indicators)₂₁ (but bad for Europe), commentary in Human Rights Watch reports₂₂ (but low for Europe), freethought₂₃, opposing gender inequality₂₄ (but bad for Europe), supporting press freedom₂₅ (but low for Europe) and in LGBT equality in the 2020s₂₆. But, things could still be better. Ukraine does worse than average in terms of its success in fighting anti-semitic prejudice₂₇, its average Freedom in the World rating and in supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms₂₈ (one of the highest in Europe). And finally, it falls into the worst 20 in terms of combatting modern slavery₂₉.

For tables, charts and commentary, see:

Human Rights and Freedom in Ukraine

5. Ukraine's Health

#alcohol #birth_control #demographics #health #life_expectancy #longevity #mental_health #obesity #overpopulation #parenting #population #smoking #suicide #ukraine #vaccines

Compared to Europe (2025)₃₀
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₃₀
1	Monaco	10.3
2	Liechtenstein	30.1
3	Sweden	42.3
	...
40	Romania	86.3
41	Armenia	86.5
42	Bosnia & Herzegovina	89.8
43	Moldova	95.3
44	Turkey	96.1
45	Ukraine	96.1
46	Georgia	96.7
47	Kosovo	102.3
48	Azerbaijan	103.9
	Europe Avg	86.87
q=48.

Health (2025)₃₀
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₃₀
1	Monaco	10.3
2	Liechtenstein	30.1
3	Japan	37.3
	...
101	Cape Verde	95.9
102	Argentina	96.1
103	Turkey	96.1
104	Ukraine	96.1
105	Georgia	96.7
106	Bhutan	97.7
107	El Salvador	98.2
108	Palau	98.6
	World Avg	97.57
q=207.

The countries with the best overall approach to public health, in terms of both public policy and individual lifestyle choices, are Monaco, Liechtenstein and Japan₃₁. These countries are worth emulating. And, although often through no fault of the average citizen, the worst countries are Angola, Somalia and S. Sudan₃₁.

42 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on its average life expectancy, its alcohol consumption rate, its fertility rate, its smoking rate, its suicide rate, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance, the prevalence of overweight adults, obesity rate, its adolescent birth rate, delivery rate of infant DTP immunizations, delivery rate of 7x Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 and childhood mortality. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Europe and The Mediterranean₃₁, whereas the worst are Africa, Micronesia and Melanesia₃₁.

For more, see:

"Countries With the Healthiest Cultures and Health Policies" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

5.1. Health Datasets

#alcohol #birth_control #demographics #health #life_expectancy #longevity #mental_health #obesity #overpopulation #smoking #suicide #ukraine

Ukraine is a pretty unhealthy country. Ukraine does better than average in its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance₃₂ (but bad for Europe), childhood mortality in the 2020s₃₃ and in its adolescent birth rate₃₄ (but high for Europe). But that's it. Ukraine has problems. It does worse than average for its average life expectancy₁₁ (amongst the worst in Europe), its smoking rate₃₅, its fertility rate₁₅, its alcohol consumption rate₃₆ (still good for Europe), delivery rate of infant DTP immunizations in the 2020s₃₇ and in the prevalence of overweight adults₃₈. And finally, it falls into the worst 20 for its suicide rate₃₉ and in delivery rate of 7x Infant Immunizations 2011-2015₄₀ (the lowest in Europe). The number of overweight adults has increased by 14% during the past 40 years. Life expectancy in Ukraine improved by +4.7yrs in the 30 years from 1990, less than the global average of +7.9yrs. Ukraine has had a long-term consistent fertility rate, and is one of only 22 countries to vary by less than 1.0 each decade since the 1960s. Its peak fertility rate was 2.24 in 1960.

Life Expectancy Higher is better₁₁
Pos.		2021 Years₁₁
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
97	Bulgaria	71.8
98	Georgia	71.7
99	St Kitts & Nevis	71.7
100	Ukraine	71.6
101	Bahamas	71.6
102	Tajikistan	71.6
103	Seychelles	71.3
104	St Lucia	71.1
	Europe Avg	78.36
	World Avg	71.28
q=195. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Alcohol Consumption Lower is better₃₆
Pos.		2016 Per Capita₃₆
1	Bangladesh	0.0
2	Kuwait	0.0
3	Libya	0.0
	...
127=	Botswana	8.4
127=	Trinidad & Tobago	8.4
127=	Vietnam	8.4
130	Ukraine	8.6
131	Netherlands	8.7
132=	Croatia	8.9
132=	Cameroon	8.9
132=	Canada	8.9
	Europe Avg	10.3
	World Avg	6.2
q=189.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best₁₅
Pos.		2022₁₅
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
125	Syria	2.70
126	Philippines	2.73
127	Lithuania	1.27
128	Ukraine	1.27
129	Poland	1.26
130	Japan	1.26
131	Botswana	2.75
132	Djibouti	2.76
	Europe Avg	1.53
	World Avg	2.47
q=208. Also scored for 1960s-2010s.

