| Languages of Ukraine | |
|---|---|
 Native languages in Ukraine, 2001 census | |
| Official | |
| Indigenous | |
| Minority | 12 recognised |
| Foreign | |
| Signed | Ukrainian Sign Language |
| Keyboard layout | |
| Source | Census-2001 |
The official language of Ukraine is Ukrainian, an East Slavic language of the Indo-European languages family. It is spoken regularly by 88% of Ukraine's population at home in their personal life, [1] and as high as 87% at work or study. It is followed by Russian which is spoken by 34% in their personal life. [2]
As of 2022, 81% of the population of Ukraine speak the Ukrainian language in their personal life, at the same time 34% speak Russian, meaning that a significant portion of Ukrainian residents constituting 19% of people speak both languages regularly. [2]
According to the first (and so far only) population census of 2001, ethnic Ukrainians make up 77.8% of the population. Other ethnic groups are Russians (17.3%), Belarusians (0.6%), Romanians (including Moldovans) (0.8%), Crimean Tatars (0.5%), Bulgarians (0.4%), Hungarians (0.3%), Poles (0.3%), Jews (0.2%), Armenians (0.2%), Greeks (0.2%), Karaites (>0.1%), Krymchaks (>0.1%) and Gagauzes (0.1%). [3]
The following table gives the native languages (but not necessarily the languages spoken at home) with their number of speakers according to the 2001 Ukrainian Census: [4]
| Language | Speakers | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Ukrainian | 32,577,468 | 67.53% |
| Russian | 14,273,670 | 29.59% |
| Romanian (including defunct Moldovan) | 327,703 | 0.67% |
| Crimean Tatar | 231,382 | 0.48% |
| Hungarian | 161,618 | 0.34% |
| Bulgarian | 134,396 | 0.28% |
| Belarusian | 56,249 | 0.12% |
| Armenian | 51,847 | 0.11% |
| Gagauz | 23,765 | 0.05% |
| Romani | 22,603 | 0.05% |
| Polish | 19,195 | 0.04% |
| German | 4,206 | 0.01% |
| Greek | 6,029 | 0.01% |
| Hebrew | 3,307 | 0.01% |
| Slovak | 2,768 | 0.01% |
| Karaim | 96 | 0.00% |
| Other | 143,163 | 0.30% |
| Not indicated | 201,437 | 0.42% |
| Total | 48,240,902 | 100% |
Not included in the table above are Rusyn with 6,725 speakers as of 2001, [5] Ukrainian Sign Language (54,000 in 2008), Eastern Yiddish (11,500 in 2007), Urum (95,000 in 2000, often included under Tatar), and Krymchak (200 as of 2007). The varieties of Romani represented are Vlax, Carpathian and Balkan. [6] There are also speakers of the Gammalsvenska dialect of Swedish (at least 10 fluent and perhaps 150 with some knowledge as of 2014).[ citation needed ]
Ethnologue lists 40 minority languages and dialects in Ukraine; nearly all are native to the former Soviet Union.
As a result of legislation entitled the "Bill on the principles of the state language policy", which was adopted by the Verkhovna Rada in August 2012, languages spoken by at least 10% of an oblast's population were made possible to be elevated to the status of 'regional language'. Whilst Ukrainian remained the country's only 'official' language nationwide, other languages, dependent on their adoption by oblast authorities, became accepted mediums of communication in education, local government offices, courts and official correspondence. [7]
In February 2014, the Verkhovna Rada abolished the law on regional languages. In spite of this, then Acting President Oleksandr Turchynov refused to sign this decision. In October 2014 the Constitutional Court of Ukraine started reviewing the constitutionality of the law, [8] and on 28 February 2018 it ruled the law unconstitutional. [8] According to the Council of Europe, this act fails to achieve fair protection of the linguistic rights of minorities. [9]
On 7 June 2024, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved the list of minority languages recognised as endangered. [10]
A survey conducted in July 2023 found that almost 44% of respondents, the vast majority, said they did not know English at all. At the same time, 26.9% of respondents said they could understand some words and simple phrases, but could not read, write or speak English at all. 19.2% of Ukrainians said they could read, write or speak some English, but not well. Among those surveyed, 7.5% can read, write and speak English, but not fluently. In contrast, only 1.1% of respondents are fluent in English. [11]
According to research data from the Kyiv National Linguistic University, currently not displayed on its website but preserved, in particular, on ‘accessed.on.Academia.edu’, [12] as of 2009, a somewhat different picture was observed in the use of Ukrainian and Russian languages in everyday communication by Ukrainian citizens.
