Guides: Ukraine Information Sources: Background Information

Background Information - Demographic, Government, Language, and Historical Data

Harvard University's Ukrainian Research Institute
The central mission of the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute (HURI) is "to advance knowledge of Ukraine through teaching, research, and publication in the humanities and the social sciences at Harvard and worldwide." They maintain an extensive network of resources, programs, publications, and archives.
Internet Encyclopedia of Ukraine
An online encyclopedia and "comprehensive source of information in English on Ukraine, its history, people, geography, society, economy, and cultural heritage," hosted by the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies. Includes entries from Kubijovyc's 5 volume "Encyclopedia of Ukraine," in addition to "a very considerable number of new articles."
Official Website of Ukraine
The official website of the country of Ukraine, created by BRAND UKRAINE and sponsored by the European Union (EU). BRAND UKRAINE is "an independent Ukrainian organization that has been systematically working on strengthening the brand of Ukraine since February 2022."
Ukraine - The World Factbook
The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)'s World Factbook section on Ukraine. Includes photos, maps, demographic and economic data, information about ongoing conflicts, and more.
Ukraine - World Bank Group Data
Contextual and demographic data for the country of Ukraine, including social, economic, environmental, and institutional indicators. Also includes data surrounding the current conflict between Ukraine and Russia. The World Bank Group provides free and open access to global development data.
Ukrainian Dictionary Online
This site provides an embedded translator tool as well as resources and information about various Ukraine-English dictionaries. Developed by Lexilogos, a platform that compiles "a comprehensive set of resources for the study of the languages of the world."

Selected Reference Books

Below is a selection of reference works about Ukraine and the Eastern European region. eBooks will have a symbol next to the title.

Encyclopedia of Eastern Europe by Richard Frucht (Editor) First published in 2000. This encyclopedia explores the history of this complex region over the last two centuries. Articles are included on countries and regions of Eastern Europe: Albania, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and the countries that once made up Yugoslavia. European Russia is also included. These articles are both detailed and concise, offering the reader a brief but comprehensive introduction into a country's history during the last two centuries - a crucial time when Europe was swept by wars and convulsive political change that shaped the present. The book covers not only the leading figures who shaped the region's political destiny, but also the major artists, writers, and other culturally significant individuals of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Some of these figures are known in the West, while others will be new to many readers. An extensive map program enriches the text and helps the reader place a topic in geographic context. A bibliography at the end of each entry directs the reader to accessible sources for further reading or research on Eastern European history.
Call Number: DJK6 .E53 2000

ISBN: 9780815300922

Publication Date: 2000-03-31
Encyclopedia of Ukraine: Volumes 1-5 by Volodymyr Kubijovyc (Editor) Over thirty years in the making, the most comprehensive work in English on Ukraine is now complete: its history, people, geography, economy, and cultural heritage, both in Ukraine and in the diaspora. Linked to Vol. 1 eBook, Vols. 2-5 also available via Stetson as eBooks
Call Number: eBook

ISBN: 9781442632806

Publication Date: 2016-01-29
Galicia: A Historical Survey and Bibliographic Guide by Paul Robert Magocsi This is the first comprehensive bibliographic guide to Galicia history. Galicia, an eastern European region that has been ruled by Poland, Austria, and the USSR at various times, has played an important and often crucial role in the Ukrainian historical development. This is the first comprehensive bibliographic guide to its history. The over-all arrangement is chronological and within that by theme. The book emphasizes political, socioeconomic, literary, linguistic, and archeological developments as they are recorded in fourteen languages. It contains more than 3000 references, 1000 notes, a detailed thematic and name of index, and six maps which trace the historical development of Galicia. Although Ukrainians have traditionally made up the largest part of Galicia's population, substantial minority populations of Poles, Germans, Armenians, Karaites, and most especially Jews have lived in the region at various times. The extensive literature on Galicia's Jews is brought together in this volume for the first time. This volume is published in association with the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute and the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies. It won the 1982 Cenko Prize for the best work published in Ukrainian bibliography.
Call Number: eBook

ISBN: 9781442675131

Publication Date: 2016-01-29
The Modern Encyclopedia of East Slavic, Baltic, and Eurasian Literatures (10 vols.) by Harry B. Weber; George J. Gutsche; P. Rollberg Previously published under the title "The Modern Encyclopedia of Russian and Soviet Literature"
Call Number: PG2940 .M6

ISBN: 9780875690704

Publication Date: 1977-01-01
Ukraine: A Concise Encyclopedia by Volodymr Kubijovyc Libraries, government agencies, and all those seeking knowledge of Eastern Europe will find in the Encyclopaedia a wealth of fascinating and illuminating material not available elsewhere in the English language.
Call Number: eBook

ISBN: 9781442673199

Publication Date: 1969

Why use reference works?

Consider using encyclopedias and other reference sources when you begin researching a topic. Some encyclopedias will provide more in-depth information than others, but any general encyclopedia is a good source to consult for background information of your chosen subject area. Most encyclopedias provide the following:

Main concepts, including names, dates, places
Keywords and subject terms related to topic
Lists of related articles or additional resources

Britannica Academic
Explore tens of thousands of articles, videos, primary sources and journals/periodicals. Browse popular topics, news, biographies, and more! This is a great resource for getting research started or getting more acquainted with a particular topic.
Credo Reference
A starting point for research and learning that offers unlimited access to hundreds of full text reference books on every subject. Includes encyclopedias, dictionaries, thesauri and books of quotations.
Gale eBooks
A searchable, full-text database of encyclopedias, almanacs, and specialized reference sources.
Oxford Reference Online
Contains over 100 dictionary, language reference, and subject reference works published by Oxford University Press. Also includes the Oxford Companions Series.

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Background Information - Demographic, Government, Language, and Historical Data

Selected Reference Books

Why use reference works?