Smoking in the 2020s Lower is better₃₅
Pos.		Total %₃₅
1	Nigeria	3.3%
2	Ghana	3.4%
3	Panama	5.2%
	...
114	Malta	24.8%
115	Egypt	24.8%
116	Austria	24.9%
117	Ukraine	25.0%
118	Armenia	25.0%
119	Switzerland	25.6%
120	Portugal	25.7%
121	Maldives	26.4%
	Europe Avg	27.0%
	World Avg	20.0%
q=165. Also scored for 2000s-2020s.

Suicide Rate₃₉
Pos.		2013 Per 100k₃₉
1	Haiti	0
2	Grenada	0
3	Egypt	0.1
	...
79	Finland	39
80	Belgium	39.1
81	Slovenia	44
82	Ukraine	44.8
83	Latvia	48.2
84	Japan	49.4
85	Hungary	50.6
86=	Kazakhstan	52.4
	Europe Avg	26.99
	World Avg	20.93
q=91.

Food Aid, Health Contributions & WHO Compliance Lower is better₃₂
Pos.		2017 Rank₃₂
1	Sweden	1
2	Ireland	2
3	Denmark	3
	...
52	Slovakia	52
53	Bulgaria	53
54	Panama	54
55	Ukraine	55
56	S. Africa	56
57	Slovenia	57
58	Morocco	58
59	Cyprus	59
	Europe Avg	47.4
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Overweight Adults Lower is better₃₈
Pos.		1976 %₃₈
1	Bangladesh	4.7
2	Vietnam	5.1
3	Nepal	5.4
	...
162	Bulgaria	41.4
163=	USA	41.6
163=	Spain	41.6
165	Ukraine	42.2
166	Australia	42.4
167	Lithuania	42.6
168	New Zealand	42.7
169	Russia	43.8
	Europe Avg	38.2
	World Avg	27.1
q=191.

Adult Obesity Lower is better₄₁
Pos.		2022 %₄₁
1	Vietnam	2.1%
2	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	2.2%
3	Ethiopia	2.4%
	...
128	Suriname	29.0%
129	Dominican Rep.	29.1%
130	Trinidad & Tobago	29.2%
131	Ukraine	29.2%
132	Latvia	29.8%
133	El Salvador	29.9%
134	S. Africa	30.0%
135	Oman	30.2%
	Europe Avg	25.9%
	World Avg	24.7%
q=199. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

5.2. Children's Health Datasets

#children's_health #health #parenting #population #vaccines

Adolescent Birth Rate Lower is better₃₄
Pos.		2022 Per 1000₃₄
1	Hong Kong	1.6
2	Denmark	1.8
3	S. Korea	2.1
	...
58	Albania	14.5
59	Russia	14.5
60	USA	15.1
61	Ukraine	15.2
62	Sri Lanka	15.4
63	Turkey	15.7
64	Uzbekistan	15.7
65	Macedonia	16.1
	Europe Avg	11.4
	World Avg	43.8
q=195. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Infant DTP Immunizations (2020s) Higher is better₃₇
Pos.		Total Avg %₃₇
1=	Luxembourg	99.0
1=	Oman	99.0
1=	Niue	99.0
	...
154	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	86.1
155	Micronesia	85.8
156	Panama	85.7
157	Ukraine	85.3
158	Peru	85.1
159	Romania	84.7
160	Belize	84.6
161	Grenada	83.2
	Europe Avg	93.2
	World Avg	88.5
q=211. Also scored for 1980s-2020s.

7x Infant Immunizations (2011-2015) Higher is better₄₀
Pos.		2015 Avg %₄₀
1=	Hungary	99.0
1=	China	99.0
3	Uzbekistan	98.9
	...
185	Vanuatu	65.5
186	Guinea	63.3
187	Syria	62.4
188	Ukraine	55.2
189	Chad	52.5
190	Nigeria	50.0
191	Central African Rep.	49.4
192	Somalia	46.0
	Europe Avg	92.7
	World Avg	88.3
q=194.