Also, earlier in 2008, according to Gallup Institute research, it was found that 83% of Ukrainian citizens chose to fill out (and did fill out) a questionnaire in Russian. [13] The methodology was that the survey was not related to the topic of language, but the questionnaires themselves were in three versions: in Russian, Ukrainian, and English. Thus, a result was achieved that was not related to the national or ideological identification of the respondents, with the results presented in the table above.
According to the Russian Imperial Census of 1897 on the territory of the nine Russian Governorates in modern Ukraine yielded the following results:[ citation needed ]
In an October 2009 poll by a Russian political sociology company FOM-Ukraine of 1,000 respondents, 52% stated they use Russian as their "Language of communication"; while 41% of the respondents state they use Ukrainian and 8% stated they use a mixture of both. [14]
A March 2010 poll [15] by Research & Branding Group showed that 65% considered Ukrainian as their native language and 33% Russian. This poll also showed the standard of knowledge of the Russian language (free conversational language, writing and reading) in current Ukraine is higher (76%) than the standard of knowledge of the Ukrainian language (69%). More respondents preferred to speak Ukrainian (46%) than Russian (38%) with 16% preferring to speak both in equal manner.
A poll held November 2009 revealed that 54.7% of the population of Ukraine believed the language issue in Ukraine was irrelevant, that each person could speak the language they preferred and that a lot more important problems existed in the country; 14.7% of those polled stated that the language issue was an urgent problem that could not be postponed and that calls for immediate resolution; another 28.3% believed that, while the language issue needed to be resolved, this could be postponed. [16]
An August 2011 poll by Razumkov Centre showed that 53.3% of the respondents use the Ukrainian language in everyday life, while 44.5% use Russian. [17]
In a May 2012 poll by RATING, 50% of respondents considered Ukrainian their native language, 29% Russian, 20% consider both Ukrainian and Russian their mother tongue and 1% considered a different language their native language. [18]
In an 11–23 December 2015 study by the Razumkov Centre taken in all regions of Ukraine other than Russian-annexed Crimea, and separatist controlled Donetsk, and Luhansk, a majority considered Ukrainian their native language (60%), followed by Russian (15%), while 22% used both languages equally. Two percent had another native language. For the preferred language of work, an equal amount chose either Ukrainian or Russian (37%) and 21% communicated bilingually. The study polled 10,071 individuals and held a 1% margin of error. [19] [20]
According to the survey carried out by RATING on 16-20 August 2023, almost 60% of the polled usually speak Ukrainian at home, about 30% – Ukrainian and Russian, only 9% – Russian. Since March 2022, the use of Russian in everyday life has been noticeably decreasing. For 82 per cent of respondents, Ukrainian is their mother tongue, and for 16 per cent, Russian is their mother tongue. IDPs and refugees living abroad are more likely to use both languages for communication or speak Russian. Nevertheless, more than 70 per cent of IDPs and refugees consider Ukrainian to be their native language. [21]
In November 2016, a new rule came into force requiring Ukraine's radio stations to play a quota of Ukrainian-language songs each day. The law also requires TV and radio broadcasters to ensure 60% of programs such as news and analysis are in Ukrainian. [22]
In September 2017, Ukraine instituted a similar policy on languages in public education. The law required that schools use Ukrainian, the national language, in all classes that did not require a second language.[ citation needed ] The exception from this being language classes that would be taught using "English or other official languages of the European Union." [23] The new spelling version was adopted by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine in May 2019. [24]
Kirovohrad Oblast, also known as Kirovohradshchyna, is an oblast (province) in central Ukraine. The administrative center of the oblast is the city of Kropyvnytskyi. Its population is 903,712. It is Ukraine's second least populated oblast, behind Chernivtsi.