Infant Mortality (2020s) Lower is better₃₃
Pos.		Total Per 1000₃₃
1	San Marino	2.11
2	Finland	2.59
3	Luxembourg	2.60
	...
57=	Saudi Arabia	9.46
57=	Kuwait	9.46
59	Romania	9.55
60	Ukraine	9.82
61	Brunei	9.90
62	Macedonia	9.95
63	Maldives	10.37
64	Albania	10.41
	Europe Avg	6.30
	World Avg	32.19
q=195. Also scored for 1960s-2020s.

6. Ukraine's Responsibility Towards The Environment

#biodiversity #climate_change #deforestation #energy #environmentalism #food #france #internationalism #meat #over-exploitation #sustainability #the_environment #ukraine #veganism #vegetarianism

Compared to Europe (2025)₄₂
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₄₂
1	Switzerland	45.0
2	Denmark	50.4
3	Liechtenstein	56.8
	...
34=	Monaco	92.1
34=	Moldova	92.1
36	Malta	92.2
37	Ukraine	94.8
38=	Iceland	96.9
39=	Estonia	97.0
40	Montenegro	97.3
41	Azerbaijan	101.2
42	Bosnia & Herzegovina	103.5
	Europe Avg	86.45
q=48.

Responsibility Towards The Environment (2025)₄₂
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₄₂
1	Sri Lanka	34.9
2	Uruguay	43.2
3	Switzerland	45.0
	...
135	Qatar	94.1
136	Liberia	94.2
137	Trinidad & Tobago	94.5
138	Ukraine	94.8
139	Saudi Arabia	94.9
140	Israel	95.8
141	Tonga	96.1
142=	St Kitts & Nevis	96.9
	World Avg	84.93
q=199.

We have known for a long term that we must protect the environment from habitation destruction, over-exploitation, pollution, and the emissions that cause climate change. In 1998, Greenpeace wrote that "Environment can no longer be meaningfully separated from health, quality of life, democracy, education, economy or trade"₄₃. What countries have been doing the right thing, via legislation and national culture? All countries' current and historical approach towards the environment is gauged via 21 datasets, including multiple decades of data on its forested percent change 2000-2020, its environmental performance, energy to GDP efficiency, its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment, the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population, reducing annual meat consumption per person and its score on the Green Future Index.

The countries that do the best (Sri Lanka, Uruguay and Switzerland) tend to have avoided the excesses of early industrial countries, and have not yet repeated the same mistakes of environmental destruction - at least, not on the same scale. The regions with the best average results per country are Central America, South America and Scandinavia. The worst are Eritrea, The Vatican City and Timor-Leste (E. Timor), and the worst regions Micronesia, Australasia and Melanesia.

For more, see:

"Countries With the Best Environmental Records" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

In terms of its responsibility towards the environment, Ukraine ranks 138th in the world. This is formulated from 21 data sets. Ukraine comes in the best 20 in its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment. It does better than average in the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population₄₄, its forested percent change 2000-2020₄₅ and in reducing annual meat consumption per person₄₆. Ukraine still has work to do. Ukraine does worse than average when it comes to its score on the Green Future Index₄₇ (one of the worst in Europe) and in its environmental performance₄₈ (one of the worst in Europe). And finally, it falls into the worst-performing 20 for energy to GDP efficiency₄₉ (one of the highest in Europe).

Forest Area Change 2000-2020 Higher is better₄₅
Pos.		Total₄₅
1	Guernsey	82.6%
2	Bahrain	75.2%
3	Iceland	64.7%
	...
66	Luxembourg	2.3%
67	Georgia	2.2%
68	USA	2.1%
69	Ukraine	1.9%
70	Australia	1.7%
71	Austria	1.6%
72	Czechia	1.5%
73	Slovakia	1.3%
	Europe Avg	8.2%
	World Avg	-0.1%
q=234.

Environmental Performance Higher is better₄₈
Pos.		2018₄₈
1	Switzerland	87.4
2	France	84.0
3	Denmark	81.6
	...
106	El Salvador	53.9
107	Fiji	53.1
108	Turkey	53.0
109	Ukraine	52.9
110	Guatemala	52.3
111	Maldives	52.1
112	Moldova	52.0
113	Botswana	51.7
	Europe Avg	69.6
	World Avg	56.4
q=180.

Energy to GDP Efficiency Lower is better₄₉
Pos.		2022 Avg₄₉
1	Rwanda	0.25
2	Chad	0.26
3	Tanzania	0.31
	...
147	Libya	2.05
148	Singapore	2.06
149	Lebanon	2.06
150	Ukraine	2.11
151	Syria	2.12
152	Kyrgyzstan	2.20
153	Iran	2.24
154	Russia	2.25
	Europe Avg	1.25
	World Avg	1.23
q=165. Also scored for 1960s-2010s.

From the 2000s to the 2010s, Ukraine was amongst the 10 countries who improved their energy-to-GDP efficiency the most.