Krymchak is a moribund Turkic language spoken in Crimea by the Krymchak people. The Krymchak community was composed of Jewish immigrants who arrived from all over Europe and Asia and who continuously added to the Krymchak population. The Krymchak language, as well as culture and daily life, was similar to Crimean Tatar, the peninsula's majority population, with the addition of a significant Hebrew influence.
Parliamentary elections were held in Ukraine on 26 March 2006. Election campaigning officially began on 7 July 2005. Between November 26 and 31 December 2005 party lists of candidates were formed.
Kirovske Raion was one of the 25 regions of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea until 2020. The raion's administrative centre is the urban-type settlement of Kirovske. Population: 50,834 .
Pokrovsk Raion is a raion (district) within Donetsk Oblast in eastern Ukraine. Its administrative center is Pokrovsk. It has an area of 1,316 square kilometres (508 sq mi) and its population is approximately 386,451.
Bahacheve, formerly known as Vatutine is a city in Zvenyhorodka Raion, Cherkasy Oblast, Ukraine. It hosts the administration of Bahacheve urban hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine. It had a population of 15,763.
The Saky City Municipality is one of the 25 regions of the Crimean Peninsula, internationally recognized as part of Ukraine, but currently occupied by Russia. The region is located on the western coast of Crimea on the Black Sea's shore. Its administrative centre is the city of Saky. In 2014, the population stood at 25,146.
Novoazovsk Raion was one of the administrative raions of Donetsk Oblast in eastern Ukraine. The raion was abolished on 18 July 2020 as part of the administrative reform of Ukraine, which reduced the number of raions of Donetsk Oblast to eight. However, since 2014 much of the raion was not under control of Ukrainian government and has been part of the Donetsk People's Republic which continues using it as an administrative unit. Its administrative center was located in the city of Novoazovsk, and its southern portion borders the Sea of Azov. The last estimate of the raion population, reported by the Ukrainian government, was 26,952.
As of January 2021, the estimated total population of the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol was at 2,416,856. This is up from the 2001 Ukrainian Census figure, which was 2,376,000, and the local census conducted by Russia in December 2014, which found 2,248,400 people.
Russian is the most common first language in the Donbas and Crimea regions of Ukraine and the city of Kharkiv, and the predominant language in large cities in the eastern and southern portions of the country. The usage and status of the language is the subject of political disputes. Ukrainian is the country's only state language since the adoption of the 1996 Constitution, which prohibits an official bilingual system at state level but also guarantees the free development, use and protection of Russian and other languages of national minorities. In 2017 a new Law on Education was passed which restricted the use of Russian as a language of instruction. Nevertheless, Russian remains a widely used language in Ukraine in pop culture and in informal and business communication.
Language policy in Ukraine is based on its Constitution, international treaties and on domestic legislation. According to article 10 of the Constitution, Ukrainian is the official language of Ukraine, and the state shall ensure the comprehensive development and functioning of the Ukrainian language in all spheres of social life throughout the entire territory of the country. Some minority languages have significantly less protection, and have restrictions on their public usage.
Ust-Chorna is a rural settlement in Tiachiv Raion, Zakarpattia Oblast, western Ukraine. The settlement's population was 1,456 as of the 2001 Ukrainian Census. Current population: 1,547.
Volnovakha Raion is one of the eight raions of Donetsk Oblast, in southeastern Ukraine. Its administrative center is in the city of Volnovakha. The raion's population is 139,014.
Orikhiv Raion was one of raions (districts) of Zaporizhzhia Oblast in southern Ukraine. The administrative center of the raion was located in the city of Orikhiv. Its population was 54,462 as of the 2001 Ukrainian Census. The raion was abolished on 18 July 2020 as part of the administrative reform of Ukraine, which reduced the number of raions of Zaporizhzhia Oblast to five. The area of Orikhiv Raion was split between Polohy Raion and Zaporizhzhia Raion. The last estimate of the raion population was 44,114 .
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Derussification in Ukraine is a process of removing Russian influence from the post-Soviet country of Ukraine. This derussification started after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and intensified with the demolition of monuments to Lenin during Euromaidan in 2014 and the further systemic process of decommunization in Ukraine. The Russo-Ukrainian War gave a strong impetus to the process. Along with decommunization, derussification has been described as one of the components of a larger process of decolonization in Ukraine.
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