International Accords on the Environment Higher is better
Pos.		Total Avg Rate
1	Sweden	83%
2	Canada	82%
3	Norway	81%
4	Latvia	81%
5	Estonia	80%
6	Ukraine	80%
7	Finland	79%
8	Georgia	79%
9	Switzerland	78%
10	Nigeria	78%
11	Germany	76%
12	Belarus	76%
	Europe Avg	62.7%
	World Avg	57.5%
q=197. Also scored for 1970s-2020s.

One of 8 countries who ratified the Vienna Convention on the ozone layer in 1986 and was also amongst the first batch of countries who signed the Montreal Protocol on protecting the ozone layer in 1988 whilst most others delayed until subsequent years.

Rational Beliefs on the Environment Higher is better₄₄
Pos.		2011 %₄₄
1	Argentina	78.3%
2	Greece	77.6%
3	Brazil	77.1%
	...
59	Burundi	42.0%
60	Zambia	41.9%
61	Singapore	41.6%
62	Ukraine	41.5%
63	Jordan	41.4%
64	India	41.2%
65	Canada	41.2%
66	Serbia	41.1%
	Europe Avg	33.6%
	World Avg	39.9%
q=145.

Meat Consumption Lower is better₄₆
Pos.		2021 kg₄₆
1	Congo, DR	03.0
2	Burundi	03.5
3	Bangladesh	04.3
	...
84	Bosnia & Herzegovina	46.8
85	Chad	47.1
86	Oman	48.0
87	Ukraine	48.5
88	Cuba	49.6
89	Libya	50.0
90	Ecuador	50.9
91	Albania	52.0
	Europe Avg	71.1
	World Avg	52.5
q=185. Also scored for 2010s.

Green Future Index Higher is better₄₇
Pos.		2023 Score₄₇
1	Iceland	6.7
2	Finland	6.7
3	Norway	6.4
	...
44=	Australia	4.6
45=	Taiwan	4.5
45=	Mexico	4.5
47	Ukraine	4.4
48	Argentina	4.3
49	Indonesia	4.3
50	India	4.3
51	Nigeria	4.2
	Europe Avg	5.6
	World Avg	4.8
q=76.

The 2023 edition of the Green Futures Index noted that Ukraine's nuclear contribution to its energy sector was very high, helping it avoid harmful carbon emissions (only France done better)₅₀.

7. Ukraine's Modernity and Learning

#education #intelligence #it_security #metric #modernity #politics #religion #religiosity #research #science #secularisation #technology #the_internet

Compared to Europe (2025)₅₁
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₅₁
1	Vatican City	1.0
2	Finland	4.8
3	Belgium	8.5
	...
30	San Marino	38.4
31	Bulgaria	39.9
32	Croatia	39.9
33	Ukraine	40.3
34	Malta	41.3
35	Belarus	42.7
36	Serbia	45.2
37	Turkey	46.0
38	Cyprus	46.4
	Europe Avg	31.28
q=49.

Modernity & Learning (2025)₅₁
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₅₁
1	Vatican City	1.0
2	Finland	4.8
3	Belgium	8.5
	...
41	San Marino	38.4
42	Bulgaria	39.9
43	Croatia	39.9
44	Ukraine	40.3
45	Chile	41.0
46	Malta	41.3
47	Belarus	42.7
48	Brazil	44.0
	World Avg	80.33
q=194.

The most modern countries, with the best results from education, the highest levels of research, and with the easiest access to information on the Internet, are The Vatican City, Finland and Belgium₅₂. The worst countries are S. Sudan, Eritrea and Somalia₅₂. Despite improves in global education, access to tertiary (adult) education is becoming increasingly unequal between the rich haves and the poor have-nots₅₃.

“Education, at all levels and ages, is the single most vital support for equality as well as being a country's most vital economic and social resource. [...] Every successful aspirant to modernisation and economic development, from Japan to South Korea, China to Chile, has got there with a big emphasis on education.”
Bill Emmott (2017)₅₄

23 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on Research and Development, Intellectual Endeavours, metric system adoption rate, Religiosity, IQ, Secondary Education, Length of Schooling, Maths, Science & Reading, the percent of citizens with access to the internet, Freedom On The Internet, IT Security, IPv6 Uptake and digital quality of life. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe₅₂, whereas the worst are Melanesia, Africa and Micronesia₅₂.

For more, see:

" Which Countries are Most Modern, With the Best Education and Internet Access?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

7.1. Modernity Datasets

#intelligence #metric #religion #religiosity #research #science #secularisation

Research & Development Higher is better
Pos.		2016 % RDP PPP
1	S. Korea	4.29₅₅
2	Israel	4.11₅₅
3	Japan	3.58₅₅
	...
40	India	0.82₅₆
41	Croatia	0.81₅₇
42	Kenya	0.79₅₈
43	Ukraine	0.76₅₇
44=	Morocco	0.73₅₈
44=	S. Africa	0.73₅₉
44=	Serbia	0.73₅₇
44=	Hong Kong	0.73₅₉
	Europe Avg	1.32
	World Avg	0.84
q=126.

Intellectual Endeavours Lower is better₃₂
Pos.		2017 Rank₃₂
1	Ukraine	1
2	Czechia	2
3	Hungary	3
4	Denmark	4
5	UK	5
6	Austria	6
7	Finland	7
8	Netherlands	8
9	Belgium	9
10	Slovenia	10
11	Switzerland	11
12	New Zealand	12
	Europe Avg	31.3
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Metric System Adoption Rate Higher is better₆₀
Pos.		2025 %₆₀
1=	Slovakia	100
1=	Poland	100
1=	Portugal	100
	...
89=	Tajikistan	95
89=	S. Africa	95
89=	Cuba	95
89=	Ukraine	95
89=	Ireland	95
89=	Japan	95
89=	Suriname	95
89=	Turkey	95
	Europe Avg	97
	World Avg	92
q=187. Also scored for 1960s-2020s.

Officially adopted metric in 1922, as part of the USSR. Progression:

1960 (90%): USSR metric standards in official sectors.
1970 (95%): Further standardization.
1980 (95%): High completeness.
2000 (95%): Post-independence continuity.
2025 (95%).

Religiosity Lower is better₆₁
Pos.		2018 %₆₁
1	China	3
2	Estonia	6
3	Czechia	7
	...
28=	Kazakhstan	22
28=	Spain	22
30=	Slovakia	23
30=	Ukraine	23
32	Canada	27
33=	Uzbekistan	29
33=	Uruguay	29
35	Poland	30
	Europe Avg	25.8
	World Avg	54.3
q=106.

IQ Higher is better₆₂
Pos.		2006₆₂
1=	Hong Kong	108
1=	Singapore	108
3	S. Korea	106
	...
29=	USA	98
29=	Latvia	98
29=	Hungary	98
32=	Ukraine	97
32=	Russia	97
32=	Belarus	97
35=	Moldova	96
35=	Uruguay	96
	Europe Avg	96.6
	World Avg	85.6
q=138.

7.2. Education Datasets

#education

Secondary Education Higher is better₆₃
Pos.		2018₆₃
1=	Luxembourg	100.0%
1=	Estonia	100.0%
1=	Austria	100.0%
	...
27	S. Korea	95.2%
28	Bulgaria	95.1%
29	Lithuania	94.9%
30	Ukraine	94.6%
31	Tonga	93.7%
32	Japan	93.6%
33	Tajikistan	93.1%
34	Barbados	92.9%
	Europe Avg	88.3%
	World Avg	63.0%
q=169.

Length of Schooling Higher is better₆₄
Pos.		2021 Years₆₄
1	Australia	21.1
2	New Zealand	20.3
3	Greece	20.0
	...
60	Montenegro	15.1
61	Hungary	15.0
62	Mongolia	15.0
63	Ukraine	15.0
64	Bolivia	14.9
65	Mexico	14.9
66	Fiji	14.7
67	St Vincent & Grenadines	14.7
	Europe Avg	16.1
	World Avg	13.5
q=193. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

7.3. Technology and Information Datasets

#it_security #modernity #politics #technology #the_internet

Internet Users Higher is better₆₅
Pos.		2016₆₅
1	Iceland	100%
2	Faroe Islands	99%
3	Norway	98%
	...
109	Mexico	45%
110=	Kenya	45%
110=	Belize	45%
112	Ukraine	44%
113	Philippines	44%
114	Jamaica	43%
115	Ecuador	43%
116	Thailand	43%
	Europe Avg	76.7%
	World Avg	48.1%
q=201.

Freedom On The Internet Lower is better₆₆
Pos.		2012₆₆
1	Estonia	10
2	USA	12
3	Germany	15
	...
8	UK	25
9=	S. Africa	26
9=	Argentina	26
11=	Ukraine	27
11=	Brazil	27
13	Kenya	29
14	Georgia	30
15	Nigeria	33
	Europe Avg	31.4
	World Avg	46.7
q=47.

IT Security Lower is better₆₇
Pos.		2013₆₇
1=	Ireland	0.11
1=	Luxembourg	0.11
1=	Belize	0.11
	...
61	UK	1.34
62	Mongolia	1.42
63	Uganda	1.44
64	Ukraine	1.44
65	Nepal	1.45
66	Afghanistan	1.45
67	Germany	1.46
68	Netherlands	1.47
	Europe Avg	0.80
	World Avg	0.98

IPv6 Uptake Higher is better₆₈
Pos.		2017 Ratio₆₈
1	Belgium	55.4
2	Germany	41.8
3	Switzerland	35.1
	...
68	S. Africa	0.1
69	Jersey	0.1
70=	Sudan	0.1
70=	Ukraine	0.1
72	Lithuania	0.1
73	Vanuatu	0.1
74=	Iran	0.1
74=	Zambia	0.1
	Europe Avg	8.11
	World Avg	3.82
q=176.

Digital Quality of Life Higher is better₆₉
Pos.		2024₆₉
1	Germany	77.9%
2	Finland	76.9%
3	France	73.9%
	...
44	Chile	55.0%
45	China	54.8%
46	Uruguay	54.8%
47	Ukraine	54.4%
48	Serbia	53.5%
49	Turkey	52.2%
50	Russia	52.1%
51	Thailand	51.4%
	Europe Avg	61.0%
	World Avg	48.4%
q=121.

8. Ukraine's Culture, Peace and Inequality

#azerbaijan #capitalism #charity #corruption #economics #extremism #france #happiness #health #human_development #inequality #internationalism #life_expectancy #morals #NATO #peace #politics #poverty #religious_violence #russia #slovenia #social_development #terrorism #UK #ukraine #USA

8.1. National Culture Datasets

#azerbaijan #charity #corruption #happiness #internationalism #morals #politics #ukraine

World Giving Index Higher is better₇₀
Pos.		2022 %₇₀
1	Indonesia	68.0
2	Kenya	61.0
3	USA	59.0
	...
7=	Sierra Leone	51.0
7=	Canada	51.0
9	Zambia	50.0
10=	Ukraine	49.0
10=	Ireland	49.0
12=	Czechia	48.0
12=	Nigeria	48.0
12=	Thailand	48.0
	Europe Avg	39.0
	World Avg	39.6
q=125. Also scored for 2010s.

Corruption Higher is better₇₁
Pos.		2022 Points₇₁
1	Denmark	90.0
2=	Finland	87.0
2=	New Zealand	87.0
	...
113=	Indonesia	34.0
113=	Bosnia & Herzegovina	34.0
113=	Nepal	34.0
116=	Ukraine	33.0
116=	Mongolia	33.0
116=	El Salvador	33.0
116=	Zambia	33.0
116=	Algeria	33.0
	Europe Avg	57.61
	World Avg	42.98
q=180. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

In 2000, Ukraine was perceived as being the 3rd-most-corrupt country in the world (after Azerbaijan).

Happiness Higher is better₇₂
Pos.		2024 Score₇₂
1	Finland	7.7
2	Denmark	7.5
3	Iceland	7.5
	...
108	Palestine	4.8
109	Pakistan	4.8
110	Niger	4.7
111	Ukraine	4.7
112	Morocco	4.6
113	Tunisia	4.6
114	Mauritania	4.5
115	Kenya	4.5
	Europe Avg	6.37
	World Avg	5.58
q=147. Also scored for 2010s.

Creativity & Culture Lower is better₃₂
Pos.		2017 Rank₃₂
1	Belgium	1
2	Netherlands	2
3	Estonia	3
	...
59	Uruguay	59
60	Samoa	60
61	Montenegro	61
62	Ukraine	62
63	Israel	63
64	Mexico	64
65	S. Africa	65
66	Lebanon	66
	Europe Avg	35.0
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Passport Reach (2020s) Higher is better₇₃
Pos.		Total Q₇₃
1	Singapore	192.2
2	Japan	192.0
3	S. Korea	190.7
	...
65	Macau	144.0
66	Dominica	143.3
67	Paraguay	142.5
68	Ukraine	140.8
69	Peru	137.2
70	Serbia	136.2
71	El Salvador	134.2
72	Guatemala	133.7
	Europe Avg	160.7
	World Avg	108.8
q=195. Also scored for 2000s-2020s.

Open Trading, Aid & Development Lower is better₃₂
Pos.		2017 Rank₃₂
1	Ireland	1
2	Denmark	2
3	Sweden	3
	...
69	New Zealand	69
70	Tunisia	70
71	Montenegro	71
72	Ukraine	72
73	Chile	73
74	Macedonia	74
75	Oman	75
76	Dominican Rep.	76
	Europe Avg	42.6
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

8.2. Peace Versus Instability Datasets

#extremism #france #human_development #NATO #peace #politics #religious_violence #russia #terrorism #UK #ukraine #USA

Russia has been disrupting and funding sectarian violence in Ukraine for over a decade, with the policy of Russian President Putin being that Ukrainians and Russians are 'one people'. Trying to justify his invasions has meant a long-term series of heavy misinformation campaigns that have served to dehumanize Ukranians, and heavy censorship has hid the truth of Russian aggression from many Russian citizens.

The events of early 2025 have proven that Russian misinformation permeated the USA's right-wing communities and its Republican Party, leading to President Trump vocally and frequently repeating Russian propaganda until the USA in March 2025, withdrew its support of Ukraine's self-defence.

A few European countries had already openly declared that they won't rule out sending troops to help Ukraine; the UK and France₇₄ being the most prominent, along with some Baltic states. They propose a 'coalition of the willing' to enforce any future peace deal, with their aim (along with that of NATO) being to raise a stronger deterrent against future Russia military aggression against European countries.

Global Peace Index Lower is better₇₅
Pos.		2023 Score₇₅
1	Iceland	1.12
2	Denmark	1.31
3	Ireland	1.31
	...
154	Iraq	3.01
155	Sudan	3.02
156	Somalia	3.04
157	Ukraine	3.04
158	Russia	3.14
159	Congo, DR	3.21
160	S. Sudan	3.22
161	Syria	3.29
	Europe Avg	1.70
	World Avg	2.07
q=163. Also scored for 2010s.

Peacekeeping & Security Lower is better₃₂
Pos.		2017 Rank₃₂
1	Samoa	1
2	S. Africa	2
3	Tunisia	3
	...
105	Laos	105
106	Mozambique	106
107	Poland	107
108	Ukraine	108
109	Belgium	109
110	Panama	110
111	Equatorial Guinea	111
112	Botswana	112
	Europe Avg	84.6
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Refugees & UN Treaties Lower is better₃₂
Pos.		2017 Rank₃₂
1	Austria	1
2	Germany	2
3	Netherlands	3
	...
54	Macedonia	54
55	Zambia	55
56	Lithuania	56
57	Ukraine	57
58	Croatia	58
59	Bangladesh	59
60	Seychelles	60
61	Philippines	61
	Europe Avg	37.8
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Impact of Terrorism Lower is better₇₆
Pos.		2019 Score₇₆
1	Togo	0.00
2	Mongolia	0.00
3	Swaziland	0.00
	...
124	Burkina Faso	5.42
125	Myanmar	5.51
126	Mozambique	5.54
127	Ukraine	5.55
128	Niger	5.60
129	USA	5.69
130	Kenya	5.76
131	Sudan	5.81
	Europe Avg	1.62
	World Avg	2.78
q=150.

8.3. Economic Inequality and Poverty Datasets

#capitalism #economics #health #inequality #life_expectancy #poverty #slovenia #social_development #ukraine

Poverty (2020s) Lower is better₇₇
Pos.		Total %₇₇
1	Malaysia	0.01%
2	Bhutan	0.01%
3	Cyprus	0.02%
4	Thailand	0.03%
5	Ukraine	0.03%
6	Czechia	0.03%
7	Kazakhstan	0.04%
8	Russia	0.04%
9	Belgium	0.06%
10	Netherlands	0.07%
11	France	0.08%
12	Moldova	0.09%
	Europe Avg	1.20%
	World Avg	11.40%
q=106. Also scored for 1980s-2020s.

Inequality in Life Expectancy Lower is better₇₈
Pos.		2019₇₈
1	Iceland	2.40
2=	Singapore	2.50
2=	Hong Kong	2.50
	...
58=	Russia	7.10
59	Albania	7.20
60=	Lebanon	7.40
60=	Ukraine	7.40
62	Brunei	7.60
63	Kazakhstan	7.70
64=	Macedonia	7.90
64=	Uruguay	7.90
	Europe Avg	4.86
	World Avg	14.59
q=184.

Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient) Lower is better₇₉
Pos.		2023 %₇₉
1	Slovakia	24.1%₈₀
2	Slovenia	24.3%₈₀
3	Belarus	24.4%₈₁
4	Ukraine	25.6%₈₁
5=	Moldova	25.7%₈₀
5=	Netherlands	25.7%₈₀
7	Iceland	26.1%₈₂
8	Czechia	26.2%₈₀
9=	Kyrgyzstan	26.4%₈₃
9=	UAE	26.4%₈₄
11=	Syria	26.6%₈₃
11=	Azerbaijan	26.6%₈₅
	Europe Avg	30.7%
	World Avg	36.5%
q=167. Also scored for 1980s-2010s.

Ukraine had the 2nd-lowest income inequality in the world in the 2010s, almost as good as Slovenia.

Multidimensional Poverty Lower is better₈₆
Pos.		2018 Severity₈₆
1	Armenia	.001
2	Ukraine	.001
3	Serbia	.001
4	Turkmenistan	.001
5	Jordan	.002
6	Kazakhstan	.002
7	Montenegro	.002
8	Trinidad & Tobago	.002
9	Maldives	.003
10	Albania	.003
11	Thailand	.003
12	Moldova	.004
	Europe Avg	.004
	World Avg	.154
q=101.

9. Religion and Beliefs

#belief #buddhism #christianity #germany #god #hinduism #islam #judaism #religion #religiosity #russia #secularisation #ukraine

Religiosity (2018)₆₁
Pos.		Lower is better %₆₁
1	China	3
2	Estonia	6
3	Czechia	7
	...
28=	Kazakhstan	22
28=	Spain	22
30=	Slovakia	23
30=	Ukraine	23
32	Canada	27
33=	Uzbekistan	29
33=	Uruguay	29
35	Poland	30
36	Serbia	34
37=	Israel	36
37=	Portugal	36
39	Azerbaijan	38
40	Chile	41
41=	Croatia	42
41=	Moldova	42
43	Argentina	43
	World Avg	54.3
q=106.

Disbelief In God (2007)₈₇
Pos.		Higher is better %₈₇
1	Vietnam	81
2	Japan	65
3	Sweden	64
	...
22=	New Zealand	22
22=	Canada	22
24=	Latvia	20
24=	Ukraine	20
24=	Mongolia	20
27	Austria	18
28=	Slovakia	17
28=	Switzerland	17
28=	Belarus	17
31=	Greece	16
31=	Iceland	16
33=	Spain	15
33=	Israel	15
35	Armenia	14
36=	Lithuania	13
36=	Singapore	13
	World Avg	9.9
q=137.

Pew Forum polling over the decades has found the following adherency rates:₈₈:

	2010	2020
Christian	85.5%	83.4%
Unaffiliated	13.2%	15.1%
Muslim	0.903%	0.568%
Other	0.189%	0.415%
Buddhist	0.1%	0.334%
Jewish	0.1%	<0.1%
Hindu	<0.1%	<0.1%

By adding up the Pew Forum data for the major monotheistic religions we can see that these make up 84.1% of the population. Yet there are simply too many who disbelieve in God for this to be true (20%). This is due to the so-called 'Census Effect', whereby many put down a religion for cultural reasons rather than because it reflects their beliefs. In highly Christian countries, as many as half of those who say they're a Christian lack any connection to a Church, and do not hold Christian beliefs (such as believing in God!).

It appears that when asked "What religion are you" many give pollsters the 'correct' answer despite how they actually feel, and despite what they actually believe. Although 84.9% of the populace say they belong to a religion, only 23% say that they are religious when the question is phrased as "Is religion an important part of your daily life?".

For more on this phenomenon, see:

"Institutionalized Religions Have Their Numbers Inflated by National Polls" by Vexen Crabtree (2009)

The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states: Ukrainian Orthodox - Kyiv Patriarchate 50.4%, Ukrainian Orthodox - Moscow Patriarchate 26.1%, Ukrainian Greek Catholic 8%, Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox 7.2%, Roman Catholic 2.2%, Protestant 2.2%, Jewish 0.6%, other 3.2% (2006 est.)₈₉.

The Ukrainian government does better than Russia when it comes to secularism; "There is no parallel to the united and dominant Russian Orthodox Church, or to the support given to the latter by the Russian government. The Ukrainian government is religiously neutral, allowing an efflorescence of religious pluralism"₉₀. Although many folk do declare themselves to belong to a religious denomination, 62% also say that they're not religious when asked in opinion-polls₉₀.

The sociologist of religion, Peter L. Berger, sheds some light on the differences between some of the Ukrainian denominations:

“The majority is Orthodox, but split into three mutually hostile factions: the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kiev Patriarchate, and the Ukrainian Orthodox Autocephalous Church. Please do not count on me to explain all these differences, except that the split is politically significant in terms of pro-Russian versus pro-Western groups. There are Uniats (who practice eastern rites but recognize the primacy of Rome) and also standard Roman Catholics, especially in the western part of Ukraine.”
"Religion and Other Curiosities" by Peter L. Berger (2012)₉₀

Although a shameful number of Ukrainians collaborated with the German Nazi regime during the Holocaust of the 1940s, in modern times there is now (thankfully) "a significant renascence of Jewish culture"₉₁.

Links: